True Stories of Good People

True Stories of Good People is a podcast about people who are making a difference in other people's lives, or have had their lives changed by someone kind.

Look What Help Can Do: Sara and Edgar of Nixta Taqueria 12/28/2023

Look What Help Can Do: Sara and Edgar of Nixta Taqueria Sara and Edgar are the married co-owners behind Nixta Taqueria—a beloved restaurant located in East Austin, Texas. Dedicated to their community, they've gone above and beyond to ensure their community is always fed, regardless of life's circumstances. When the couple faced challenges keeping Nixta open, their community paid it forward and showed up for them in ways they never could have imagined. /episode/index/show/gofundme/id/29244308

Making Sure Kids Have School Lunch: DeJuan Strickland 10/30/2023

Making Sure Kids Have School Lunch: DeJuan Strickland DeJuan Strickland knows what it’s like to not be able to afford school lunch. After learning about how many other kids have experienced the same situation, he decided to do something about it. With the help of his mom, Sharron, DeJuan is helping to eliminate lunch debt for as many kids as possible throughout his community. /episode/index/show/gofundme/id/28441910

Meet Kauai's Only Farm Animal Rescue: Christy Wong 06/27/2023

Meet Kauai's Only Farm Animal Rescue: Christy Wong For Christy Wong and her family, animals have always been a big part of their lives—however, they never imagined that they would someday be operating an entire rescue farm. By creating a safe home for animals and a welcoming space for her community, Kauai Animal Education Farm is helping preserve the local Hawaiian culture and connection to the land. /episode/index/show/gofundme/id/27293142

Sensory-Friendly Haircuts for Kids: Jelly Robinson 05/23/2023

Sensory-Friendly Haircuts for Kids: Jelly Robinson Jelly Robinson is a hairstylist with a special gift for helping children feel safe and confident while getting their hair cut. With her mobile salon, Peace & Love Studios, Jelly is on a mission to make sure children with autism have access to sensory-friendly haircuts. /episode/index/show/gofundme/id/26929131

Feeding Their Community, One PB&J at a Time: Ayaan Vaswani & Josh Isaac 11/28/2022

Feeding Their Community, One PB&J at a Time: Ayaan Vaswani & Josh Isaac Inspired by their mothers' efforts to feed their local San Jose community, Ayaan and Josh are making a difference for those experiencing homelessness with simple peanut butter and jelly sandwiches—and they're inspiring other young people to get involved, too. /episode/index/show/gofundme/id/25118322

Paying it Forward One Pedal at a Time: Hassan Abdus-Sabur 10/14/2022

Paying it Forward One Pedal at a Time: Hassan Abdus-Sabur For the past three years, Hassan Abdus-Sabur has concluded a multi-hundred mile scholarship fundraising bike ride by riding onto the Howard University campus, exhausted and proud. In these moments when Hassan is surrounded by congratulations and applause, he can’t help but flash back to his own time at the prestigious school over 30 years ago, cut unexpectedly short by lack of funds. Not finishing school is Hassan’s only regret in life. The bike ride started when the niece of Hassan's former Howard classmate also got accepted there, and her family became concerned about the high tuition cost. Propelled by his own past experience, Hassan figured out a way to help, and the resulting impact was far bigger than he ever expected. /episode/index/show/gofundme/id/24676623

Grupo Folklorico Izcalli: Annel Alvarez and Stacey Valdez 09/15/2022

Grupo Folklorico Izcalli: Annel Alvarez and Stacey Valdez After Annel Alvarez had her son Adrian, she was going through a pretty dark time in her life, feeling a sense of losing her identity. She knew she needed to do something to pull her out of it, but also knew she couldn’t do it alone—so she called up an old friend with an idea: “let’s start a dance troupe!” A pretty simple idea on its face, but what turned out to have so much power to build community, celebrate Hispanic culture, and provide space for healing. /episode/index/show/gofundme/id/24377973

Joy, Flowers and Community: Shanice Fleming 08/25/2022

Joy, Flowers and Community: Shanice Fleming When Shanice Fleming left her career as a chef in New York City to start her own business as a farmer, her path seemed straight and clear. But with the help of mentors, community, and a beautiful epiphany, Shanice found something more—the desire to promote Black representation in the cut flower industry through her business, Queenz Cut Flower Farm. /episode/index/show/gofundme/id/24132516

Ice Cream and Neighborly Love: The Watson Family 08/11/2022

Ice Cream and Neighborly Love: The Watson Family The Watson family is committed to feeding their neighbors in their small town of Frazeysburg, Ohio. What started as a community food pantry has grown into an ice cream truck that delivers free hot meals—and of course, ice cream. /episode/index/show/gofundme/id/24021024

The Photographer Preserving WWII History: Jeff Rease 07/21/2022

The Photographer Preserving WWII History: Jeff Rease Photographer Jeff Rease is dedicated to honoring the stories of WWII veterans through portraiture. What started with one photograph in Alabama has grown into an international project featuring more than 290 veterans, and he has no plans of slowing down any time soon. /episode/index/show/gofundme/id/23811602

The Nerdettes: An All-Girls Robotics Team Inspiring their Community 06/30/2022

The Nerdettes: An All-Girls Robotics Team Inspiring their Community When a high school all-girls robotics team from Huntsville, Alabama landed a seat at the Tech Challenge World Championships, they weren’t sure they would be able to afford to compete. Lucky for them, their local community came to the rescue. Their presence at the competition made history, and they continue to inspire other young women & girls in their community by showing there is a seat at the table for them in the world of robotics & STEM fields as a whole. /episode/index/show/gofundme/id/23579840

The Violin That's Making History: Anne Harris & Amanda Ewing 06/16/2022

The Violin That's Making History: Anne Harris & Amanda Ewing When a chance encounter on the internet brought together Anne, a Black female professional fiddle player, and Amanda, the only Black female violin maker in the United States, the serendipity wasn't lost on them. They immediately knew that with the help of their community, they could make history—and inspire others to live out their dreams. /episode/index/show/gofundme/id/23444471

Creating Connection for LGBTQ+ Youth: Laurenzo 06/02/2022

Creating Connection for LGBTQ+ Youth: Laurenzo As a non-binary content creator, Laurenzo knows first-hand the struggles that LGBTQ+ youth face and how important it is to have a place where everyone can feel like they belong. That’s why they started the Laurenzo Community, a space for LGBTQ+ people to find and connect with each other online. Laurenzo starts a new GoFundMe each month to cover the membership fee for applicants who can’t afford to join the Laurenzo Community—but this Pride Month, Laurenzo is doing something even bigger. /episode/index/show/gofundme/id/23306672

The Power of Stories: Joseph Gutierrez 05/19/2022

The Power of Stories: Joseph Gutierrez When Joseph Gutierrez moved to Nashville in 2017, he started to ask himself some honest questions about his new city. He wasn’t sure what the city meant to him, and vice versa. To explore these questions further, he started to have conversations with other local folks from the Asian and Pacific Islander community, and realized there was an existing lack of awareness and understanding about their cultures and identities. In response to the rising anti-AAPI hate crimes following the pandemic, Joseph and his community felt compelled to do something to help—and they believed the power of stories had the opportunity to make a big difference. /episode/index/show/gofundme/id/23145902

Creating Community Through Food: Alex Hanesakda 05/05/2022

Creating Community Through Food: Alex Hanesakda While in a refugee camp as a child, Chef Alex Hanesakda watched his father cook meals for friends, family, and even strangers. It was in those moments when he learned how food could break down barriers and bring communities together. Now, years later, Alex has started his own restaurant that honors the refugee experience, gives back to the community—and most importantly, brings people together. /episode/index/show/gofundme/id/23010680

The Landless Farmer Feeding Her Community: Chloe Moore 04/21/2022

The Landless Farmer Feeding Her Community: Chloe Moore In communities that lack access to fresh food, healthy eating options are limited. To Chloe Moore, the solution runs just as deep as the roots of the problem. She works at Southside Community Farm, a small urban food space that provides access to fresh produce to those living in Asheville’s historically Black Southside neighborhood. And with plans to create more services that bring healthy food access to more people, Chloe also aims to change the narrative around agriculture in Black communities. /episode/index/show/gofundme/id/22842773

The Confident Girl Project: Taylor McCowan 04/07/2022

The Confident Girl Project: Taylor McCowan Taylor McCowan always knew that confidence is key, but one day while she was volunteering in her community, that phrase took on a new meaning. Taylor identified a surprising need in her local unhoused community—a lack of access to menstrual products, something that affects millions of people worldwide. In response, she decided to start a community service project in hopes of giving people much more than just confidence. /episode/index/show/gofundme/id/22703543

How to Use Your Birthday for Good: Kai Martin 03/24/2022

How to Use Your Birthday for Good: Kai Martin Not many kids get exactly what they want for their birthday for ten years in a row. But since Kai Martin was five years old, that’s exactly what’s happened. However, he never asks for what a typical kid his age might ask for; all he wants for his birthday, year after year, is for people to donate to a cause that has had a significant impact his family. /episode/index/show/gofundme/id/22546646

#PatrioticKenny: Kenny Jary and Amanda Kline 03/10/2022

#PatrioticKenny: Kenny Jary and Amanda Kline US Navy Veteran Kenny Jary – or “Patriotic Kenny” as he’s come to be called in his community – knows what it’s like to rely on a mobility scooter for even the most simple of freedoms. So when his own scooter broke down, his friend Amanda Kline started a GoFundMe to help raise funds for a new one. After receiving more help than they expected, Kenny realized he wanted to pay it forward. Using Kenny’s sizable TikTok following, the two set out to help other veterans and were blown away by what happened next. /episode/index/show/gofundme/id/22399436

A Bookstore on Wheels: Latanya DeVaughn 10/29/2021

A Bookstore on Wheels: Latanya DeVaughn Latanya DeVaughn believes that every neighborhood deserves a bookstore—even if it's just for one day. /episode/index/show/gofundme/id/20974931

Rollin From the Heart: John Barry and Alison Brown 09/30/2021

Rollin From the Heart: John Barry and Alison Brown When John Barry and Alison Brown lost their 22-year-old son Ian in a tragic accident, their hearts were shattered. They knew how much he meant to them, but only when over 600 people showed up to his memorial did they begin to realize what a profound impact their quiet, caring son made on the community as a whole. As a way to process their grief, they decided to give back to the community by spreading the love of Ian’s favorite outdoor activities and spreading Ian’s legacy of kindness and compassion. /episode/index/show/gofundme/id/20636051

Rescuing Food in Jersey City: Claudia Wheeler and Yawa Endara 08/31/2021

Rescuing Food in Jersey City: Claudia Wheeler and Yawa Endara Claudia Wheeler is a full-time mother, as well as an elementary school teacher based in Jersey City, NJ. On top of all of her other responsibilities in life, Claudia also manages to drive across the entire city, 7 days a week, on food rescue missions to help provide sustenance to those experiencing food insecurity in her community. In total, she has rescued and delivered over 130,000 pounds of fruit, vegetables, grains to families and organizations in need. /episode/index/show/gofundme/id/20288309

A Love Letter to Black Queer Men: Kemar Jewel 06/29/2021

A Love Letter to Black Queer Men: Kemar Jewel After he was kicked out of his family home at 15 for being gay, Kemar Jewel found his chosen family through the underground Philadelphia dance scene. There, he leaned into his passion for movement and truly understood how Black queer men can help each other heal from trauma. Now a choreographer and director, Kemar is blending art and activism to spread hope, love, and healing—all while uplifting Black LGBTQ voices. /episode/index/show/gofundme/id/19636484

New York State of Kind: Ben Wei 05/03/2021

New York State of Kind: Ben Wei When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit the US, it shook New York City especially hard. At a time when so many New Yorkers felt hopeless, New York native and tech entrepreneur Ben Wei found the courage to act. Now, one year later, he’s on another mission to help others; this time, to unite the Asian American and Pacific Islander community in the fight against hate, racism, and systemic injustice. /episode/index/show/gofundme/id/18902858

Fruits, Vegetables and Community: Ashley Webb 04/08/2021

Fruits, Vegetables and Community: Ashley Webb When Ashley Webb moved her family from Los Angeles to New Orleans in 2017, it was a huge culture shock. Not only was the city very different, but the neighborhood they moved into was considered a food desert, meaning there is no immediate access to fresh produce. Wanting to change this, Ashley and her husband started a community garden—and it blossomed into a much bigger project than they ever imagined. /episode/index/show/gofundme/id/18613520

will.i.am: The American Dream Fund 03/16/2021

will.i.am: The American Dream Fund Most people know will.i.am as the founding member of The Black Eyed Peas, one of the most popular hip hop groups of all time. Aside from music, however, Will actually has another passion: education. Since founding the “i.am.angel foundation” in 2009, Will has worked tirelessly to set up robotics programs in schools, get kids into STEAM fields, and help high school students get prepared for and accepted into college. /episode/index/show/gofundme/id/18341651

Bay Area Freedom Collective: Simon Liu, Jessica McKellar & Tenzin Kyizom 03/11/2021

Bay Area Freedom Collective: Simon Liu, Jessica McKellar & Tenzin Kyizom For formerly incarcerated individuals, safe, stable and affordable housing is the foundation of a smooth reentry into society. Unfortunately, it’s often the most difficult resource for them to obtain. Recognizing this need, one San Francisco Bay Area collective—run by and for formerly incarcerated Californians—is bringing housing and other necessary resources to people who have been similarly impacted by the criminal justice system. /episode/index/show/gofundme/id/18272798

Every Kid Deserves a Bike: Katie Blomquist 03/05/2021

Every Kid Deserves a Bike: Katie Blomquist When Katie Blomquist was in her mid-20s, she left her career in marketing and PR to pursue something more personally fulfilling: teaching. After landing a job at a school in Charleston, South Carolina, Katie quickly fell in love with her students. When she learned that most of them didn’t have access to simple childhood pleasures such as bicycles, she wanted to change that. What started out as a singular act of kindness has grown into a movement that is bringing joy to kids in Charleston and beyond. /episode/index/show/gofundme/id/18195389

Purpose 4 Pets: Meet Kid Hero Genevieve 02/11/2021

Purpose 4 Pets: Meet Kid Hero Genevieve Eleven-year-old Genevieve may be young, but she has big dreams. After going through the application process to foster a kitten, she was inspired to start her own nonprofit organization to improve the foster matching system in her local area. While Genevieve’s efforts are virtual-only for now due to COVID-19, she dreams of someday expanding to an in-person rescue center where she can house and care for animals of all shapes and sizes. /episode/index/show/gofundme/id/17889602

Cookies4Cures: Dana Perella 02/05/2021

Cookies4Cures: Dana Perella When 5-year-old Dana Perella was at a speech therapy session she met another young girl named Mila, and they became fast friends. When Mila was diagnosed with Batten disease, Dana wanted to help, so she started baking cookies and selling them around her neighborhood. What started out as a local project has turned into something much bigger. /episode/index/show/gofundme/id/17813840

True Stories of Good People

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