He makes kids' prosthetic arms for free - in his shed

Born without a left hand, Stephen Davies never found arm prosthetics especially helpful. In fact, he disliked both the functional design and the aesthetic of the arms he'd tried, calling one such device 'medieval torture.'




Enter Enabling the Future, a "global network of passionate volunteers using 3D printing to give the world a helping hand." Through that organization, volunteer Drew Murray created a hand for Steve using a 3D printer. Steve was delighted with the outcome.

So delighted in fact that he and Drew teamed up as Team UnLimbited. They do their own research and development, and then publicly share their discoveries and limb designs so people anywhere can reap the benefit. They have received thank yous and photos from amputees around the world, beaming about their newfound function with these inexpensive prosthetics.
The stories of children with missing limbs are especially close to Steve's heart. He remembers what it was like and does what he can to make a difference.

So now Steve has a backyard shed which houses his creation lab. In it, he uses a 3D printer to custom-make an arm for a specific child, using the child's choice of templates and colors. He has made Spider Man, Iron Man, Harry Potter, Lego, and a number of other designs, each created for a nominal cost of about 25 pounds (British.)

Even at that low price, the family is not charged for the arm. Team UnLimbited receives donations to offset the cost of materials; Steve donates his time and effort in exchange for the smiles.

Kind-hearted boy donates his AFV prize to charities

Eleven-year-old Luke Finlan didn't know his mom sent a video of him crying during his fourth grade graduation to America's Funniest Videos. So he was extra surprised when he learned the video had reached the finals. 

Before the Albany New York region family flew to LA for the show's taping, Luke told his mom that he wanted to share his prize money with people who needed it more than him. He especially wanted to help veterans and people who are hungry. His mom contacted two local organizations, Soldiers Heart and Equinox. The folks at Equinox worked with Luke's mom to organize a fund-raiser as part of the 'viewing party' for Luke's AFV episode. That would multiply Luke's donation, funds Equinox could use for their Thanksgiving dinner.

The family sat in the audience as the videos rolled. Luke's video won first prize, $10,000. Now those two charities have benefited from Luke's generous heart.

Love thy neighbor - and become their landlord

Angie Tyma has lived in the same Hudson, Florida home for 35 years. Last month, she was served an eviction notice. Her overseas landlord had defaulted on the mortgage. The property went to auction and was purchased by an investment company.
Angie, an 89-year-old widow, had no choice. She was forced out onto the street. Her furniture and most of her belongings were literally out on the lawn.

Angie's neighbors were outraged. She'd been a fixture in that neighborhood for as long as anyone could remember, energetically walking her two small dogs and chatting with folks along the way. The whole situation seemed so unfair.

They sprang into action. A number of neighbors gathered up Angie's discarded possessions and stored them for her. One arranged for her to stay at the local Days Inn where he worked. One neighbor, Danielle Calder, had a bigger idea. Her husband agreed. The Calders bought Angie's old home from the investment company. They are now her landlords, and are charging her a rent she can afford.

Before Angie moved back in, the neighbors even spruced up the home with a fresh coat of paint.

This school bus driver delivered the kids, and some hats and gloves

It is an astounding truth - right here in America, this land of wealth and bounty, some people face winter without a hat and gloves. John Lunceford, a school bus driver for the Kennewick School District in Washington state, noticed a child crying at a bus stop. His ears and hands were red from the bitter cold, so when he boarded Lunceford's bus, Lunceford removed his own gloves and put them on the child's hands. 

As soon as his route was finished, Lunceford stopped at the local dollar store. There he bought 10 knit hats and 10 pairs of gloves. He brought them to the school, and with the help of an administrator, delivered the child his own brand-new hat and gloves. The other items will be given free of charge to elementary school children who need them. 

These coats for the homeless turn into sleeping bags ... and jobs

When Veronika Scott was a student at the College for Creative Studies in her hometown of Detroit, one of her classes presented a challenge: create a product to fill a community need. Veronika decided to help Detroit's homeless population. She designed a coat which converts to a sleeping bag for nighttime warmth. She brought her early designs to homeless shelters and tweaked the details based on feedback she got from those who used it.

One day, a homeless woman confronted her. She was angry, and told Veronika that she didn't need a coat - she needed a job. Veronika decided she was right. The coat and the sleeping bag were good ideas, but they were a band-aid. Secure employment was the real solution . 

So Veronika founded the non-profit The Empowerment Plan. Seamstresses are hired from Detroit's homeless shelters - 39 people who were once homeless have been given jobs. Over 15,000 coats which turn into sleeping bags have been produced and distributed, not just in Detroit but in 40 states and 7 Canadian provinces. Each coat take over an hour to sew and costs $100. Donations to sponsor a coat are taken on their website. Sponsors now include American Express and Madonna. 

You know the old adage: Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day; teach a man to fish and he'll eat for a lifetime. Veronika and her team have put their own twist on it. Give a man a coat and he'll be warm for a day. Give him a job and he'll create a new life. 

Inclusion at Starbucks

Ibby Piracha frequents a Starbucks in Leesburg, VA several times a week. Because he is deaf and has limited ability to communicate verbally, Ibby texts his order for the barista to read. It's certainly different than the way other customers place their order. But it works. Ibby has accepted this as part of his routine, the way he manages his hearing disability in a hearing world.


One female barista didn't accept it. Krystal Payne wanted Ibby to have the same experience as other customers. She took it upon herself to watch YouTube videos and learn the basics of American Sign Language.

Next time Ibby came in to place his order, Krystal gave him this note. True to her word, she used ASL to ask what he wanted to drink. Ibby was touched by her effort to include him and others in the deaf community in this most basic of human experiences. He shared the photo and the story on his Facebook page, and the post was shared over 5800 times.

Empathy, by design

In my decades-long career as a physical therapist, I witnessed and celebrated the evolution of what has become Universal Design.  Everything from a cushioned handle on a potato peeler to wheelchair-accessible sinks in public restrooms came about because someone identified a need and cared enough to act.

One of those people is Patricia Moore. As a young industrial designer in the 1970s, Patricia was the only woman in her workplace. Frustrated by her colleagues' emphasis on creating products for healthy, average men, she struck out on her own. She borrowed her grandmother's clothes and some clunky shoes, put in earplugs and got some glasses that distorted her vision. And she hit the streets.

In three years, she visited over 100 cities in the US and Canada disguised as an elderly woman. Sometimes she used a walker or a cane. Sometimes she dressed as if homeless, other times as if quite wealthy. She learned a lot, not just about the difficulties of normal aging or accessing the world with a physical disability. She also experienced first-hand the ugly truths of how people of different social classes are valued.

Her experiment yielded results. She started her own design firm and pushed for what she called 'empathetic design.' Patricia is now hailed as one of the founders of Universal Design, the industry standard.


Her unconventional approach has improved the lives of millions of people around the world. All because she cared enough to act.

An autism-friendly vacation

Becky Large knows the struggles first-hand. Traveling and vacationing with a family member who is autistic, like her son Harley, is the complete opposite of relaxation. Airports and vacation spots are filled with sensory overload, which sends the person with autism into a meltdown.

Becky decided to do something about it. She created the Champion Autism Network (CAN) and has worked with Surfside Beach, South Carolina to become the first autism-friendly vacation spot anywhere.

Becky worked with the TSA at the Myrtle Beach airport to create a quiet room. She engaged the cooperation of local hotels, and compiled lists of restaurants, attractions, even grocery stores which offer autism-friendly options.

Becky and her efforts have been showcased on NBC Nightly News.

Although Surfside Beach is not the only vacation spot deemed suitable for families with a child who has special needs, it is currently the only autism-friendly location because of its comprehensive sensitivity to the whole families' needs.

4-year-old girl visits her 82-year-old best friend on Halloween

The story of 4-year-old Norah Wood and her new friend has gone viral.

As Norah's mother Tara explained it, in late September, she and Norah were grocery shopping when Norah waved at a stranger. "Hi, old person," she said. "It's my birthday today!" The man and Norah chatted for a few minutes then parted. 


A few minutes later, Norah asked her mom if she could get a picture with the man since it was her birthday. The man, Mr. Dan as Norah now called him, was taken aback but delighted. They posed together like they'd known one another for years. 


Since meeting in late September, the two new friends have visited weekly for play dates.
Norah stopped over on Dan's 82nd birthday, and on Monday, stopped by again to show off her Minnie Mouse costume.  

It seems that Dan's wife passed away a few months ago, and he'd been feeling pretty low. 
The chance meeting with Norah and her kind heart was just what he needed to lift his spirits. Mr. Dan later told CBS News, “There were other old people [at the grocery store], and she saw me and I was the ‘old people’ she had to talk to.”

Norah's mom added her own thoughts. "I can only assume there was some divine intervention or stars aligning or she was nudged by the universe. I know we’re all better because of it." 

Mr. Dan's perspective cuts to the chase. “If I didn’t have anything else to do the rest of my life, I have her to love.”

Costume inclusion

Kids and Halloween go together. During my years as a pediatric physical therapist, our kids with special needs were included in Halloween celebrations but their bulky equipment made costumes a challenge.

Creative parents and teachers are figuring out ways to incorporate kids' mobility aids (and in one case, a service dog!) right into the costume. Here are some super cute ones.

Some charities now work with families to customize a costume for a kid with special needs. Magic Wheelchair is a non-profit founded by man whose own 3 children have spinal muscular atrophy, so he completely understands a child's need to combine safety and fun. At Oskaloosa Academy in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, art students have used their skills to create awesome costumes for today's celebrations. 

Another way kids with special needs get to be kids first, with their needs integrated right into their day. 

One mother's plea, 150 + responses

Deborah Skouson's daughter Cami had a favorite shirt, a pink short-sleeved shirt with flowers made by Circo. Cami loved that shirt and wore it nearly every day, as happens sometimes in autism. Like all clothing, it wore out. Deborah bought another and another. Eventually, the shirt was no longer carried in her local stores. She felt fortunate to find them online, but after a while even that supply dried up. 

Desperate, Deborah turned to Facebook and posted this plea. 

The story went viral.   

Within a couple weeks, over 150 shirts had been promised or had arrived at the Utah family's home. Most were from total strangers from as far away as Germany.

In addition, Target, the store chain where Deborah first found the shirt, has promised to make the shirt in various sizes so Cami can enjoy wearing it for years to come.                                                                                                                  

A kind-hearted boy in New Mexico inspires a good deed in Iowa

When Josette Duran's son asked her to pack two lunches to take to his Albuquerque elementary school, she asked him why. It seems a friend had only a fruit cup in his lunch box each day, and Dylan felt bad for him. So did Josette. She and Dylan had faced some hard times themselves, and she was more than happy to share what they had.

Within a few weeks, the school principal got wind of this lunch-sharing setup, as did the mother of the other child. She offered to pay Josette for the lunches, which she graciously refused. The girls' volleyball team raised money to pay back Josette. She donated the money to pay overdue lunch fees at the school.

Josette shared the story via a Facebook Live feed. It went viral.

Jerry Fenton in Burlington Iowa saw the video. He was so moved by the example set by Dylan and Josette that he decided to act. He contacted his alma mater, Grimes Elementary School, and discovered that over $450 was owed in unpaid lunch fees. He paid that off and donated extra to offset future expenses.

A New Mexico boy with a kind heart has done more than feed his friend. He helped feed kids in two communities a thousand miles apart.

Helping neighbors through the hurricane

Dave Barnhart's one-story home in Tequesta, Florida had no shutters. He and his wife and two children intended to ride out Hurricane Matthew at home.

According to the Palm Beach Post, his neighbors had something else in mind. Mike McDermott offered some wood. So did Chris Basara and Chris Gunn. The three brought the wood and power tools needed to board up the dozen windows on the Barnharts' cinder block house.

The team ran out of plywood. As expected just before the storm hit, store shelves were empty. Another neighbor heard about the problem and offered the wooden platform for her adult children's model train set. That became the colorful shutter shown here. 

With just one window left, the team again ran out of plywood. Barnhart found an old fence door and used that to cover the last window.

Barnhart and his family were safe through the storm. To thank these incredible neighbors, they held a post-hurricane party on Friday night.

Creative recycling - plastic bags to sleeping mats

You know all those plastic shopping bags that end up in your kitchen drawer? The ones you forget to drop off at the recycling bin at the grocery store? Well, these folks have found a way to recycle them creatively.

The bags can be cut into strips and tied together to make plastic yarn or "plarn." This plarn can then be used as yarn would be, crocheted into items that are strong and resistant to moisture. Pinterest is (of course!) chock-full of ways to use plarn to crochet laundry baskets, sandals, tablecloths, and any number of items. Full instructions, including videos, are available on various websites.

A number of groups have taken to using plarn to help others. This group of women from Second Baptist Church in Union City Tennessee crochets plarn into sleeping mats for the homeless in their community and for flood victims in Louisiana. Another group from the Pittsburgh area has sent them all over the world for use by soldiers. They also make a smaller size for use as sit-upons. This Iowa group has been making the mats at their church since 2013.

Each sleeping mat, about 3 ft. by 6 ft., is made of plarn from over 600 bags. The mats are resistant to moisture, don't attract bugs, and can be rinsed off with a hose or a quick swish in a river. Plus, they're practically indestructible.



Environmentally-friendly AND kind to our fellow man. Win-win!

Extreme couponing to feed the hungry

So how's this for a goal - before her 30th birthday next year, Lauren Puryear wants to deliver 30,000 meals to hungry people. 
Wow.

And Lauren is well on her way. This young lady with two Masters degrees and a PhD founded a non-profit  called For the Love of Others, LLC. It provides services for people who are homeless, who need help providing for their children, or who have mental health needs. And when it comes to food, Lauren is ingenious at stretching her agency dollar. Food donations from major grocery chains are a huge help, plus, like many of us, Lauren has taken to clipping coupons.
A lot of coupons.

She has become an extreme couponer. She clips and compares and buys from a number of different stores. Many of the items she buys now are free or nearly free, which places her well on her way toward her goal. 

The impact this woman makes is breathtaking.

Sportmanship

These two young ladies trained for years, wishing, hoping, and working toward the goal of competing in the Rio Olympics. Both athletes made their country's team and earned a spot in the 5,000 meter final. 

More than halfway into the race, Nikki Hamblin of New Zealand and American Abbey D'Agostino got tangled up in the pack of runners. Both women fell to the track. When D'Agostino got up and realized that Hamblin was still on the ground, she faced a choice. She could literally get back in the running and continue to pursue the dream of finishing her race in the Olympics, or she could help her fallen competitor. D'Agostino chose the latter.

With both women up on their feet, the unthinkable happened. D'Agostino grabbed her knee in pain and pulled up. It was Hamblin's turn
to return the favor. She helped D'Agostino to her feet and saw to it that she would finish the race. 

Check out what Hamblin said about D'Agostino's kindness that day. Here's a video of an interview with both women afterward. 

In the final days of the Rio Olympics, the IOC awarded both athletes the prestigious Pierre de Coubertin medal. Also known as the International Fair Play Committee Award, this medal has only been awarded 17 times in Olympic history. A rare prize for moments of mutual kindness between competitors who quickly became friends.

To protect and serve, and finish the job

All too often, we hear about local police and members of the community they are charged to protect and serve locked in conflict. Tempers flare, fear reigns, violence is common. No one wins. We all lose.

So this story on the front page of the York Daily Record is a breath of fresh air.  It seems that in late July, Officer Andrew Shaffer of the Northern York Regional Police was called to a home. A man had suffered a fatal heart attack while mowing his lawn. Officer Shaffer notified the family and waited until the coroner arrived. A sad duty, no doubt, but probably all part of the job.

After his shift was over, Officer Shaffer went above and beyond his call of duty. On his own time, he went back to the same home and finished mowing the lawn.

The appreciative family contacted the police chief to make sure he knew about the officer's kindness.

A tent, a college, a community, and a car

This story is full of remarkable people, each of whom did one right thing.

Nineteen-year-old Fred Barley was determined to register for college. Even if it meant getting to the Gordon State College campus in Barnesville, Georgia by bicycle, a 50 miles trek which took him 6 hours. Even if it meant sleeping in a tent until classes started in August. He is homeless; he has slept in tents before.


As local word spread about Barley's situation, a number of people stepped up to help. Police didn't charge him with trespassing or vagrancy; they put him up in a motel. A pizzeria offered Barley a job. A Barnesville resident set up a GoFundMe page to help with Barley's college expenses, raising over $183,000 in a month!

The story went viral. One person who heard about it, Andy Ungaro of Philadelphia, wanted to help too. He runs a repair shop and had just received a 2004 Hyndai Elantra as a trade. He fixed up the car so it would run another 60,000+ miles, drove it down to Barnesville, and presented it to Barley as a gift. Ungaro hopes Barley will pass the gift on to another needy college student when he's done with it.

Kindness for the dumpster diver

Ashley Jiron runs P.B. Jams in Oklahoma, a cafe specializing in peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. When she noticed some dumpster trash torn open with the food contents removed, she knew someone in her neighborhood was hungry. She decided to do something about it.

She posted this sign on the dumpster. Her kindness went viral when a customer shared the sign on Instagram.

These ladies share the joy!

I just read a short Facebook post about an inspiring young lady from Pennsylvania. Instead of spending time and money on a standard bachelorette party, she and her bridesmaids treated women at a local shelter to a day of pampering. A wonderful way to share her joy on this occasion!

I wondered how many other women, on a day that was supposed to be all about them, were equally unselfish. I found this article from 2015 - a bride-to-be and her bridesmaids prepped dinner at a local Salvation Army. Clothing she received as engagement and shower gifts was donated to Dress for Success.