People Doing Good

Stories of people making a difference in the world

Two images side-by-side. On the left, a woman and a man stand in Yosemite National Park holding a large burlap sack to collect trash. They also hold two trash picker sticks in their hands. On the right, the same two people sit in the Rush Creek Spa, wearing robes, with their feet in a small bath. They look at peace as they throw up some "peace" signs.

Pick up trash at Yosemite, and you can trade in your loot for a free spa treatment

The Yosemite Facelift combines environmental stewardship with a relaxing escape.

A Black and White photo of Maggie Smith from 1970.

Maggie Smith's greatest roles: witch, countess, and charitable figure

The “Harry Potter” and “Downton Abbey” star quietly aided several charitable efforts throughout her career.

A black and white portrait of Frederick Douglass

What Frederick Douglass learned from an Irish anti-slavery activist: 'Agitate, agitate, agitate'

Though Frederick Douglass remains the most well-known abolitionist to visit Ireland in the decades prior to the American Civil War, he was not the only one.

A photo collage of a kid getting a vaccine, a bottle containing different chemicals to make a protein product, people seated inside a restaurant, a snippet of a line graph of the declining rate of U.S. overdose deaths, and a group of six people planting a tree

Good News This Week: September 21, 2024 - Proteins, Athletes, & Trees

Your weekly roundup of the best good news worth celebrating...

The cover of Maia Kobabe's book "Gender Queer" sits atop an illustration of broken chains

'Gender Queer' is the most banned book in America. Here’s how author Maia Kobabe says you can protect it.

Maia Kobabe published a graphic memoir — "Gender Queer" — in 2019. It has since become the most challenged book in the United States.

Illustration of library shelves full of brown and blue books

14 Ideas for Celebrating Banned Books Week

When it feels like our reality has crumbled into a dystopian nightmare, what do we do? We use the power of books, form our own team of heroes, and fight against censorship and for stories that matter!

A notepad calendar graphic displays the text "100 Days of Good News" in bold orange and red letters, against a background with floating calendar pages showing various numbers, including 56, 98, 10, 72, 34, and 3. The background transitions from pink at the top to orange at the bottom.

100 Days of Good News: All of the good news we've shared so far

We launched the '100 Days of Good News' project as a bit of a palate cleanser to give our brains a break from the heaviness of bad news.

A group of four Palestinians plant an olive tree in the ground. They include — from left to right — one young woman with a long light blue dress and navy blue hijab, an older man in a light button-down shirt and khakis, an older woman in a teal dress and light pink hijab, and a younger man in a lilac shirt and khakis.

2,500 olive trees planted in the West Bank for International Day of Peace

These “Freedom Farms” empower families through financial security and gender equality.

Three photos side-by-side. On the left, Stephen Curry dribbles a basketball while in a royal blue and yellow jersey. In the center, a mockup of an iPhone shows a voter registration webpage. On the right, Olivia Rodrigo sits in a chair, holding a microphone, in front of a violet curtain

Olivia Rodrigo, Steph Curry encourage voter registration at the link in their bios

The stars are part of a National Voter Registration Day effort to leverage their platforms for civic engagement.

A large crowd of diverse diners fill the tables at Rose Goute Creole Restaurant in Ohio

Residents of Springfield pack Haitian restaurant to show their support

Community members encouraged one another to dine at a local Haitian Creole restaurant to show support for their immigrant neighbors.

Hispanic Heritage Month Quote Graphic: Your great strength is knowing who you are. — Oscar de la Renta

Powerful Hispanic Heritage Month quotes that celebrate culture and resilience

We’ve curated a collection of beautiful quotes about what it means to be Hispanic and Latino — to celebrate during Hispanic Heritage Month and all year long.

Blurry Gradient For Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month: History, cultural significance, and how to celebrate

Hispanic Heritage Month (or Latino Heritage Month) is a month-long celebration that kicks off on September 15th. We’ve put together great ideas to help you celebrate it...