The New York Public Library launched a Summer at the Library initiative that includes a slew of free programs to entice readers. A full list of free programs and offerings—ranging from baby lapsit programs to arts and crafts for teens—can be found at their website. The library, which serves the Bronx, Manhattan and Staten Island-is highlighting the centerpiece of the program, a large scale book giveaway.
They are giving away 500,000 books for free to kids, teens and families at all of its branch locations. The initiative is an effort to help folks build their at-home libraries and “strengthen the city’s ecosystem of learning,” according to an official press release. Some libraries will even offer Spanish, Chinese and large print titles to keep.
The program started June 9th and anyone 18 and under can go to one of the branches with their library card or sign up for one and select a free book. The Summer at the Library project offers a list of over 100 summer reading recommendations from expert librarians. It also offers programs like storytimes and podcasting workshops; outdoor pop-ups that include library card sign-up events and others involving the NYPL’s famous bookmobiles; and a number of other initiatives targeted directly to adults.
Educators agree that reading over the summer is critical to helping kids maintain learning while school is out and also for fostering social-emotional development. Eighty-three-percent of educators say reading helps students understand people that are different from them, 81% say reading helps students develop empathy, and 81% say reading helps students see themselves in characters and stories.
Multiple studies have shown that owning books is a big boost to children’s literacy. Chidlren growing up in a home with at least 80 books are associated with higher literacy levels. Teens who grew up with a library of books at home “become as literate, numerate and technologically apt in adulthood as university graduates who grew up with only a few books.” A child who owns just one book of their own is six times more likely to read above grade level and three times as likely to enjoy reading.
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Many pet owner’s love Chewy for their unique and heartwarming company image. The online retailer knows how to get to our feels and they have a longstanding practice at the company to acknowledge the loss of customers’ pets with flowers or even paintings. Their latest gesture is sure to warm any heart.
When a dog named Gus died, his owner tried to return a bag of food and received a heartwarming surprise from Chewy. Anna Brose tweeted “I contacted @Chewy last week to see if I could return an unopened bag of my dog’s food after he died. They 1) gave me a full refund, 2) told me to donate the food to the shelter, and 3) had flowers delivered today with the gift note signed by the person I talked to??”
Her tweet has since gone viral, leading Brose to follow up with a sweet pic of her now-departed dog, Gus. “Thank you for all the kind messages and shared stories in the comments,” she wrote, adding a blue heart emoji. “Gus would have been blown away!” Chewy replied, saying, “It’s the least we could do, Anna. We hope these flowers will help to keep your spirits up.”
Animal shelters have even taken notice. One shelter worker wrote in a response to Brose’s tweet: “I work at an animal shelter. This is legit. We often have people reaching out to donate because Chewy told them to reach out to a local shelter. I can’t express what this means to shelter’s like mine. Truly a gift.”
Andrew Stein, senior director for customer service at Chewy said “Showing up for our customers during important milestones in their pet parenting journey is core to our DNA and we’ve offered such gestures to their customers since the company’s “very early days. What you have seen is representative of the responses we consistently receive. Each and every time we see a customer post, we all get excited and start forwarding it around Chewy; it never gets old.”
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Three major organizations in San Diego have joined forces with a unique program to end homelessness. The Salvation Army, Feeding San Diego and the Lucky Duck Foundation are collaborating on a program that gives Salvation Army clients job opportunities as Food Rescue Drivers. The trio of organizations in San Diego, California, have created a model that could be replicated across the country.
With funding from the Lucky Duck Foundation, The Salvation Army hires residents of its homeless shelter and trains them to be food rescue route drivers, who then operate routes for Feeding San Diego to pick up food before it ends up in landfills. The drivers are trained and then given routes for weekly food pick ups from grocery stores, like Costco and Vons, from Starbucks, and Amazon warehouses, among other businesses.
It’s then distributed to those in need—often to the residents back at The Salvation Army shelter.
The partnership announced a milestone they hit in June. The program, which started 2 years ago, has saved more than half a million pounds of food so far and every one of The Salvation Army residents who has participated in the program has secured full-time employment and are still housed.
Lucky Duck Foundation funds the operation and pays the drivers’ wages. Executive Director of Lucky Duck Foundation, Drew Moser said “It’s a chance for folks who are suffering from homelessness to get a real job that’s sort of a stepping-stone. It’s an opportunity to get practical skills and relevant work experience and go onwards and upwards from there.”
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Two Ohio women, who refer to themselves as “split-liver sisters,” received a liver transplant on July 1, 2020. Both were part of a rare transplant surgery called a split-liver transplantation, in which a donor’s liver is divided into two distinct portions, which are then implanted into each patient. The procedure is risky because blood clotting and other complications are more likely with split-liver transplantation, though the long-term survival rate is the same.
Koji Hashimoto, a surgeon at Cleveland Clinic, who performed the operation said it’s an extremely rare procedure for adults. The size of the patient determines the size of the liver needed,” Hashimoto said. “It’s also very important to take into consideration how sick the patient is. If you have a really sick patient, you need a bigger liver. The health of the donated liver, which grows to be a standard size about six to eight weeks after the transplant, is also crucial to consider.”
The women shared the same diagnosis of cirrhosis of the liver and had been on the transplant list. An average of 17 people die every day while awaiting their turn to receive an organ. Both women, Maria Contreras and Monica Davis, knew their odds and didn’t hesitate when they received the call that if they agreed-would be in surgery within hours.
Contreras’s operation used 40 percent of the donor liver while the remaining 60 percent went to Davis, whose surgery was performed simultaneously by a different surgeon. Both surgeries were successful and the two women were eager to meet after their operations. Contreras recalled “I was asking my nurse, ‘Do you know about my liver sister?’” “I was so excited to see her. When we met, I cried, I hugged her, I was jumping with her. I could feel the connection.”
Both women say the closeness they have with each other is hard to describe. Contreras said “I was so happy, and I said, ‘Thank you God,’ because He didn’t only give me a new life, but He gave me a new sister, too. We’re going to be friends, she’s a part of me.”
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A heartwarming video went viral of a Louisiana man surprised to find a stray kitten in the middle of the road, then being swarmed by a dozen more kittens. The 43-second-long video starts as a person steps out of their car and points the camera at a small kitten that was wandering on the side of the road. As the man proceeds to pick up the kitten, the camera turns to reveal a stampede of adorable kittens running out of the grass. “Oh my gosh, I can’t take y’all,” the person on the video said.
Robert Brantley decided to record as he approached a small kitchen he saw in the road and said he was not prepared for what happened. The video shows the kittens swarmed Brantley’s feet, clearly all wanting the attention their sibling was getting. Brantley can be heard expressing his shock over the ambush.
There were 13 in all and Brantley loaded them up into his car and took them all home for a bath and some milk. Shortly after, he posted another video when all 13 kittens were loaded up in his car—he noted that “the tactical Honda was not prepared for this.” He posted an update on Instagram that also went viral “Anyone wanting a kitten at a screaming price? I’ll cut you a deal.” He soon received hundreds of adoption offers for the little ones.
Brantley said he believes the kittens were dumped and believes he pulled up right behind whoever had dumped them. He recalls seeing a car pull off to the side of the road and pull away not long after he arrived. He took them to a vet who commented they were in exceptional shape considering they had been abandoned. His wife Courtney set up an Amazon wish list and packages were being sent in from all over to help with things the kittens might need. All the kittens have been adopted.
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Two-time Olympic Nicola Spirig has entered the history books by becoming the first female Olympian ever to complete a full triathlon in under 8 hours—smashing the world record by over 40 minutes. The 40 year-old mom of three crossed the finish line in Germany in an astonishing 7 hours, 34 minutes and 19 seconds.
Spirig accomplished the feat despite earlier this year breaking three ribs, fracturing her collarbone and puncturing a lung in a cycling accident that almost ended her career. She recovered and went on to fulfill this lifelong triathlon ambition on the cusp of ending her 20+ years of international competition and retiring from the sport this year.
The Pho3nix Sub8 Project race in Germany on June 5 was organized specifically to pit two of the world’s greatest female triathletes against each other, in a challenge to break the 8-hour barrier. Both athletes broke the decade-long world record for women of 8:18:13. Not only did Nicola beat her personal record of 9 hours, 14 minutes and 7 seconds, the seven-time European Champion crossed the line in an epic 7:34:19— three minutes after Ironman champion Kat Matthews, a British army captain.
Beyond winning seven 70.3 Ironman titles—and being on the podium at each half Ironman race she has ever entered—she has also managed to study to become a lawyer. Nicola also organizes the Kids Cup races for children throughout Switzerland, raising money to deliver to other kids more access to sports.
Spirig announced her plans to retire at the end of the 2022 season in April. “I’ve been able to take part in five Olympic Games. I’ve won two Olympic medals and seven European Championship titles, I was Switzerland’s Sportswoman of the Year, I’ve built up a foundation and the Kids Cup series, and I’m a mother of three wonderful children. I am incredibly grateful and also somewhat proud to have been able to experience all of this over the years. I am at peace with my life and my career, which is why I have decided to retire from professional triathlon at the end of the current season.”
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A Tennessee family opened their home in 2018 to Andrew, a 12-year-old foster child who had lived in foster care for about six years. Kevin and Dominique Gill explained that when Andrew’s parents’ parental rights were terminated, the young boy’s four siblings were adopted. Andrew was left alone to wait for his forever home.
After spending several years in foster care, the little boy finally had a chance at happiness, as Kevin and Dominique fostered the child. The couple, who have a son Joc the same age as Andrew, quickly realized the boy was reclusive and would always sit in his room with the door closed. He would push the couple away but after a few days he did bond with their son, having alot in common with him.
They knew what he had been through and decided not to give up on him so they showed him all the love and care he needed to be comfortable. After spending more than a year with the Gills family, Andrew left, but he and Joc remained friends. Dominique and Kevin did not have plans of adopting a child, so they decided on helping Andrew find his new family.
However, when the boy’s second adoption did not work out, Kevin and Dominique knew Andrew belonged with them. Dominique said that people often got scared away when they read Andrew’s file, but she knew he was a good child who had experienced a lot of trauma. One day, Andrew got the surprise of his life while walking through the park with Youth Villages Counselor Molly Parker.
He turned around and saw familiar faces holding signs and balloons. The Gills family asked him if he wanted to become part of the family and without hesitation, Andrew said yes. Dominique said though they never thought about adopting before, Andrew was their son just like Joc was theirs. He had become a full member of the family so a decision they never envisioned making became the only one to make.
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A Florida teen saved her best friend’s life just one day after learning CPR. Torri’ell Norwood is a
16-year-old high school student with dreams of becoming a nurse one day. When her high school offered a CPR training course, the 11th-grader decided to get certified-never thinking she would use the life saving skill so soon.
The very next day, Torri’ell was riding in a car with some friends in St. Petersburg, Florida, when the car they were in was hit by another vehicle, sending them crashing into a tree. Their vehicle began to smoke and bystanders yelled for them to get out because it could explode. Torri’ell was unharmed and jumped out, running away from the car. When she realized her best friend A’zarria Simmons wasn’t by her side she immediately ran back.
She found A’zarria slumped over in the back seat, unconscious. The teen had a large wound in her forehead, and when Torri’ell pulled her out of the car and rested her on the ground, she checked for a pulse — and found nothing there. The lifesaving skills she learned the day before kicked in and she began chest compressions and rescue breaths.
“I just saw my friend on the ground and knew what I had to do,” she said. It took 30 compressions and two breaths before A’zarria gasped and came around. A’zarria received several stitches on her forehead and said she does not remember the accident or its immediate aftermath, but she’s not surprised that her best friend since 7th grade stepped up. She said “I wasn’t shocked by her doing it because she always does stuff for me. She always has my back. It’s deeper than a friendship, it’s been deeper than that before this accident and all this happened. It’s just made me realize that if she wasn’t there, I wouldn’t be here today.”
Torri’ell’s instructor Erika Miller said “It’s just one of the most amazing things. As a teacher, we hope all the time that somebody’s listening, paying attention, that they can find a way to take what they’ve learned in class into the real world.” Torri’ell is now being hailed as a hero in her community and the two friends say they both want to work in the medical field.
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A Minneapolis community rallied around a 70 year old woman, known as the “Bright Star” in her neighborhood, when she was facing eviction after her landlord of 19 years decided to sell the property she lives in. Linda Taylor, a beloved neighbor in her community has been known for her heart of gold and her green thumbs for nearly two decades. When she was beside herself after being given two months to vacate, her neighbors stepped in.
Linda had previously owned the house she lived in but sold it when she fell prey to a real estate deal she didn’t understand. She has rented the home for about 15 years and when her landlord notified her the house would be sold, Linda knew she couldn’t afford the $299,000 selling price. After she told one neighbor in her tight knit community, word of her predicament spread fast and the greater part of Powderhorn rallied around her.
She decided to share her struggle with Andrew Fahlstrom, 41, who lives across the street and works professionally as a housing rights organizer. Since he moved to the neighborhood six years ago with his partner, he and Taylor have built a strong rapport. He contacted neighbors to see what they could do to help Taylor.
Given his line of work, Fahlstrom knows Taylor’s story isn’t unique, particularly as the local housing market has skyrocketed in recent years. “So many people are losing housing right now,” he said. “If we actually believe housing is a right, then we need to act like it, because the next stop is homelessness” Fahlstrom said.
After months of demonstrations, the 70-year-old was given the option to buy her home before the end of June. There was no one-size-fits-all approach to the fundraising efforts as the community worked together.. They held an art show, bake sale, there were countless small donations and other community-fund drives to come up with the funds needed along with some pro-bono work by a real-estate agent. The raised the money a full month ahead of the June 30th deadline.
Linda said “Yesterday I went and did the closing for the house, it makes me feel so good, everything that I have given, it’s coming back to me and I want to continue to give. I love this neighborhood.” Taylor said this marks the start of a new chapter and another opportunity to stick around and give back. “When we are sticking together, we are going to be successful in our neighborhood. We’re going to take care of each other.”
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A California woman got the shock of her life after bringing home a set of sofas and a chair that she found on Craigslist for free. Vicki Umodu of Colton, California said she just moved in and was excited to get the first pieces of furniture in her new home. A lump in the cushion of a chair she initially thought might be a heating pad but said it felt like a bunch of paper.
When she unzipped the cover, she pulled out envelopes stuffed with thousands of dollars in cash. It turned out to be more than $36,000 stashed inside the cushion. “I was just telling my son, come, come, come! I was screaming, this is money! I need to call the guy” she said. When Umodu called she learned that a family member had recently died and the family was selling furniture as they were clearing out the house. .
The man’s family said they believe it was hidden away by the deceased as part of a saving strategy. Vicki said it never once occurred to her to keep the money. “God has been kind to me and my children,” Umodu said. “They are all alive and well, I have three beautiful grandchildren, so what can I ever ask of God?”
Umodu said she was not expecting a dime from them but the owners were so grateful for her honesty that they gave Umodu $2,200 to buy a new refrigerator for herself. They also said they later found money hidden in other places in the house and are now checking all the furniture they were planning to sell-all thanks to Umodu’s honesty.
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