Tag: helping others

Saubhagya Scheme To Power All Indian Households

When it comes to running water and clean energy, resources aren’t always available to all. Independent groups have been doing what they can to provide for rural areas, implementing Eco-Boxes and bleach lamps. Though the power grid issue seems to be improving, development is slow and India has had enough. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the Saubhagya Scheme, which promises to provide electricity for over 40 million Indian families by December 2018.

Millions of rural Indians still rely on lamps fuelled by kerosene, the use of which the scheme hopes to cut. Kerosene is a huge health and environmental hazard and restricting its use would further India’s ambitious climate goal to cut emissions.

Roughly 300 million Indian citizens have no access to electricity. Along with the scheme, the government plans to keep from charging poorer families. However, as opposed to targeting villages, the scheme will single out individual households.

Remote, and often inaccessible, villages have proved to be a major challenge in the electrification drive. The government has said it will distribute solar packs (comprising LED lights, a fan and a plug) and a battery bank to households in these villages.

The project will also help state-owned power distribution companies with debts. It’s a helping hand I’d have no problem shaking!

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Culinary Star Serves BBQ To Wildfire Evacuees

While chef José Andrés was serving 8,000 meals a day to victims of Hurricane Maria, a wildfire was devastating California. Not to disappoint the thousands who lost their homes, culinary star Guy Fieri decided to host a massive barbecue.

“This is the least we can do. We’re so happy to do it,” [said] Fieri… “We’re so sorry for friends who have lost homes. There’s a lot of really good people coming together,” he added.

Fieri set up shop in Santa Rosa Veterans Memorial Building with the help of the Salvation Army. Fieri, too, had to evacuate his home in the early morning but was determined to help.

“So I called the Salvation Army in Santa Rosa and I said, ‘I’m ready, I’ve got an army, I’m ready to help,'” [said] Fieri… “And they said, ‘Bring it.'”

The Food Network VIP cooked up lunch and dinner for evacuees for three straight days. Though package meals from neighboring communities were arriving quickly, nothing seemed to beat a delicious plate of sizzling pork.

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Hogwarts Prop Train Rescues Stranded Family

In times of emergency, who comes to our rescue is the last thing on our minds. Whether it be a herd of elephants or an 8-year-old kid, safety is all that matters. But sometimes, we are pleasantly surprised. What started out as a nightmare for this Scottish family turned into an adventure on the Hogwarts Express.

The family of six was spending a vacation camping in the Scottish Highlands. But on Friday, Jon Cluett woke up and walked out of his hut on Loch Eilt to find that their 16-foot red canoe had disappeared, probably washed away by the river.

Miles away from their car and with no other option, Cluett phoned the police. What the officer would reply was nothing short of astounding.

“The policeman said, ‘We’ve arranged for the next train passing to stop for you, and you’re not going to believe this but it’s the Hogwarts Express steam train. Your kids are going to love it,’”

Expectedly, the Cluett children did what any Potterhead would — flip out. If the Hogwarts Express is a go-to rescue vehicle along Fort William and Mallaig, GPS may no longer be a priority to casual hikers.

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New York Students Receive Free Supply-Filled Backpacks

Christmas has come early for public schools in New York City. After the entire school system declared cafeteria lunches completely free of charge, a Brooklyn establishment took a step further. As a back-to-school treat, P.S. 276 provided 600 students with free supply-filled backpacks.

“When students have the basic supplies, their attitude, their behavior and even their self-esteem increases,” Dave Smith of KINF (Kids In Need Foundation) said.

Popular pen brand Bic was also in on the action. On average, Americans spend around $78.5 billion on back-to-school supplies annually. That’s literally a ton of notebooks.

“They were so happy and I’ve never seen them this way. They were so excited. I can see the excitement on their faces, they were thrilled!” teacher Alice Whitaker said. “They were so happy and they were looking at stuff that they never saw before.”

Over 22 years, KINF has donated $900 million worth of school supplies to children under the poverty line. Remember — there’s more to a pen than just ink.

 

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Cop Sponsors Gym Membership For Teen In Need

A rise in police violence has left many doubting today’s justice system. Still, some cops — such as the handful from El Segundo who helped replace a teen’s stolen money — are demonstrating kindness. For a Chicago teen, sneaking into XSport Fitness was routine, as he could no longer pay for a membership. When staff phoned the feds, officer Mario Valenti offered to pay for the 15-year-old’s membership, granted he would stay out of trouble.

“After 23 years in this job, you size up people pretty quickly. And I could tell he was a gentle type of kid,” [said] Valenti.

Moved by Valenti’s gesture, the club offered to shoulder the remaining funds for a two-year membership. Teen Vincent Gonzales, an aspiring point guard, expressed his gratitude through a text and on national television. Similarly, Valenti’s good deed lifted a burden off his own shoulders.

“You get satisfaction out of helping people, especially because our job is so negative,” Valenti said.

Good cop, bad cop? In Valenti’s case, just cop, as his actions should be standard for anyone in law enforcement.

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Man Donates Kidnapping Reward To Girl He Rescued

To a child, an adult may be an authority figure they just can’t win over. Perhaps the generation gap makes them feel misunderstood. Despite this, there are some grown-ups who’ve proven to be completely selfless. Among them is Marc Bell, a millionaire who recently opened his home to 70 orphaned children affected by Hurricane Irma. And, just recently, Earl Melchert, who donated a hefty $7,000 reward to the kidnapping victim he had rescued.

“I could make out her face, and I went, ‘Oh my gosh, this is the gal from Alexandria that’s been gone for 29 days,’” Mr. Melchert said. “It’d been on the news, it’d been online. It went national. It was on posters, in stores, her face, her picture. Right away I recognized her.”

The victim was 15-year-old Jasmine Block, who was abducted by a family friend. For a month, she remained in an abandoned home. Though Melchert received a $7,000 reward for phoning the police, he decided to pay it forward to Block’s family.

“What a retirement present,” he said, “to hand over some money to people that really need it.”

Melchert has since gained popularity on social media. Those gunning for the 65-year-old to run for president may be disappointed. The unlikely hero just retired, and it’s safe to say, rightfully so!

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Your Career Can Benefit Others Too

There are an endless number of ways to help others. You can run a restaurant for the poor or raise money for children with disabilities. When it comes to helping others, it doesn’t matter who you are — middle class or part of the 1%. You can be a total busybody and still give back by using your career as a means of benefitting others. Here’s how you can do it.

Especially for university students, fearing that your future occupation may be a selfish one is completely natural. After all, being a creative writer or interior designer may seem, in a way, limited. This is far from true, as many jobs can be platforms for sharing knowledge and information with others. If you are a chef, you can use your expertise to educate other aspiring chefs, whether this means charging for a workshop or doing it for free.

Offering your services pro bono is another awesome way to do good. It may not profit you financially, but the simple joy of giving others a means to learn is almost always enough. Reach out to charitable institutions and figure out where you can be an asset. Who knows? You may be part of the success story of an aspiring engineer.

If you’re unsure of how your job can help others directly, use it to advocate for something. If you’re a graphic designer promoting mental health, make an infographic. If you’re a farmer promoting animal welfare, grow organic, vegan food. Somehow, things always fall into place, even when partnerships seem odd. Especially today, there are so many different ways to do one thing. Now is the time to be innovative and resourceful.

If you are fairly established in the working world, a sensible option would be to earn to give. Figure out how much of your salary you can set aside for a cause you are truly passionate about. Decide whether you are financially stable enough to commit to a charity for a certain amount of time. Do research to ensure that your money is being distributed fairly and doing exactly what it is meant to. Of course, sticking to a group will require some involvement. Engage with your charity every now and then via visits or events.

If you feel your vocation should be directly involved with a cause, don’t hesitate to go for it. This way, you can make helping others your career. Still, decide where you think you can be most useful and what problems, to you, are most urgent. If you are great with computers, you can opt to do research regarding statistics or patterns that may be of use to your advocacy. Maybe you’re a fearless public speaker who would do best promoting your cause. If you are brimming with passion, chances are, you’ll find your place within whatever field of work you choose.

Picking out the perfect job may be a case of what earns the most or what line of work your family is in. But keep in mind that it is also about your personal desires and strengths, as well as its potential to impact others.

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NFL Quarterback Pledges Salary To Cafeteria Employees

People like Bill Gates have no problem sliding part of their paychecks into the hands of lucky staff members. The Microsoft CEO, among others, has made a generous difference in the lives of others. For rookie NFL quarterback Deshaun Watson, his first paycheck was a milestone. However, the selfless athlete decided to donate the $27,353 to three cafeteria ladies working at the NRG stadium.

“For what you all do for us every day and never complain, I really appreciate you all, so I wanted to give my first game check to y’all to help y’all out in some type of way,”

The three lucky ladies were working to support family members who had been affected by Hurricane Harvey. The ribbon-wrapped envelopes were, undoubtedly, their very own glimmer of hope.

“Hopefully, that’s good and that can get you back on your feet. And anything else y’all need, I’m always here to help.”

The heartfelt video of the emotional moment has since gone viral, and I can tell you now that tissues are essential!

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Internet Raises Money For Hotdog Vendor

If you place your woes on social media, chances are the Internet community will reach out to you. It helped this high school student reclaim her stolen college money. It even helped this young deaf boy purchase hearing aids for those in need. When the Internet heard about a cop confiscating $60 from an unlicensed hotdog vendor, they raised over $60,000 for the sausage aficionado.

“The funds raised will be utilized to cover legal and personal losses,” [witness Martin] Flores wrote on the GoFundMe page. “In addition, funds in excess are to cover other vendors who have been robbed of their hard earned living through citations and removal of their carts.”

While the UC Berkeley officer remains on the job, more than 35,000 people have signed a petition to have him removed from the force. The vendor’s lack of a sales permit apparently “justified” the seizure of earnings.

Some authority figures will inevitably continue to abuse their power. But it sure is nice to know that we can count on our friends online to keep the peace.

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Sisters Selling Lemonade To Pay Off Lunch Debts

Kids these days are more intellectually advanced than our generation ever was. While some are building computers, others are painting like Michelangelo. These two Seattle sisters are playing it a little bit simpler — but for a great cause. Amiah and Aria Van Hill are selling lemonade to help fellow students pay off lunch debts.

“We are thrilled that Amiah has embraced that value at such a young age and we are so very proud that she has taken it upon herself to find a way to help those in need,” [said Amiah’s elementary school principal] “She is a very special little lady.”

On their first day of sales, the sisters managed to pay off a $40.55 debt at Hayden Meadows in Idaho. Mother Rachel encouraged her daughters to extend help to other schools. They then raised over $300 for two establishments.

“I had to explain to her that this was a lot of money,” Van Hill said, recommending that they finally take their efforts to GoFundMe to reach their goal.

Donations are now at the $2,700 mark. Amiah and Aria are living proof that little girls can dream big both for themselves and for others.

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