Being worthy of appreciation doesn’t require wealth or fame.
Every week, we bring you stories of everyday folks who are showing up and making a difference in their own unique ways.
Their kindness and resilience deserve to be recognized and appreciated.
These stories matter. Small, consistent acts of kindness have the power to create profound and lasting change.
To be heroic does not have to mean possessing the ability to stand against the evils of the world, either well or successfully, but just that one is willing to stand. – Mike Alsford
Take a look at this week’s uplifting stories.
- Young adults receive life development skills at a bookstore
- A doggy daycare bus is enriching the lives of dogs and people with disabilities
- A woman brings joy to high school runners
- A program is transforming school meals
Positively Uplifting Stories | September 15 2025
A bookstore empowers at-risk youth to take charge of their lives.
More Than Words is much more than just a bookstore!
This Boston-based nonprofit organization provides jobs for youth in foster care, experiencing homelessness, or out of school.
The program helps them develop employment skills and gain access to the resources and training needed to successfully transition into adulthood.
Founder Jodi Rosenbaum wanted to create an environment where these young people feel valued and know that they matter.
“I look at it as we’re getting paid to progress, to be better, to grow, to be stable once we leave here, to get that life that we always wanted. Most of us coming here don’t have that chance at all. So, it is like coming here is just like a second shot,” said Desi Holly, a participant.
Bus for dogs provides meaningful opportunities for dogs to play, learn, and thrive.
Every week, a special minibus transports a group of furry friends to a purpose-built adventure park in the rural Queensland community of Boonah for a day filled with training and play.
Part of the daycare program at IronBark DogPark, the minibus offers enriching experiences for a wide variety of dogs.
It also creates meaningful opportunities for young people living with disabilities or from at-risk backgrounds to build valuable skills and a future in animal care.
“My aim obviously with the dogs is to find their happy place, but the result is, it allows the humans to find their happy place as well,” said founder Jo McVilly.
Woman offers kindness to cross-country runners.
Every day, the cross-country team at Blooming Prairie High School in Minnesota stops by Sandy Bass’s house for popsicle treats.
Known as the “Popsicle Lady,” Sandy is always eager to bring joy to the student’s faces during their daily practices.
For more than 10 years, members of Blooming Prairie’s cross-country team have enjoyed treats from Sandy before resuming their run.
After losing her husband, Sandy found new purpose and healing in these simple acts of kindness.
“When the kids started coming and ringing the doorbell, I thought, you know, life goes on,” said Sandy.
A farm-to-table program is bringing nutritious food to students.
A farm-to-table nutrition program at Oceanside Unified School District in San Diego is bringing high-quality food to students.
The district’s cafeterias now serve fresh produce sourced from local farms. The program also offers hands-on education by involving students in growing their own produce, encouraging healthier eating habits.
“So, we partnered with our own farm at one of our schools where they produce it, we buy it, serve it to our own kids, grown by our students, eaten by our students,” said Francis McInnis, who runs the food nutrition program for the district.
Have a Fantastic Week Everyone!
These stories remind us that heroism lives not in grand gestures or headlines, but in the quiet courage of ordinary people who choose compassion.
From Jodi creating second chances for vulnerable youth to Sandy turning grief into daily acts of kindness, each person proves that making a difference doesn’t require wealth, fame, or special abilities – just a willingness to see a need and respond with an open heart.
In a world hungry for connection and hope, we each carry this same power to plant seeds of healing through small, consistent acts of love that ripple outward in ways we may never fully know.
