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ALEXANDRA "ALEX" SCOTT

This young girl left her mark by starting a lemonade stand that changed the world.  ... listen >

MANY THANKS!

On one of those afternoons it began to rain about halfway to the school. My infant was sheltered by his carriage cover and a blanket, but my daughter and I were getting soaked.  ... read >

FDNY HERO

Al has worked hard his whole life starting with being a non-English speaking immigrant to working his way up through the ranks of the Fire Department.  ... read >

DO UNTO OTHERS

The railroad tracks were within a mile of our house. "Beggers" and "Bums" (as they were known) frequently would knock on the doors in our neighborhood in the summer asking for food.  ... read >

THE ALOOF FAMILY

We were standing next to my old car, out of gas and out of money. It was three miles to home and five miles to the nearest gas station; the temperature was over 100 degrees.  ... read >

THE ESCALATOR

I was returning from another business trip, heading to my car. A five-year-old boy stood at the top of the escalator.  ... read >

A CUP OF COFFEE

I'm a youth worker now; far away from the life I had ten years ago. My job is simple, I buy kids coffee. Bill taught me how to do that.  ... read >

STRANDED

In the early evening on a dirt road to a fossil quarry we hit a rock and punctured our transmission pan. Without fluid, the car came to a stop and we were stranded.  ... read >

RIGHT PLACE - RIGHT TIME

A few years ago when my youngest son Matthew was about 8 or 9 years old, we were getting things together to take to the Salvation Army at Christmas time.  ... read >

GIFT OF HOPE

This wasn't a normal thrift store, though; it was linked to a community organization that helped to give people with disabilities hope for a better future.  ... read >

FOOD IN THE WORLD OF UNEMPLOYMENT

Nearly a year ago now, I had been unemployed for 3 months, No income, no food! Mother and 11 year old daughter. My landlady to whom i could not pay rent either decided to make a commitment to us. She said "I will not let you go without until you are settled again!".   ... read >

HELPING OR HURTING

Years ago my husband and I were walking in the city when a man approached us asking for money...  ... read >

THERE ARE GOOD PEOPLE OUT THERE!

This story serves as reminder in my life to remember that in a world of evil, there is still goodness, compassion, caring, a deep love for others and a good kind heart. For one evil person there are many more great hearts... pass it on.  ... read >

A HELPING HAND

...in a not particularly safe part of town, we heard my car make a funny noise, and then it was shaking violently as we drove along. Quickly, I pulled off to the shoulder and determined a tire had blown out.  ... read >

THE PARKING METER BANK

My mother gave me a gift that day that will last a lifetime.  ... read >

CARING IS IN THE HEART

With his death, he taught the villagers a valuable lesson: We can never make assumptions about others, for sometimes the most caring individuals are those we wouldn’t suspect.  ... read >

LITTLE MISS MARY

A family friend sent me an email one day about this little girl, Little Miss Mary. The letter said that she was on the list for a lung transplant and requested help from the e-mail’s recipients.  ... read >

NURSES MATTER

She will never know how much that mattered and it has been 25 years later now.  ... read >

CHILDHOOD INSPIRATION

One day, I offered to help her out in all of her errands, purchases and general upkeep of her house, but on one condition: that she did not corrupt me with payment in cash or kind.  ... read >

NINTH WARD TREASURE

I was itching to go back on active duty with the US Coast Guard, especially to go back to the Gulf Coast of the United States. I had been ordered down to Gulfport, Mississippi the night after Hurricane Katrina hit.  ... read >

ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE

Only a minute after I stopped on the side of the road, a semi pulled up behind me to see I needed help. I explained to him that I had to make my appointment, and that I was to deliver any day now.  ... read >

SHARING THE FEELING

A bowl of curd rice, a promise, and a valuable lesson learned.  ... read >

TRUE FRIEND

There is a boy I know who used to always get picked on. He was insulted, he was pushed around, and he was taunted by bullies.  ... read >

STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT

I was 18 and on my way back to my college dorm, from babysitting, in the middle of the night. It was snowing and the streets were already covered with ice.  ... read >

A REAL CHRISTMAS TREE

We’d always wanted a real Christmas tree—a tall, lavishly decorated one, like other families had. It would have had singing lights, silver tinsel, blown-glass ornaments, and icicles dressing its snow-tipped branches.  ... read >

FINE EXAMPLES

My mother through her fine example instilled within me the desire to help others. She taught me to notice those whom others ignore  ... read >

IN THIS MOMENT, WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT?

Today in the moments of frustration, ask yourself the question, "In this moment, what is most important?"  ... read >

THE GRACE OF SMALL KINDNESS

Just like I knew that Ryan would be fine, I knew that I would be fine, because love and peace aren't just in heaven, they are in every one of us. They were in the people who packed and painted. They were in the people who entertained Ryan in the hospital. They were in the people who reminded me to eat. They were in the people who had moved us. They were in the people who had arranged for hospice. I knew that just as I had needed Ryan to tell me a joke when I was down; I had needed those people, and they had wanted to be there for me.  ... read >

ME, THE COOS BAY BEST WESTERN MOTEL AND GRANDPA

Yesterday I was fortunate enough to find one more person in our world who is genuinely kind and caring.  ... read >

KINDNESS

The whole time we were catching up, I was just stunned that he still remembered me.  ... read >

SNOW ANGEL

The snow was swirling everywhere and any oncoming vehicle dusted my little VW so thoroughly that it would take a long few seconds before I could see anything ahead of me.   ... read >

SUNDAYS WITH JESSE

The principal had put me down for watching over Jesse. Jesse was like any other 4th grade boy except for one thing: He was profoundly autistic.   ... read >

A CHRISTMAS SURPRISE

That Christmas Eve, however, as usual, my father left the house dressed as Santa Claus. He knew that even though our Christmas would be hard, he could not disappoint the other kids in the neighbourhood.  ... read >

THE OLD LADY IN THE WORN BROWN COAT

After a short while, my father had the heater up and running, making great heat for their cold home. I followed my dad upstairs where the lady asked my dad in poorly spoken English how much she owed him for fixing the heater. My dad looked around the house and said that he had to go out to the truck and write the bill.  ... read >

I'M GOING TO STRIVE...

Christmas break had just come to be, 2 weeks off. My intentions for these 2 weeks were too clear my head with some problems being faced.  ... read >

2XTREME

John told me that if I could get good grades, have no negative police contact, do at least 60 hours of community service, and stay sober, he would take me on the "2Xtreme Dream" trip. The “2Xtreme Dream” was a trip to southern Russia to climb Europe's tallest mountain, Mt. Elbrus, standing at 18,510 feet.   ... read >

THE STAMP

I began to look in my wallet and gave him one of my postage stamps, so he could take care of his letter.  ... read >

GUESTS FROM THE CLUB

Despite our financial hardship, though, every year during the holidays the best memories were made. Most of those grand memories take me back to December 25th, when Dad would announce to us after breakfast that he was going downtown to bring home guests for dinner.  ... read >

A TRUE FRIEND

My friend is now working on her Master's and needed a good friend to write a short paper on her integrity. She asked me, and this is the story I told in that paper. When she read it, she had no idea how much her efforts had meant to me then, or how much they still mean in my life. To me, that is what a true friend is.  ... read >

A GIFT TO ALL - BUT THE GIFT WAS IN THE GIVING

In 1994, the year after my father-in-law died, I planned a surprise for my husband on our anniversary. My husband didn't know where we were going, only that we were flying to see someone he loved.  ... read >

FLICKERS OF HOPE

I know my purpose now, and that is to help. To help anyone I can because I know what it feels like when you need it and the way your heart feels when receive it.  ... read >

BECOMMING WHOLE AGAIN

We all have our own story filled with chapters about people and events unique to us and I will never forget where my life story took a sudden change of course and brought about my most life altering events with people I’ll never forget.   ... read >

GOING TO THE ELEVEN

My family was getting ready to sit down to dinner. My son was hopping on one foot and counting to ten. He had me count three times. 1, 2, 3, ...10. He stayed balanced each time. Then he tried his left foot. 1, 2, 3, ...10. He did it again. Then he paused... "This time Mommy. let's go to the..." He thought about it for a long time, "to the eleven." At first I laughed. What great inspired things kids say.  ... read >

ONE STRANGER'S KINDNESS

While doing some caving in Southern Missouri a few years ago, we came out of a cave only to find a flat tire on our van. I was with three or four of my buddies and we were covered in mud and not the most clean-cut group. We were way out in the country and we stumbled across a "mutton feed.” We were told that there was a gentleman who might be able to help us.  ... read >

65 ROSES

Rowan is an eight year student in my second grade class in Los Angeles Unified School District. She has Cystic Fibrosis, coughs a lot, and is absent or tardy on many days.  ... read >

HELPING THE ELDERLY

To live in a hard-knock place, and see that there are still values that people believe in and live up to, is so rare.  ... read >

SHARING WHEN YOU CAN

I know it’s not much, but I hope it makes a difference in his life for a bit... Share what you have when you have it when you can, no matter how small.  ... read >

IMPARTING WISDOM

My father died on December 18, 2003, when I was 12-years-old. Granted, I was not able to know my father for a big portion of my life, yet I acquired much wisdom from this great man's life and from what he had imparted to me.  ... read >

GIVING BACK

In 2002, Samantha M., a then student at the University of the Incarnate Word, was involved in a near fatal automobile accident. She was driving the car and the passenger, her close friend, died.  ... read >

I LIVE INSPIRED

Two years ago my life took a quite unexpected turn. I can remember the exact moment, sitting on the front steps of my apartment listening to an old friend explain his goal to help people in recovery from substance abuse. Little did I know this mission would soon expand to include helping the world live more inspired.   ... read >

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

I have come a long way from riding on the back of a donkey as a child in Portugal in the 50's and 60's, where I grew up. My family was poor; in fact, I recall times when my courageous mother had to literally beg for food to feed four hungry boys.  ... read >

LIFE IS NOT WORTH WASTING

I was riding in the middle of a field on my ATV when it flipped over on me leaving me paralyzed from the chest down. I lay out in the field for a really long time before going to the hospital, helpless.  ... read >

OHIO TO SAN FRAN MY SON MET AN ANGEL

y son was traveling to San Franciso, CA. He missed his connecting flight in Ohio which was the last flight out. My son called me frustrated, confused and panicked in North Carolina. I asked him what happened and he told me the gate had changed and he ran to the new one. As he got there, he saw the plane taking off. He asked the attendant was that the plane for San Francisco. The attendant stated "Yes it was. You just missed it."  ... read >

OFFICE ANGELS

I had recently started working at my new job in January 2008 when I started getting these terrible headaches almost every day, among other symptoms. I couldn’t figure out what was causing them. Then it dawned on me, my dentist had been bugging me to get my wisdom teeth removed for a good 3 years and now they were posing a serious threat.  ... read >

TWO AMAZING PEOPLE

I recently read a wonderful account of an incredible act of kindness. It involved the country singer, Jan Howard, and it occurred back in the early or mid 1950's.  ... read >

MICHAEL AND ST. THERESA

I have been suffering from severe depression for quite a while now, so when my partner suggested we take a day trip to Dublin on the ferry I reluctantly said yes. We arrived in Dublin and while he went to meet a friend I strolled down O'Connell Street just looking at shops and people watching.  ... read >

HOLDING DOORS CAN SOMETIMES MEAN MORE THAN YOU THINK

We were cutting it close on time and our coach is very into punctuality—meaning we would be punished severely if we were late. As we rushed to the double doors leading to the University Center, I saw an elderly woman, walking very, very slowly, but almost to the doors.  ... read >

MCMASTER

I go to Mac High School, and once a year we get snacks when we get off the bus. Usually I think nothing of it and just take a snack and then go on with the rest of my day.  ... read >

DELIVERING SMILES

My name is Destinee. I am 11 years old. I have a friend name Shelby. Shelby and I have set up a small organization with my Mom. It is called Delivering Smiles.  ... read >

AN UNKNOWN FRIEND

Twelve years ago my family, pets and I were homeless, working day labor to get a meal and a motel room. Day labor pays a state’s minimum wage so if one of us was not working we ate lightly or slept under a tree in one of the parks.  ... read >

SEBASTOPOL FFA

The FFA (Future Farmers of America) of Sebastopol, California has changed my life so much since freshman year. During Middle School and even before that, I felt like I didn’t fit in anywhere. But through FFA I have met a lot of new friends.  ... read >

RUNNING THE EMOTIONAL DISTANCE

When my cancer treatment concluded, I set a personal goal to run 10 marathons by my brother's 10th anniversary in 2009, hoping to raise $40,000 for the Boys & Girls Club and the Stephen O'Grady Scholarship Foundation to honor what should be his 40th birthday. Never underestimate what we can do in the name of love, or with the proper inspiration.  ... read >

SERVING THE UNDERSERVED

My story is about an individual who truly represents servant leadership and community betterment. As a college student, I was fortunate to be hired as an intern for an international community development organization.  ... read >

THE STRANGER

The guy I was with reached into his pocket to give this man a $20 bill. As the other man was extending his hand out to take the money, I put my hand on my new friend's hand and said, "Can I talk to you for a minute?"  ... read >

MY JOB

My name is John Ralph. I don't have any stories to tell but what I can say is that your organization has inspired me more to strive harder in my studies.  ... read >

KINDNESS CHAIN

It is amazing how kind acts can be catching...  ... read >

A DRUM MAJOR OF TRUE INSPIRATION

In any group or team, there are always leaders that encourage everyone to keep on persevering during difficult times. In the marching band that I am currently in, we have an assistant drum major named Angela, and she is one of the most inspirational people I have ever met.  ... read >

GUM

Today I was out shopping with my mom at a store. While a lady in front of us in the checkout line, I spied a kid that looked 2 years younger than me. He was trying to get some gum but probably was out of money, because he just stared at the dispenser with sad eyes.  ... read >

HELPING SOUTH FLORIDA

Helping South Florida's homeless... one bag at a time.   ... read >

REMOVING SNOW

I know it doesn't seem like much, but yesterday my neighbor (who is now on crutches) was trying to clean the snow off his truck with a broom. I went across the street and helped him.  ... read >

IMPOSSIBLE THINGS

During a particularly bad moment I emailed my old high school religion teacher that I was in the middle of a crisis of faith and didn't really know how to carry on. His response was simple but so profound, "to believe in the face of it all - that is faith. Impossible things happen every day."   ... read >

MR. AND MRS. POSITIVE

I have two really good friends, Nancy and Richard. They both believe in the power of positive thinking. However, though their personalities are similar, they are totally different in other areas of their lives. The biggest differences are their childhood, career choices, and lifestyles.  ... read >

CU BOULDER CREED AWARD WINNERS

Last year, members of the University of Colorado at Boulder held an awards dinner in honor of students doing exceptional things, both on campus, and around the world. These are their stories.  ... watch >