Over the past three decades, gold and silver coins have turned up during the holidays in the Salvation Army's red kettles in at least 10 states, including Illinois, Colorado, Texas and Florida. While some people drop a few dollars into The Salvation Army's iconic red kettles at this time of year, others emerge and discreetly share diamond rings, real silver and rare gold coins — and many choose to do so anonymously.
It's never too late to be recognized for bravery. 67 years after the US Army assumed she was killed when a bomb destroyed the hospital where she worked, a Belgian nurse who saved the lives of hundreds of soldiers during the Battle of the Bulge was given an American award for valor on Monday.
A Secret Santa went to Reading, Pennsylvania, reportedly because it was the poorest city in America. His goal was to hand out $20,000 in cash to random people in thrift stores, laundromats and bus stops who look like they could use a helping hand. He chose to remain anonymous but allowed TV cameras to trail him, providing a rare glimpse into the joy that can be spread by one generous man in red tee shirt and beret.
A retired Menlo Park math teacher completed her seventh summer volunteering to teach math at a high school for girls in Africa -- a school that she raised more than $1 million to build.
A retired Navy mechanic has been refurbishing bicycles for needy children in Fayettesville, NC. for nearly 20 years. The workshop has been especially busy preparing 1100 bikes for kids who lined up to choose new wheels for Christmas.
The holidays are upon us and the spirit of giving is already in full swing in Minnesota. An anonymous good Samaritan paid it forward Thursday giving free fares to every bus rider for the day.
Inspector James Guida has been in the NYPD for 30 years. He was assigned to command troubled precincts, and for the last four years logged an increase in arrests and hundreds of successful search warrants. While battling the drug scourge, he has been fighting cancer.
Every Thursday morning around 10:30 Dan walks into a Starbucks in Metro Detroit, takes out a list and proceeds to order dozens of drinks. The number depends on who is in the Michigan Cancer Center getting chemotherapy treatments. In 2007 he accompanied his father for Thursday chemo treatments. Since his father's death, he keeps the tradition going. Now, Starbucks fans are donating to the cause.
29 years ago a woman made a stained glass angel for a friend battling cancer. Now, her home has become a stained glass factory, with 90 volunteers producing tens of thousands of hand made angels for patients around the globe. More amazing, one million dollars in proceeds from these angels has gone to Johns Hopkins cancer research, buying intricate equipment and funding studies.
The world lost an island of genius yesterday when Steve Jobs, the co-founder and CEO of Apple died at age 56 of pancreatic cancer. There is no better tribute to Mr. Jobs than the script from a famous Apple TV commercial. Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently...
Recognizing their good deeds, President Barack Obama yesterday awarded the nation's second-highest civilian honor to 13 compassionate Americans for their decades of service helping the poor, illiterate, disabled, and war-weary.
CNN announced its Top 10 CNN Heroes for 2011, while opening online voting that will determine the winner of the $250,000 grand prize. All ten heroes will be featured on the 5th annual celebrity-filled award gala airing in December. These ten will each receive $50,0000 to continue their world-changing work.
A heroic New Mexico man who alertly rescued a 6-year-old girl from the clutches of a kidnapper is proof no good deed goes unnoticed. Cops and reporters are being bombarded with requests from people who want Antonio Diaz Chacon's address so they can send him gift cards and cash.
Some people give back to their community. Then there's Fresno County School Superintendent Larry Powell, who's giving up $800,000 — his own salary for the next three years — in hopes his act of generosity will help restore faith in the government he once taught students to respect.
Afghanistan, with more than a million orphans, has been called the worst place to be a child. But one woman is trying to improve the lives of Afghan orphans and change the sobering statistics. The 28-year-old had a turbulent childhood herself, living in refugee camps before returning to her country to found the Afghan Child Education and Care Organization, which creates safe and progressive orphanages.
James Slatcher is being hailed a hero, credited with saving more than 100 lives, after a devastating fire tore through a 36-unit townhouse development in Sutton. The 21-year-old was out playing basketball at around 3 a.m. when he noticed the smoke and sprang into action.
I have learned that no matter how far down you fall you can still find good in your life. After experiencing three stokes, cancer surgery, addiction problems, bankruptcy, and homelessness, I can tell you that the key to a good life is to know yourself, be yourself and love yourself.
In this recession, many Americans are struggling to make ends meet, but people in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, have a unique safety net of sorts: Sal Dimiceli. Raised in poverty, Sal vowed when he was 12 years old that he'd always help people in need, and he's spent nearly all of his adult life making good on that promise, partly through his newspaper column, which invites those who've fallen on hard times to write to him.
Enchanted Makeovers is celebrating its fifth year working in women's shelters to transform interior spaces -- drab bunks and windows -- with cheery designs, but, ultimately, the non-profit organization wants to transform the inner hearts of people by genuinely caring for their souls.
A Japanese-American soldier who single-handedly stormed machine gun nests in World War II clearing the way for an entire battalion to escape was awarded the military's second highest honor yesterday, the Distinguished Service Award.
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