Tag Archives: good news

Buffalo Bills Player Marcell Dareus Takes Philanthropic Sojourn to Haiti

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Buffalo Bills tackle Marcell Dareus wanted to do more than donate $25 Gs to Hope for Haiti charity. The NFLer wanted to see how it was spent.

So he hopped a flight and landed in his father’s homeland this week. Where he visited orphanages, schools and a hospital, reports AL.com

The Alabama native got a warm welcome from the island nation that is still reeling from October’s Hurricane Matthew and the powerful 2010 earthquake that left thousands homeless and dead.

“I’m happy that I’m able to partner with Hope for Haiti, which is giving me the opportunity to meet and understand the people who are benefiting from my support,” Dareus said . “… I love giving back, especially to kids in need, but this is extra special because I’ve never been on a trip like this before. The Haitian people have seen hardship after hardship with the earthquake and then the hurricane. Being able to meet with them and show them that I care about them is really important to me.”

Hope for Haiti charity–that aims to improve the lives of Haitian children through education, health care, water and infrastructure–was happy to see their philanthropic partner in person.

“We are inspired by the generosity of Marcell Dareus and the Dareus Foundation for their investment in the Haitian people,” said Skyler Badenoch , the CEO of Hope for Haiti. “Without the support of investors like Marcell, Hope for Haiti’s work would not be possible. We are so grateful and we look forward to making an immediate and lasting impact together.”

The service-oriented sojourn already had a major influence on the star player for his father’s roots there. Marcell’s dad died before he entered the NFL.

“My dad grew up in Haiti, and I always hoped I would make it there some day,” Dareus said . “Although my dad died when I was younger, I’m lucky to have other family here in the States that have told me stories since I was a kid about life in Haiti. Being in a position to not only visit, but also make a donation that will really impact Haitian kids and their families is a great feeling. I know it will be an eye-opening trip.”

Looks like it was.

The Giving Girls! Tamron Hall Leaves TODAY on High Note + Solange Surprises Book Worms in D.C.

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Tamron turned the sourest lemons (NBC execs served) into sweetest lemonade for those that needed it the most.

Before the former TODAY show anchor–who was pushed out to make room for white privilege  Megyn Kelly–could throw up her deuces to this latest chapter, she gathered up high fashion memorabilia for Housing Works.

Housing Works is an advocacy hub that uses entrepreneurial methods (thrift stores in New York City, Albany, Mississippi, Washington D.C., Haiti and Puerto Rico) to help homeless and underserved living with HIV/AIDS. The non-profit assists in getting them quality healthcare, housing and jobs by utilizing thrift store profits and donations.

Tamron, decked out in a onesie, gathered up her on-air wardrobe. She got Jimmy Choo, Louboutin, work clothes, party clothes…you name it. She donated it all to her fav org.

You know those red bottoms are gone.

Just like the entire James Baldwin collection at Sankofa Video Books & Cafe after Solange paid a surprise visit and bought 250 books for fans.

The “Cranes in the Sky” starlet took to the D.C. bookstore after performing at the Peace Ball last month. She announced her book givaway  via Instagram and hundreds of Howard students came.

The Washingtonian reports the bookstore opened in 1997. Its collection focuses on books about African and African-American people and culture. Black Skin, White Masks by Frantz Fanon, The Autobiography of Malcolm X, and Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie are just some of the books Solange bought for attendees of her “woke” book club.

“I think that now more than ever we have to invest in community and fellowship,” Solange said as she greeted the crowd.

Let the giving tree continue.

FGF | Zendaya Hires Cyberbully Victim | Real-Life ‘Hidden Figure’ NASA Genius

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Happiest of Friday’s to ya.

Trump getting sonned by Arnold Schwarzenegger (if only he could terminate him.) isn’t the only thing that makes it a feel good end of the week.

Zendaya’s clapback game is also fierce, as we all know, and she exhibited it yet again recently.

When twitter user @_illestCee was being bullied by a troll for her weight, Daya swooped in for the rescue.

The K.C. Undercover star took her appreciation to another level by offering the buxom beauty a modeling gig with her brand.

Welp, that was easy.

Speaking of dreams coming true, 22-year-old Tierra Guinn is a aerospace engineer for Boening. Did we mention she’s only 22? Oh, and is still enrolled at M.I.T holding down a 5.0 GPA.

The rocket Guinn is building will be used at NASA.

And who says girls suck at math and science? Not with all these ‘hidden figures’ roaming around.

Finally, to end on a good note, is the cutest Daddy duty video ever. Soul Man star Wesley Jonathan posted an Instagram video of his wife teaching him how to do his daughter’s hair.

Take notes, Daddies.

 

Big Sean Donates $100,000 to Flint Water Crisis Relief

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D town’s own refuses not to let the water crisis in Flint, Michigan be off news feeds.

So, Big Sean shared his philanthropic scoop on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah Wednesday: he donated $100,000 to Flint water crisis relief through his foundation.

Despite the AP reporting Flint’s lead levels below the federal limit, residents are still encouraged to drink bottled water. Big Sean says the city is still in a precarious situation.

“It’s not even close to being over,” Big Sean said. “That situation wasn’t a natural disaster. It’s something that should’ve been prevented and could’ve been prevented, so it’s just disgusting to think about the damages that these families and even kids have to go through with the lead poisoning.”

The “Bounce Back” rapper revealed his mom suffered from a bout of lead poisoning, but luckily could reverse it through holistic medicine.

What will be a constant is Big Sean’s love for his hometown. Last night, the rapper held a cozy album first listen party for I Decided in Detroit.

Annnddd featured the Flint Chosen choir On his album. Telling Rolling Stone he wanted to “reach out and show some support from that side, creatively. It’s a song called ‘Bigger Than Me’ and once you hear it you’ll see why I wanted them to be on it. But I was just happy to have Flint be a part of my album in that way as well.”

For us regular folk, I Decided will be released on Friday, February 3.

 

 

Future and Baby Future’s Holiday Homecoming ! Rapper Throws Toy and Charity Drive in ATL

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Santa, take note, my brother. Yes I said brother. Ask about the chocolate Santa come up.

Anyway, he may wanna pull out a pen and pad because Future is giving him a run for his money.

Yesterday, the “Married to the Game” rapper held his fourth annual Winter Wish Land charity and toy drive–through his non-profit, Free Wishes Foundation that encourages kids to dream big.

 

The ATL kiddies sure did. They piled into Atlanta’s Bessie Branham Park where Future hooked up over 1300 dreamers with some Christmas wishes sans the Santa suit. That doesn’t mean he didn’t have elves…err corporate friends/sponsors.

Like Reebok who partnered with Free Wishes by donating 500 pairs of kicks to the cause.

 

Samsung doled out free tablets and headphones for the young’uns. Use with caution…

 

In all 1300 kids walked away with new shoes, coats and toys.

But that’s not all.

Ciara’s baby daddy was all about philanthropy this weekend. Future also attended the UNCF Masked Ball alongside Usher, Tyrese and Jeezy. All three made a gentleman’s pact to donate $25K each to the non-profit supports. Black students journey towards college enrollment.

Future is slaying the giving game this holiday season.

 

 

 

FGF | 8-Year-Old Surprised With College Admission

 

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How fly is 8-year-old Jordin Phipps?

The Texas native isn’t even in middle school yet, and already, like, today, she got accepted into the University of North Texas.

Not an easy thing to pull off.

Jordin managed to by reciting the university’s daily mantra, while wearing one of their T-shirts, and having mom record the spiel.

Which is actually quite empowering. It put a pep in my step, anyway.

“I am smart. I am a leader. Failure is not an option for me,” Jordin declares in the video. “Success is only moments away.”

Jordin’s mom, Nichole Smith, a University of Texas alumna, posted the video on Facebook earlier this month.

ABC News reports, University of North Texas school officials got wind of Jordin’s enthusiastic school pledge and wanted to help her.

They contacted me on Wednesday and said they wanted to present her with a scholarship,” Smith, a special education teacher, told ABC News.

Did they ever. Joined by some UNT cheerleaders, an early, early, early admission letter to join the class of 2030, aaanndd a $10,000 scholarship check–usually reserved for high school kids–school’s director of admissions surprised Jordin  during her elementary school assembly.

This makes the pre-teen the youngest student ever admitted in the university’s history.

And she already knows her major–school teacher, like her mom.

You better come through young scholar.

Feel Good Friday Roundup

It’s finally Friday and these feel-good-stories are the cherries on top of the end of the week.

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Let’s start with our favorite centenarian–106-year-old Virginia McLaurin–who captured our hearts with her jig of joy upon meeting Barack and Michelle Obama in the White House last month.

Now her newfound fans are making the spry senior smile again by starting a YouCaring fundraising page to change her living situation.

Virginia’s asking for $50K (so far $21,580 has been raised) to move into a ground floor apartment–she currently lives in a walkup–closer to her church, reports Huffington Post.

“She’s determined that she wants to live independently and close to her church,” Virginia’s friend Deborah Menkart told Huffington Post.”So we need to make sure that there are the funds to secure that.”

Pretty safe in assuming Virginia can and will.

A Kansas City Community Kitchen turned their soup kitchen into a restaurant-style serving the homeless.

From 11am to 2pm on weekdays the homeless are greeted by a host and given their food orders by a wait staff.

The menu was even created by an executive chef of a local restaurant that once lived in poverty.

The “dine with dignity” style soup kitchen is meant to change the script on how the homeless is treated.

“We are trying to flip the photo of what a soup kitchen looks like,” Mandy Caruso-Yahne, who runs the kitchen at Episcopal Community Service.

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Finally, rapper Fetty Wap inspired a young fan, Jayden Burgos to embrace his short-sightedness (get it?)

By ditching his prosethetic eye in the style of the Trap Queen rapper.

As a reward Jayden met his idol.

 

 

 

 

 

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY | Homeless Man’s Unexpected Discovery

Second Chance at a New Beginning. John Helsinki unexpectedly lands on his feet. Image Credit: WFTS

Second Chance at a New Beginning. John Helsinki unexpectedly lands on his feet.
Image Credit: WFTS

Imagine living three years in a cardboard box when you unknowingly could afford shelter and food. A homeless man in Florida didn’t have too.

John Helsinki, 62, of Tampa, Florida, discovered he’s been receiving Social Security Benefits in his forgotten bank account for years. Thanks to the assistance of a local cop and homeless shelter worker.

Helsinki wouldn’t disclose the amount of money in his bank to ABC News, but it’s enough to cover the costs of his own apartment and afford food.

The miracle story unfolded when Helsinki’s advocates/guardian angels (the cop, Daniel McDonald and homeless shelter case worker, Charles Inman) helped him replace his lost ID to get him into a shelter.

Welp, they did more than that. McDonald gave him a ride to get a temporary state ID, followed by a birth certificate. Equipped with those identifiers, they marched into the Social Security Office and explained Helsinki used to have benefits.

Helsinki told ABC News that he thought his benefits were cancelled because his debit card was lost, ergo so was access to his bank account.

Not anymore, Officer McDonald escorted him to his old bank to check the status of his account.Voila! Enough money to get back on his feet.

ABC News reports Helsinki is still at the DACCO Community Housing Solutions Center, but will be moved to permanent housing soon.

The miracle story wouldn’t have been possible with McDonald and Inman’s helpful dedication.

“This situation looked really difficult, and I wasn’t sure how it was going to end up,” Inman told ABC News today. “If it failed, it meant we’d put a 62-year-old man on the street, and Officer McDonald and I were not OK with that.”

Kudos to them for helping one of many that are often overlooked everyday.