All People Making a Difference
- This charity eliminates the middleman – cutting waste and expenses
House of Good Deeds cuts out the charity middleman and gives clothes and household goods straight to the end user, cutting waste and expenses.
- Difference MakerBritain’s hedgehogs are in a prickly situation. Meet their rescuers.
Britain loves its hedgehogs, but their numbers are dwindling. Fortunately, their fans are finding ways to make life safer for the garden dwellers.
- Swim pioneer Bill Meier’s mission is to transcend fear, increase safety
A spate of drownings in Massachusetts resulted in restrictions on open water swimming. But Bill Meier is on a mission to increase water safety among all levels of swimmers.
- In the key of joy: Pianos for People gives instruments to St. Louis children
Pianos for People, a St. Louis nonprofit, matches unwanted pianos with families that need them. Free piano lessons are offered, too.
- How Book Dash nurtures South Africa’s young readers
For Book Dash, getting more books into the hands and homes of South African kids is a question of social justice.
- How a rumored hidden creek inspired a Baltimore pastor’s peace park
A hidden creek in a messy bramble on church property inspired a Baltimore pastor to build a peace park. Now it’s a model of environmental justice.
- Difference MakerHow Otto Orondaam helps students make the grade
Nigerian nonprofit Slum2School, founded by Otto Orondaam, aims to help kids access education in a country where about 1 in 3 are out of school.
- Difference MakerSew it goes: The Sewing Machine Project stitches lives back together
Earning a living does more than put food on the table and money in the bank. It builds pride and hope. The Sewing Machine Project helps people do both.
- Difference MakerMarathon mentor helps prisoners run life’s race
One man’s commitment to mentoring long-distance runners in prison is changing hearts, perspectives, and lives.
- Difference MakerThe Travelling Telescope brings stars to students
Susan Murabana’s Travelling Telescope program aims to show Kenyan kids the stars up close – and that astronomy and science are for everyone.
- ‘Bicycles kind of saved my life.’ Najari Smith spins a community forward.
Najari Smith founded a co-op bike shop in Richmond, California, drawing youths to its Earn-a-Bike mechanics program and residents to community rides.
- This community garden in Southeast Washington grows far more than food
Along with nutritious food, the community garden in Washington’s low-income Southeast neighborhood grows opportunities and a sense of community.
- Today’s Underground Railroad: From jail to freedom with education
In an Illinois jail, higher education – with an emphasis on theology – has played a key role in the growth of those behind bars and those back home.
- Difference MakerBlack master falconer helps birds and at-risk youth take flight
This Black master falconer is a mentor, conservationist, and Dr. Dolittle of sorts – saving raptors, at-risk youth, and himself along the way.
- Difference MakerIndia trashes 100 million tires a year. She turns them into playgrounds.
Anthill Creations, the brainchild of Pooja Rai, is a Bengaluru-based nonprofit that designs and builds low-cost playgrounds throughout India.
- Difference MakerTo fight terrorism, a German imam makes daily trek to prison
Imam Husamuddin Meyer shows how spiritual counseling can help inmates reach the inner peace they need to avoid veering into Islamic fundamentalism.
- Difference MakerFor this Brazilian chef, stopping world hunger starts in local kitchens
David Hertz looked at food insecurity and saw local culinary training, among other things, as a way out.
- Difference MakerIndia’s blind readers had no lifestyle mag. So this woman made one.
White Print, a Braille lifestyle magazine, was founded by Upasana Makati. She has also printed children’s books in Braille, including “Tactabet.”
- Difference MakerBe like Fauci? Pandemic inspires surge in med school applications.
Inspired by the selflessness of medical personnel during the pandemic, young people are applying to medical school in droves.
- Difference MakerHow Ojok Okello is rebuilding the hometown he never knew
Ojok Okello returned to his father’s hometown in northern Uganda planning to build just a small house. But it turned into much more: “Okere City.”