All People Making a Difference
Out of work? How volunteering can open doors.The job search can be discouraging. Service activities offer a number of benefits to those looking for work.
Difference MakerAn outdoorsman’s outreach to youths facing troubles at homeRyan Kerrigan takes youths in Washington State rafting and rock climbing to teach life lessons – such as realizing one’s own worth and not giving up.
The Canadians helping refugees start anewUnder Canada’s Private Sponsorship of Refugees program, ordinary citizens can take a frontline role in aiding those who have been through immense challenges.
Difference MakerThis theater director gets at the big issues of the day – with young actorsMartina Droste’s theater project in Frankfurt features both local youths and young refugees. The wide-ranging themes they present have encouraged tens of thousands of theatergoers to think about the issues in new ways.
An ally for pets when their owners are deployedMany service members have had to surrender their beloved pets to shelters. Buzz Miller created a foster-care alternative.
Difference MakerA mother who knows from experience what families dealing with homicide needClementina Chéry’s son was killed in the crossfire of a gang-related shootout. Soon after in Boston, she founded the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute to address the roots of violence and support grieving families, regardless of circumstance.
An alternative to junking that broken applianceAt Repair Café events, handy volunteers help their less-skilled neighbors. The events are part of a repair movement spreading around the world, at a time when the global trash pile is growing exponentially.
Difference MakerHow a forlorn playground became one of America’s most innovative public spacesToody Maher is an urban visionary who helped residents in Richmond, Calif., collectively transform a deserted spot. She believes that the most beautiful and enlightened public spaces belong in the most disadvantaged communities.
Difference MakerHe’s led a transformation among Roma villagers: crime down, productivity upLászló Bogdán, the mayor of Cserdi, Hungary, has worked to instill a sense of self-worth in the villagers while also countering common prejudices about the Roma. And he’s led by example.
Difference MakerHe’s given at-risk young men the space to learn and growRichard Bienvenue founded Our House, which is now located on a farm in Maryland. There, male adolescents focus on learning trades that can become their careers, and they do it with a structure that has often been lacking for them.
Difference MakerHaving trouble getting a job as an older worker? This woman has some advice.Elizabeth White herself couldn’t find work later in her career. She’s now written a book in which she identifies issues that older workers face and suggests steps for restoring what she calls ‘a richly textured life.’
How a city girl came to oversee a community gardenDawn Blackman Sr. saw a need for fresh food in her urban community. The Randolph Street Community Garden in Champaign, Ill., now has 72 beds, and more than 3,000 people received fresh produce last year.
Difference MakerShe re-created a medieval trail in Germany, drawing thousands of hikersEsther Zeiher launched the endeavor after she came across an old map. She calls the trail an ‘adventure in humanity’ that is enabling meaningful exchanges between people.
Volunteering together: how families can plan a vacation that gives backAhead of the big summer vacation season, here are some ideas for trying something different – service.
Teen siblings raise nearly $110,000 to fight hunger in Washington StateAidan Ryan started volunteering abroad, but when he realized the challenges much closer to home, he adjusted his focus. His sister, Erin Ryan, has gotten involved, too.
India's rescued bonded laborers rebuild lives in 'dream homes'Students from a college in Chennai, India, are working with the rescued individuals as part of a project to help them get back on their feet. Without homes, among other things, it is easy for them to slip back into debt bondage, campaigners say.
‘Star Wars’-style desert moisture farming: New tech brings it a step closerResearchers are working to take the process from science fiction to reality. A new study is demonstrating how one device could work even in dry desert conditions using only the power of the sun.
Difference MakerRescued chimpanzees and orangutans: This woman’s lifework is caring for themPatti Ragan founded the Center for Great Apes near Wauchula, Fla., which has become a model for ape sanctuaries across the US.
From waste to energy: Danish plant maximizes the power of wastewaterMost water treatment plants are energy hogs, but investment in new technologies helped the Marselisborg plant reduce its power consumption by 33 percent. Engineers from other countries have been lining up to learn about the process.
This chef loves cooking for homeless peopleRob Cox has a culinary degree and has managed other kitchens, but what makes him happy is cooking every day at the Shalom Community Center in Bloomington, Ind.
