Every act of kindness matters, from small gestures to community-wide campaigns.
There are people all over the world who are doing their best to uplift not only fellow humans but also protect and conserve wildlife and the environment.
“Money is not the only commodity that is fun to give. We can give time, we can give our expertise, we can give our love, or simply give a smile. What does that cost? The point is, none of us can ever run out of something worthwhile to give.” – Steve Goodier
Let’s look at a few heart-warming stories of kindness, compassion, and community involvement.
- Young boy gets the support of his classmates on his adoption finalization day
- Biodegradable straws help protect growing coral
- Woman is spreading kindness with flowers
- Nonprofit cleans up contaminated Greek seas
Weekly Uplifting Stories – June 10th, 2024
Young boy celebrates his adoption finalization day with his entire fourth-grade class
May 14 marked the completion of Luke’s adoption journey as he became an official member of the Kissinger family.
His new parents Cassie and Bradley Kissinger first met Luke at a connection event hosted by Project Zero, a nonprofit dedicated to finding loving forever homes for children in the foster care system.
Luke quickly developed a special bond with the Kissinger family. Within a few months, the family began the adoption process.
The 11-year-old boy wanted to celebrate his special day with his classmates so he invited his fourth-grade class at Brookland Middle School in Brookland, Arkansas, to watch his adoption finalization court hearing.
Luke’s entire fourth-grade class celebrated the major moment via a livestream!
“If you actually look at the statistics, the number of kids out there that just need some love is staggering. It’s ridiculously high and I mean if you can be a part of changing even one of those kids’ lives, go for it. Don’t hold back,” Bradley Kissinger said.
Coral Forts made of straws are being used to save baby coral in the ocean
The decline of the coral reef population is a major problem around the world.
Growing new coral in labs and placing them in the ocean is one of the methods scientists are using to restore coral reefs. However before these lab-grown coral reefs can grow fully, they get eaten by parrot fish.
That’s why South Florida researchers have come up with the idea of using straw forts made from fermented canola oil to protect coral reefs from predatory fish.
These biodegradable straws produced by Wincup give enough time for the corals to thrive before dissolving on their own.
“We’ve more than doubled the survivorship of our transplants out onto the ocean to above 90 percent,” said Kyle Pisano of Reef Fortify.
Kindness is blooming at this flower shop
Sometimes all it takes is one small gesture to make someone’s day! And what better way to brighten people’s day than gifting a bouquet of gorgeous flowers?
Heidi Lane’s Support a Stem project aims at spreading kindness to strangers.
With the help of donations from her community, she is bringing joy to people, one bouquet at a time.
Each bouquet comes with a card with uplifting messages.
Heidi hopes that her bouquets will bring comfort to those struggling with their mental health.
“I have struggled, so it means a lot to me to just show people that they’re seen. It can be something so silly that can save a life, and you don’t even realize it,” said Heidi, Owner of The Petal Parcel.
Nonprofit is on a journey towards cleaner seas
To tackle the debris and pollutants from abandoned fish farms, Healthy Seas launched its clean-up operation near the island of Ithaca in Greece.
Healthy Seas is a Netherlands-based marine conservation organization committed to creating healthier seas through global partnerships.
Ten days of dedicated effort led to the collection of around 30 tons of nets and waste!
The recovered ghost fishing nets will be re-purposed as the high-quality material ECONYL yarn, which is used to create socks, swimwear, sportswear, carpets, and more.
“The fish decrease, year after year. There is a lot of garbage at the bottom. All this must come out of the sea. This is a very important initiative,” said a local fisherman.
What are Your Uplifting Stories?
And there you have it! Hopefully, these stories will inspire you – or at least brighten your day with a little human sunshine. There are good things happening in the world right now too – we just have to look a little harder for them sometimes.
If you want to get involved, you can send us your own links or Uplifting Stories by commenting below, or connecting with us on Instagram. If we publish your story, we will also give you a shoutout!
Have a great week everyone, and take care of each other!
Photo by RDNE Stock project
