All People Making a Difference
- Difference MakerMeet Mr. Bicycle, who’s helped fix thousands of bikes in Pennsylvania
Ross Willard’s all-volunteer nonprofit in Harrisburg, Pa., took shape after he noticed that children were riding bicycles with brakes that didn’t work.
- Difference MakerThe man and fellow retirees behind a science lab for students in rural India
Many rural students in India are behind in science. So Sharad Godse and other volunteers have visited more than 2,600 schools to make science concepts fun and comprehensible for high-schoolers.
- Difference MakerHe’s working to close the digital divide in Kansas City
Rick Deane, cofounder of Connecting for Good, wants to ensure that low-income people and others can tap into the vast potential offered by computers and the internet.
- Difference MakerWhen buildings crumble, these rescue 'moles' tunnel in to survivors
Pola Díaz Moffitt first pitched in to search-and-rescue efforts after Mexico City's 1985 earthquake, 32 years to the day before last month's temblor. She's been helping 'topos' groups find people trapped by disasters ever since.
- A train station run entirely by volunteers – many well over 60 years old
Ken Lyons, in his 90s, has been one of the volunteers at Centennial Station in Washington State. He’s an example of how many seniors keep making a difference in their communities after their official retirement date.
- One woman who’s easing the language barrier for immigrants
Anh Nguyet Tranh, herself an immigrant from South Vietnam, founded a business in Michigan that employs some 250 interpreters and translators and can translate documents in 30 different languages.
- Difference MakerIn Milwaukee, an effort to link inner-city workers with jobs outside the city
Pastor Jerome Smith Sr. runs the Joseph Project, which not only helps urban residents find work but also operates a van service to get them there. The initiative has become a conservative favorite.
- Difference MakerThe story behind DC Diaper Bank, a resource for parents
Eight years ago, when Corinne Cannon had her first child, she was surprised at just how hard parenting can be.
- After she returned to her Ethiopian hometown, she had to help the girls
Lily Yoseph was struck by the poverty in the village, as well as the fact that often girls don’t have the opportunity to attend school. So she established a nonprofit that gives girls everything from medical care to school uniforms.
- Volunteering on company time: five reasons to do it
Some employees may think that giving back during the workday doesn’t make sense. But a substantial percentage of companies offer volunteer benefits.
- Difference MakerShe’s giving job opportunities to other women in Senegal – with peanuts
When Fatou Sall Ndiaye Mbacké got married, she didn’t spend her dowry on a wedding dress, but rather on peanuts. This young entrepreneur is only motivated by the fact that she lives in a country where traditional gender roles persist.
- Difference MakerMost Grenadians don’t know how to swim. But one woman is changing that.
Deb Eastwood left behind a six-figure salary at Xerox to work with a youth organization. She now leads a campaign in Grenada to teach islanders – especially children – how to swim.
- How a couple's gift to a university benefits more than just college students
The McVay Youth Partnership at Hamline University offers paid leadership opportunities for students, who mentor middle- and high-schoolers. The program was endowed by Pete and Mary McVay.
- A onetime prison warden shares her first love with youths: the arts
Alexandreena Dixon founded an organization that uses African storytelling traditions to teach long-forgotten African values and rituals. The aim is to broaden horizons for black children.
- Difference MakerNever mind he’s only in his mid-20s. He’s already conducted 22,000 performers.
Rasmus Puur was one of the chief conductors last month for Laulupidu, a big choral event in Estonia. His message for its young participants goes beyond music.
- Difference MakerShe arrived in Senegal 43 years ago – and is still there working on social issues
Molly Melching founded the nonprofit Tostan, which operates in a number of African countries. It’s known globally for alleviating poverty, as well as for helping to reduce child marriage and female genital cutting in Senegal.
- Difference MakerUsing a taro patch in Hawaii, this couple teaches the islands’ values to youths
Dean and Michele Wilhelm mentor young people facing challenging circumstances. Taro farming provides an opportunity for the couple to weave regional culture into the lessons.
- A helping hand for young mothers in poverty
New Moms in Chicago provides job training, transitional housing, and doula support. The aim is for the new mothers to become self-sufficient.
- Difference MakerFrom ‘Full House’ to Afghanistan: an American teaches street children music
Lanny Cordola, a US rocker, had toured with well-known names in music, and he had appeared in a couple of episodes of the ABC comedy as a musician. But everything changed when he learned about two attacks in Afghanistan.
- Difference MakerA former exec at Trader Joe’s grows another kind of grocery store
Doug Rauch opened Daily Table in a low-income area of Boston two years ago. The nonprofit grocery store has been a pioneer in its approach to food waste, food deserts, hunger, and obesity.