Alanna O’Donnell was not prepared to be greeted by a huge $25,000 check when she got to her Queens classroom on Friday. The PS 177 teacher was one of this year’s FLAG Award for Teaching Excellence recipients because she consistently prioritizes her special needs children. As the thrill and astonishment started to fade, O’Donnell said,…
In Richardson, two kids from North Texas got the surprise of their lives. A mobile gift that promotes inclusivity in addition to happiness. Anybody’s face could light up at that kind of moment. With the help of a specially designed adaptive bicycle, Salvador Ventura, age five, and Isla Biondi, age four, were able to feel…
Just hours after the ceremony, a recent high school graduate from Georgia picked up his diploma and resumed his job selling hamburgers at Burger King, which motivated a local mother to contribute thousands of dollars for his college tuition. On May 21, Mykale Baker noticed the late-night surge and accepted a shift at the restaurant…
Even though their 9-year-old daughter has a rare condition, the Prattville family is persevering. As Libby Barrett and her family face a difficult journey ahead, the community is banding together to support them. Libby and I initially met in 2023. When she was eight years old, she spent her entire birthday budget on materials for…
A new initiative was started by Tampa police to interact directly and individually with the community. Known as “Signal 87 Summits,” they convened for the first time. Sometimes a citizen will call Tampa police first, regardless of the problem or query. “The gist of it is that we go to a lot of community meetings…
Through neighborhood connections and a steadfast belief that the crisis affecting American veterans is preventable, a nonprofit organization located in Florida is addressing veteran suicide. The three tenets of the Fire Watch are that communities must actively participate in prevention, that suicide is preventable, and that prompt access to support can save lives. “It takes…
Miami-Dade Animal Services is asking the public to provide foster homes and temporary volunteer homes to assist reduce the overpopulation at its shelters. With too many animals and not enough room, the institution is in crisis mode and is hoping that animal lovers will hear its message. “This is a challenge and it’s a challenge…
One U.S. Navy veteran who lost his house to the Palisades Fire was given a unique tribute on Monday as many Americans remember the deaths lost while serving their country this Memorial Day. The 93-year-old John Lehne worked as a cryptographer and radio operator during the Korean War. He was among a number of veterans…
A $1 million donation is being made by Los Angeles Dodgers player Freddie Freeman and his wife, Chelsea, to a children’s hospital in Southern California, where their kid received treatment for several weeks in 2024. Children’s Hospital of Orange County, where their son Maximus recovered from a severe case of Guillain-Barré syndrome, will receive a…
Landlords are legally obligated to provide hygienic and safe living conditions in Colorado. Many tenants of Liggins Tower, a senior living facility in the Park Hill district of Denver, meanwhile, feel powerless as a result of months of unresolved bed insect problems. The 67-year-old Nora McClain has been fighting bed bugs in her apartment for…
