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The best good news stories from February
February was filled with so much good news, it's easy to overlook some of it!
Today, we're highlighting the most-clicked stories from the past month of Goodnewsletters — to help make sure you catch all the good news you might have missed.
Photo: Courtesy of the City of Albuquerque
A new tiny home "recovery village" in New Mexico is designed to promote sobriety among its residents
Sobriety in homeless shelters and transitional housing is a hot topic, as it is often a barrier to entry for these much-needed facilities.
After one year of its new initiative, a Colorado city no longer has any homeless veterans living on the street
In addition to sheltering more than 2,200 people experiencing homelessness, as of December 19, 2024, Denver officially ended street homelessness among veterans.
In "a historic win," a Scottish court ruled the UK government's approval of a giant new oilfield was unlawful
Climate activists had long been advocating as part of a campaign to stop Rosebank, and scientists celebrated the decision as "a historic win" for climate action.
Animal shelters across the U.S. organized "Valentine's sleepovers" with an adoptable dog or cat
Best Friends Animal Society shelters in select cities coordinated snuggly slumber parties for potential foster parents and adopters to help them meet their perfect match.
Shelters across the country planned Valentine's Day 'dog dates' to pair adoptable pups with their perfect match
Those who participated received a Chewy Date Kit, complete with all the necessities for a successful day on the town, including toys, treats, and even poop bags.
To combat teacher shortages, a school district in North Carolina's most expensive city is building housing for its educators
The district faced nearly 300 vacancies in 2024 — and in a survey, it found that 61% of teachers said housing may impact their ability to keep working with CMS. Half of the respondents said they spent more than 50% of their monthly income on rent and utilities.
Jelly Roll and special guests hosted a benefit concert for 16,000 of LA's incarcerated firefighters and first responders
Live Nation covered the costs of the show and helped ensure that all of the emergency responders could enjoy a night of entertainment and gratitude, as the fires were finally contained just last week.
Vacant schools are being transformed into community centers, providing life-changing resources to thousands of low-income families
Since it opened, the Durfee Innovation Society has provided 3,400 Detroit students with after-school programming, 5,600 with job opportunities, and 13,400 children and families with resources and support.
The Grammys and FireAid benefit concert events are expected to raise over $120 million for LA wildfire relief
More than 50 million viewers across 28 streaming platforms tuned in to the FireAid benefit concert, which featured performances from Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish, Dave Grohl, and more.
A bicyclist in London created a 700-person network of volunteers who hand-deliver donations to the homeless
Walcott's volunteer network is 700 cyclists strong. Through his social media platform, Walcott coordinates Amazon wish lists for his homeless neighbors and then alerts fellow volunteers of drop-off locations in their area.
A Michelin-star chef opened the world's first restaurant staffed entirely by people who have experienced homelessness
In addition to employing people who are chronically homeless, the restaurant itself is a nonprofit organization, which supports Soup Kitchen London's mission to feed 150 people every day.
Vandalized in 2020 by the Proud Boys, a Black church in D.C. gained the group's trademark rights
The ruling, which came after the Proud Boys did not pay a $2.8 million judgment, allows the church to seize any money the group makes through "any sale, transfer, disposition, or license of the Proud Boys Trademark."
Scheduled to become the site of a new prison, activists bought a former coal mine to rewild the land instead
The Appalachian Rekindling Project wants to rewild the site with bison and native flora and fauna, open it to intertribal gatherings, and, it hopes, stop the prison.
A California construction company announced its plans to 3D-print 'inflammable homes' for LA wildfire victims
Emergent acts as a "second responder" after a disaster strikes. It 3D prints homes out of concrete, providing construction that's not only faster and sturdier — it uses no flammable materials.
On the "forefront of innovative agriculture," a shipping container was transformed into an indoor farm that feeds immigrants for free
Village Hydroponics came out of the success of the founder's other project, a mutual aid food distribution collective that supplies fresh, culturally relevant food to underserved communities in the area.
Experts in small-space living, IKEA built a tiny home for homeless seniors in Texas — specifically with 'trauma-informed design' in mind
Trauma-informed design is a research-backed approach to affordable housing. The principles of TID focus on creating warm, open spaces that are filled with natural light, communicate a sense of calm, and built with safety in mind.
Volunteers knit a giant quilt of 1,000 blankets in memory of homeless people who died in the cold — and to advocate for a future without homelessness
The blankets are laid out in a display for the public to see and learn more about the safety risks of homelessness, like hypothermia, which takes the lives of an estimated 700 unhoused people in the U.S. every year.
An innovative machine recycles rubble into LEGO-like bricks to build homes for displaced Ukrainians
In mobile block factories in disaster and war zones, a mill crushes up rubble, like old walls, glass, and debris, and presses it into recycled, interlocking blocks — reminiscent of a colorful LEGO brick.
An 'eyesore' motel transformed into colorful apartments for homeless families in Southern California — that vibrant design is both fun and purposeful
The campus includes housing, support services, a commercial kitchen that serves three meals a day to residents, exercise amenities, laundry facilities, a dog park, playground, basketball court, amphitheater, and essentials like air conditioning and heating, microwaves, and fully-furnished bathrooms.
For the first time in 185 years, the world's smallest otter made a comeback in Nepal
Both Eurasian and smooth-coated otters are protected under the country's Aquatic Animal Protection Act — so conservationists' first step is to get this newly discovered otter on the list, too.
"Homeless outreach" rangers in San Francisco's state parks give out assistance instead of citations
Balancing "enforcement with compassionate outreach," the two outreach rangers do what the department calls "arduous and achingly bureaucratic tasks" to help set people up for success across the city's 220 parks.
Hank and John Green's annual 48-hour charity livestream just raised $3.6 million for charity — its largest total ever
The Green brothers have organized "Project For Awesome" since 2007, and while half of the money goes to charities voted on by the public, the other half is split between Save the Children and Partners in Health to support their global health efforts.
Charles Barkley called NBA All-Star game host city San Francisco the 'armpit of America' — then made amends by donating $250,000 and volunteering at a shelter
Barkley spent his Saturday in San Francisco volunteering at GLIDE Memorial Church, serving hot meals to the homeless and singing the praises of the organization.
Thanks to Alex Trebek, a former Los Angeles rollerskating rink has been transformed into a 107-bed shelter named in his honor
Trebek and his wife Jean had been longtime supporters of Hope the Mission, and Alex was even the keynote speaker at another area shelter just months before his passing. The 107-bed shelter now named after him is both a tribute to his legacy and a refuge for those in need.
🌳 After Google removed Black History Month and other celebrations from its calendar app, people were inspired to switch to a search engine that plants trees or funds biodiversity efforts.
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WEEKLY WIND DOWN 💪
Try this: If you've had a rough week, take a sec to think about what went well or what you're proud of, whether it's finally going to the doctor or navigating a tricky situation at work with a calm, clear head. Just because it wasn't all perfect doesn't mean there aren't little moments to celebrate.
Think on this: When was the last time you did something loving for yourself?
Remember this: Making friends is hard for a lot of people.
When we're pissed off at someone, it's tempting to act immediately, launching right into the heated tirade we've been replaying in our heads. But that's not usually the best approach for resolving a problem or disagreement. "When we're mad, we're less able to process our thoughts and share them, and we run the risk of saying hurtful things we don't actually mean in our attempts to express just how upset we are," says psychologist Isabelle Morley, PhD. "Anger makes us want to win a conversation, but conversations aren't supposed to be competitions, and besides, what you really need is to be heard."
Try this instead: Next time you have smoke coming out of your ears, take a deep breath (or 10). The key is to calm your body down before jumping into a conversation with the person you're mad at, says Dr. Morley. You can postpone the conversation as long as you need, saying something like, "Listen, I'm too angry to talk about this effectively right now. Can we talk in an hour?" When you do have the convo, "use 'I statements' that express how you feel about what happened, instead of just blaming the person for their actions (which will make them defensive and you even angrier)," says Dr. Morley. While you may be justifiably angry, staying calm and respectful will result in a much better outcome for all involved.
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LET'S DISCUSS 💬
8 Common Miscommunication Traps and How to Fix Them
By Sam Brodsky
Whether it's Saturday night in your group chat or mid-meeting with a coworker, miscommunication happens. And when a message doesn't land, it can cause confusion and anxiety and can wreak havoc on your relationships, says therapist Katie Miles, LMFT.
Maybe you show up to the function the day after it happens or feel completely lost on your latest work assignment or wonder if your roommate secretly hates you. All of that can happen when a speaker isn't clear, the listener isn't listening, or both, notes Miles.
If you're in the thick of miscommunication mayhem—or just want to avoid that in the future—we asked therapists for the best ways to deal. Here, they explain the most common miscommunication pitfalls and how to manage them.
1. You're in a bad mood.
Being in a crummy headspace can influence how you deliver a message. "Our mood can impact our tone, facial expressions, and body language," Miles explains. That can mean the difference between coming off as warm and patient or irritated and sharp, she says. And that's why a rough day at work can lead to snapping at your roommate about the trash that night. While your beef isn't with them, it can seem like they're the root of your rage.
Your mood can also impact how you hear other people, Miles notes. So when your roommate brings up chores after you've had a bad day, it can feel like a personal attack.
If you already overreacted, it's OK. It happens. Shift gears by practicing some self-awareness. Miles suggests asking yourself, What am I feeling in my mind and body? You could also journal about that, she adds.
Once you figure out what's going on, you can address it by self-soothing, Miles suggests. For example, if you're feeling panicked or anxious, try holding an ice pack or going for a walk to ground yourself. If you're stressed, you can try a breathing exercise to get back to baseline.
2. They're in a bad mood.
Say the roles were reversed. Maybe you ask your roommate an innocent question and they get super mad. Sure, you could've upset them, but they might also be reacting based on emotions that have nothing to do with you.
When their reaction seems out of proportion to whatever you said, Miles suggests pausing to consider their feelings. Maybe they're hungry, tired, or going through something. Whether you know what's happening with them or not, keeping this in mind adds some context to their tone. That can make whatever they say feel less personal.
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