A $1.5 Million Dollar Anniversary Gift for the Community
Lois and Richard Nicotra of Staten Island, New York, recently celebrated their 47th wedding anniversary in the coolest way possible — by gathering hundreds of their neighbors and handing out a staggering $1.5 million in community grants and college scholarships.
Lois and Richard started their very first business together 50 years ago when they were broke and in their 20s. Since banks wouldn't lend them money, local friends and family stepped up to fund their dream.
Now that they've made it big in the business world, they are spending their golden years paying it forward.
At the ceremony, Lois talked about her husband's generous heart — while Richard challenged the roomful of local charities, special-needs students, and kids to take the money and create a "butterfly effect" of good deeds.
A Retired Firefighter Follows Through on a 22-Year Promise
Back in 2004, a firefighter in Colorado Springs named Alan Kent responded to an emergency call — and ended up delivering a baby girl named Chloe upstairs in her mom's house. He was the first person to ever hold her.
Afterward, Chloe's mom brought the baby back to the station to say thank you and —right then and there — made an awesome agreement. Chloe would celebrate her birthdays at the fire station — and Alan promised to show up for every single major milestone in her life.
Fast forward 22 years. Alan, who is now retired, traveled 800 miles to Phoenix to watch Chloe walk across the stage and graduate from Grand Canyon University.
Alan said that in his decades as a first responder, you see a lot of heartbreak, so getting to watch this little girl grow up has been an absolute blessing.
And the deal isn't over yet. Chloe is getting married this summer — and, of course, Alan already has his ticket booked.
A College Student Saved a Concert After a Pianist Couldn't Perform
Over the weekend in Sydney, Australia, a 21-year-old college student named Sterling Nasa went to watch a live concert of the hit movie La La Land. During the show, the movie plays on a massive screen while a live orchestra performs the jazz soundtrack. But right at intermission, the orchestra's keyboard player suddenly fell ill.
The show’s Oscar-winning conductor walked out on stage alone and literally asked the crowd, "Is there a pianist in the house who can read music really well?"
Sterling hesitated, but his buddy pushed his hand up into the air. Next thing you know, Sterling is sitting on stage at the keyboard in front of 2500 people, staring at a difficult musical score he had never seen before.
When the hardest solo came up, Sterling didn't panic. He just improvised a jazz solo on the fly. He absolutely crushed it — and saved the entire concert from being canceled. His talent — and bravery in the moment — resulted in a massive standing ovation. And, of course, memories of an unexpected triumph that he'll have for the rest of his life.
A Restaurant That Donates All Profits to Charity, All The Time
A restaurant just outside Louisville, Kentucky, is not only dazzling customers with great food, but is also impacting the community by giving away every dime of its profits to charity.
The place is called Noah’s Kitchen, and the owner, Adam Ursprung, opened it one year ago with a wild goal — to use delicious comfort food to fund good causes.
Adam's grand plan worked. In just their first year, they have already raised over $100,000 for local groups that help foster kids, rescue pets, and support grieving families.
Adam used to run a "normal" fast-food joint down the road, but he felt a calling to do something much bigger for his community. He pays his rent and his staff — and then all the profit from every meal goes straight to people in need.
As Noah’s Kitchen approaches its one-year anniversary later this month, Adam is thrilled with the restaurant's success — and also feels fulfilled by the adventure. As he explained, “It’s bringing me more happiness and peace than I ever dreamed of.”
NFL Team Makes a Massive Sports Gear Donations to Kids Programs
The Cleveland Browns football team just set up local kids for success this summer by donating more than $250,000 in sports gear to local high schools.
The team invited 75 high school coaches to their facility and let them load up on everything they need for the new season. Coaches grabbed 600 pairs of cleats, heavy-duty weight machines, and lots of safety pads so their players can stay safe on the field.
The coaches were thrilled to get a boost from the Browns, pointing out that many of their player's families simply cannot afford this expensive gear on their own.
One coach, Dugan May, has seen how the yearly commitment from the Browns has supercharged his team's excitement for each season — and motivates his players to work hard and maybe even turn pro.
"If you have a connection to the actual organization, their favorite team, it's huge. You can see it," said Dugan. "If you see something, you can visualize it, you can find a way to obtain it or at least work your way to it."
A Girl Scout Troup Built a Custom Wheelchair Thanks to Their Cookie Cash
A group of third-grade Girl Scouts in Dorchester, Massachusetts, just used money raised during their cookie sale to build a high-tech wheelchair for a child in need. To be clear, they didn't buy the wheelchair. With the help of their troop leader Corinne Curran, the girls BUILT IT THEMSELVES using a 3-D printer.
Inspired by a visit to a residential care facility where their troop leader works, the girls were fascinated by the special wheelchairs they saw — and were eager to build a set of wheels for a kid their own age.
Corinne handled the massive 200-hour 3D printing process and left the girls to assemble the wheelchair in under an hour.
The end result was a multi-colored pediatric mobility trainer, complete with an adjustable headrest, a removable push handle, and a built-in cup holder.
The project was such a massive hit that the troop is already planning next steps — all with Corinne's support.
"We do what the girls want to do, and this was a huge project for them. They were so excited about it," Corinne said. "They want to make another one that is multiple shades of violet. And they also said that they want to build a power wheelchair."
An Adopted Shelter Dog Saved Her Owner From A House Fire
A nine-month-old pup in New Zealand named Hazel had been dumped by two previous owners and was living at a local rescue when her new owner decided to adopt her —and provide Hazel a forever home.
That decision changed both of their lives in a big way as Hazel, soon after moving in, saved the life of her sleeping owner during a devastating house fire.
The massive, fast-moving blaze broke out in the middle of the night, engulfing the home in flames before firefighters could even arrive. During the chaos, the quick-thinking Hazel gave her sleeping owner a sharp, well-placed bite to his arm, giving him just enough time to wake up and escape the burning building with only minor smoke inhalation.
Locals and rescue workers are celebrating Hazel for saving her owner. They pointed out that the shelter had originally posted an online ad calling Hazel a "genuine treasure" who just needed a chance. Clearly, with this rescue effort, Hazel proved them right in the most dramatic way possible.
A Zoo Gets a Special Donation from Young Girl's Allowance
The Capron Park Zoo in Attleboro, Massachusetts, is facing some financial troubles that almost forced its gates to shut forever. Everyone involved with keeping the zoo rolling recently had their spirits boosted when a young supporter named Anne Marie decided to step up.
She had been saving her allowance for months in a jar. And the moment her mom told her the animals were in trouble, she marched right over to hand the zookeepers exactly 101 dollars along with a sweet, handwritten note.
The note read in part:
"Dear Capron Park Zoo, I've been saving money for months in this jar. I wanted to give it to a good cause, but I had no idea what. When my mom told me you were running out of money, I knew exactly who I wanted to give it to — you. I hope my gift of $101 helps keep you open for years to come. It might not be that much, but I hope it will be enough to help. Good luck with any and all future endeavors and accomplishments."
While the city did step in with emergency funding to keep the gates open through next year, the zoo staff posted a massive thank you to Anne Marie on Facebook, saying her incredible kindness is the ultimate reminder of why the community needs to keep fighting for its animals.
A Grade School Student is 3-D Printing His Way to a New Home for His Mom
Ten-year-old Ernesto Gael Hernandez from Brownsville, Texas, has turned a hobby of making custom keychains into a thriving 3D-printing business called Prestige 3D Labs.
After saving up $500 of his own chore money to buy his very first printer, Ernesto taught himself design by watching tutorials on YouTube.
Now, he balances school and football practice with running three separate printers from his home workshop to create everything from custom can openers to specialized fidget toys that help people cope with anxiety.
Business is booming so fast across the Rio Grande Valley that Ernesto even partnered with a local clothing store called Jungle to help sell his products, pulling in $1500 in profit. This is a good step, as he has a big dream in mind — to make enough money to buy a brand-new house for himself and his mom when he grows up.
Along with support from his mom, who helps manage his packed schedule, it seems Ernesto has the work ethic, talent, and passion to build the future of his dreams.
Twin Sisters Organize a Fun Race for Charity
Leah Connor and Malinda Ann Hill of Charlottesville, Virginia, are twins and recently celebrated their 55th birthday in a fun, healthy way – and also raised money for charity.
Leah and Malinda organized a race they called “Twins Run 55.” But this wasn’t just any race. Instead, it featured the runners wearing inflatable costumes while jogging through the course to the finish line.
The wacky spectacle of runners bouncing around in inflatable costumes raised awareness and nearly $10,000 for the charity group Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, which funds pediatric cancer research projects and provides support for families affected by the disease.
The twins say the inflatable-themed run reflects their personalities and passion for helping others. They own more than 30 inflatable costumes — and are known for supporting charity groups through fundraising, advocacy, and creative community events.
“My premise is do good every day, do something good every day,” Leah said. “I want to put something positive in the world and help kids and make a difference in a good way. But it’s important to have fun.”