They Call Him Crutch
Like one in every 1200 children, Bill Shannnon has a bilateral hip deformity -- his hips aren't round, and putting pressure on them creates swelling. Since the age of five, he's been using crutches, and by now, he considers them be an extension of his body. Instead of feeling handicapped, Shannon has turned walking on crutches into an art form! In this video, watch Bill take it to the street, danc... posted on Aug 20 2009, 5,086 reads

Art & The Happiness Entrepreneur
"Through a long series of coincidences, this 'art box' finds you. When I had to give a gift for my sister, I realized her two loves. Her first love was art, the joy of creative expression, the connection with a subtler force. In her high school graduation speech, she used a quote that summed up her perspective: an artist isn't a special kind of a person but every person is a special kind of an art... posted on Aug 18 2009, 3,913 reads

Five-Year-Old Phoebe's Food Bank
After seeing a person holding a cardboard sign begging for food, Phoebe wondered, "Why does that man look so sad, and why is he holding a sign in the street?" That question to her parents, during her daily ride to daycare, sparked an idea that has helped feed nearly 18,000 hungry San Franciscans. ... posted on Aug 13 2009, 3,740 reads

Hero Provides A Free Lunch
Chemotherapy treatments are no fun, but patients here at the Kaiser Permanente Oncology Department in Denver have reason to look forward to their visits. On the fourth Thursday of every month everyone here -- patients, family, and staff -- gets a free, homemade lunch. "They love it and I love it. I bring sandwiches and Texas sheet cake, and chips. We have the same menu every month, but everybody l... posted on Aug 03 2009, 2,168 reads

Homeless Man Leaves $4 Million to Charity
Every day on NPR, listeners hear funding credits -- or, in other words, very short, simple commercials. A few weeks ago, a new one made it to air: "Support for NPR comes from the estate of Richard Leroy Walters, whose life was enriched by NPR, and whose bequest seeks to encourage others to discover public radio." NPR's Robert Siegel wondered who Walters was. So Siegel Googled him. An article in th... posted on Jul 31 2009, 5,586 reads

Hardest Working Mayor of North America
Hazel McCallion is a wonderful example of leadership for many reasons: she has been the mayor of Mississauga, Ontario for 30+ years, re-elected 10 times, and is responsible for a debt-free district while creating a vibrant downtown. She's done all this with great energy and enthusiasm while approaching 90 years old! Watch her interact with others and you'll find her smile to be contagious!... posted on Jul 30 2009, 5,804 reads

The Rock Star Who Wouldn't Give Up
The life of a rock star consists of a personal assistant fussing with your hair, a photographer snapping your photo, and a newsman coming for an interview. But Jason Becker is no ordinary rock star. He can no longer speak or move his body, but he remains a brilliant composer with a legion of fans and a new CD. Jason's musical odyssey began when he was just five and got his first guitar. By the tim... posted on Jul 22 2009, 5,218 reads

Charter for Compassion
When Karen Armstrong won a prize to do anything she wanted, she created a "Charter for Compassion" to bring together voices from all religions and backgrounds and remind the world that while all faiths are not the same, they all share the share the core principle of compassion and the Golden Rule. In this moving video, Karen and many other friends lay out a beautiful narrative as an invitation int... posted on Jul 09 2009, 4,014 reads

A Retired Doctor Reaches Out
Three years ago, Everett Atkinson was a medical disaster waiting to happen. The 6-foot-7 homeless man couldn't stand up long without his legs swelling dangerously. His heart was bad, his circulatory system was damaged and his body was giving out after years of alcoholism, drug abuse and neglect. Help came his way, unexpectedly, from a doctor who had bought StreetWise newspapers from Atkinson for y... posted on Jul 08 2009, 3,820 reads

She Cashed In Her Savings For Bess
In 2002 38-year-old Jennifer Frances cashed in her 401K to do something fulfilling with her life. And it all started with a 1972 Volkswagen bus named "Bess." "Bess the Book Bus" is a gateway to reading for underprivileged and inner-city kids in Tampa, Fla that has now distributed thousands of books to thousands of Tampa-area children, from kindergarten-to-high school, giving almost 40,000 new book... posted on Jul 03 2009, 2,542 reads