July 2009 Featured Good News Video
Vets in toyland
American veterans are making hand-crafted toys for kids half a world away, many of whom have never had a toy in their lives. NBC's Richard Engel reports.
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July 2009 Good News Video Archive
Camp Erin helps grieving children
Major League Baseball pitcher opens camps to help children deal with grief.
Horses help restore soldiers' sure-footedness
Americans coming back from war with physical and emotional wounds have found help and companionship through the Horses for Heroes therapeutic riding program. NBC's Norah O'Donnell reports.
Usher's 'New Look'
Usher introduces us to his camp 'New Look,' dedicated to teaching youth about the sports and entertainment industries.
Giant tortoise 'a hip turtle'
A giant tortoise named "Spike" is turning heads and winning hearts. WDRB's Bennett Haeberle reports.
The Power of Hospitality
When Russian circus performers were stranded by their promoter in Dallas, some welcoming Texans came to the rescue. Don Teague reports.
Thinking big for the little ones
CNN Hero Brad Blauser demonstrates the specialized wheelchair that is changing the lives of disabled Iraqi children.
Boy saved from SUV burned, but not forgotten
A Milwaukee community has rallied to support the family of a 4-year-old severely burned in an SUV fire, with the firefighters who rescued the boy buying supplies for the family and restaurants offering free ice cream floats to people who donate toward medical costs. NBC's Kevin Tibbles reports.
Giving shelter from the storms
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, an Indiana couple left their lives behind to help storm survivors along the Gulf Coast get back into their homes. More than three years later, they're still lending a hand. NBC's Janet Shamlian reports.
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Farmer saves $200,000 with poo power
Reynolds Wolf offers a look at a dairy farm that gets its electricity from cow poo.
How baking cakes saved her home
Ann Curry talks to Angela Logan about how her cake, known as the “Mortgage Apple Cake,” helped her keep her home.
For 'boot campers,' summer is a time to smile
Thanks to Operation Purple, a free summer program in 37 states, more than 10,000 kids with parents in the military have had a chance to escape their everyday worries. NBC's Miguel Almaguer reports.
Docs battle breast cancer, bills
School prepares physicians to fight cancer, but it doesn't teach them how to help patients cope with the monetary cost. NBC's Anne Thompson shares one doctor's plan to aid women of limited means.
WWII Vet gives service dogs to wounded troops
When WWII veteran Irwin Stovroff learned that the U.S. government didn't supply service dogs for wounded soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, the 85 year old decorated hero from Boca Raton, Fla. made it his mission to overhaul the policy. Phil Keating reports.
'They touch your heart'
Twenty-eight girls competed in the 'Miss You Can Do It' pageant where everyone is a winner. WQAD's Kia Carter reports.
Race to the Top
One New York City high school principal is trying to improve his school, which has a reputation for street gangs, shootings and drug dealers. Russ Mitchell reports.
No obstacle too steep for legally blind climbers
More than half of those who try to conquer Mt. Kilimanjaro fail, but for a special group who made it to the summit, the journey was about more than bragging rights. NBC's Lee Cowan reports.
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A Family Of Winners
First profiled by CBS 31 years ago, Steve Hartman revisits a family in Prairie, Mississippi whose achievements are inspirational.
Maya Angelou inspires young poet
Soledad O'Brien moves student to tears by giving her a signed copy of 'And Still I Rise'
No obstacle too steep for legally blind climbers
More than half of those who try to conquer Mt. Kilimanjaro fail, but for a special group who made it to the summit, the journey was about more than bragging rights. NBC's Lee Cowan reports.
Wedding party boogies down the aisle
A video showing a wedding party dancing down the aisle has become an internet hit. TODAY hosts talk to the newlyweds, Kevin Heinz and Jill Peterson, about the wild wedding.
Using summer to close the achievement gap
A national summer enrichment program aims to narrow the achievement gap between lower- and upper-income students by bringing public school students onto private school campuses. NBC's Rehema Ellis reports.
Life changing trip for students
Soledad O'brien travels with kids from Bushwich to South Africa on a Journey for Change.
Armless drummer 'talented, inspirational'
A high school drummer, born without arms, just wants to be a regular kid, but as WVLA's Rachel Slavik reports, his talent makes him standout.
Town keeps local pool afloat after money runs dry
When three Indiana women heard their favorite staple of summer fun was being shut down due to budget constraints, they galvanized an entire town to raise the money needed to save the local pool. NBC's Amy Robach reports.
Saving home with a cake
Angela Logan is saving her Teaneck house one apple cake at a time. News 12's Kerry Ederer reports.
Program opens doors for special needs students
Challenged by disabilities that in the past would have excluded them from experiencing college life, a landmark program is giving these students a chance to achieve. NBC’s Peter Alexander reports.
Hospital patients value pet therapy
(WISHTV.com) Hospitals are places where healing happens, but also death. At St. Vincent Hospital, TheraPets of Indiana helps families with both.
A summer camp that has heart
At Camp Rhythm, kids with heart defects get a chance to participate in the cherished childhood ritual of summer camp without worrying about whether or not they’ll fit in. NBC's Kevin Tibbles reports.
Patients reward chiropractor with licks
A chiropractor turns his healing techniques to pets. WBBH-TV's Kate Eckman reports.
Mandela turning 91
CNN's Robyn Curnow reports that Nelson Mandela wants people to remember him by doing small acts of kindness on his birthday.
Rebuilding computers for kids
An immigrant from Ghana uses his skills to refurbish computers to give back to kids in his native country.
Vets in toyland
American veterans are making hand-crafted toys for kids half a world away, many of whom have never had a toy in their lives. NBC's Richard Engel reports.
Dogs give hope to blind kids
Visually impaired children get a chance to bond with some K-9 friends. KOMO's Theron Zahn reports.
'Flying nun' takes good works around the world
Sister Bridget, a breast cancer survivor, tries to keep patients’ spirits intact at a Boston residential care center for adults with chronic neurological diseases. NBC's Peter Alexander reports.
Mississippi reconciliation: 2 men unite 4 generations later
CNN's Wayne Drash meets with James "Little Man" Presley, who's worked cotton fields for his family for 72 years.
As unemployment rises, accidental entrepreneurs thrive
As laid-off workers are forced to reinvent themselves, some start-up innovators are finding that sometimes it pays to do what you love. CNBC's Scott Cohn reports.
The eternal moonwalk
Thousands of people from all over the world have taped videos of themselves "moonwalking." CNN's Jeanne Moos reports.
'Thanks USA'
Big ideas usually start very small. The idea that two young sisters came up with is changing the lives of many dependents of active duty members in our armed forces. Thalia Assuras reports.
Teen nears solo sailing record
The loneliness of circumnavigating the world by yourself is enough to sink the dreams of the most experienced sailor – but not 17-year-old Zac Sunderland. NBC’s Miguel Almaguer reports.
Kidney Transplant Chain
Ten women and six men apparently are recovering after taking part in a real-life medical procedure that outdid a popular television show. Priya David has more.
Wounded vets get back into the swing
Iraq war veteran Tim Bombke lost his lower right leg in the line of duty, but that didn’t prevent him from taking up golf at the American Lakes Veteran’s course, where wounded vets are linking up and readjusting to life at home. NBC’s Chris Jansing reports.
Reclaiming arid farmland
A scientist shows how he's fighting famine by irrigating coastal desert with sea water.
Saved from an early grave
Teenager Jasmine Warren had obesity-related medical problems until she joined CNN Hero Pamela Green-Jackson's program.
Transforming Newark's South 9th St.
In one block in Newark, NJ, affordable homes now stand in place of vacant lots, thanks to a group of entrepreneurs hoping to change a neighborhood and make a difference. NBC's Ron Allen reports.
Using music to make things right
When a Tennessee man returned to his impoverished birthplace, he brought music – and more revenue – with him. NBC's Ron Mott reports.
Garbage for good
In Indonesia, one woman is helping the poor and the environment at the same time.
New Autism buddy scheme
CNN's Jim Boulden looks at the innovative autism befriender program in Britain, gives sufferers and carers some much needed respite.
Salt for sinuses
CNN's Monita Rajpal reports on how salt is being used to treat respiratory conditions.
Heroes: Making a difference
CNN.com Live presents a full-length special featuring remarkable people who are making a difference.
Unlikely BFFs
Relationships between dogs and ducks normally don't work, but in Dexter, Iowa, this twosome is the talk of the town.
Argentina's wearing green
CNN's Brian Byrnes reports on how one company in Argentina creates practical and popular products from trash and plants.
Good enough to eat?
CNN's Sasha Herriman takes a closer look at the EcoF3, a racing car made of food and powered by chocolate fuel.
Turning his life around
Ben Tinker reports on a young man, abandoned as a toddler by his biological mother, who has stepped up and become a leader.
Free music lessons for kids
A drummer starts a music education program for middle school students in New Orleans. Fredricka Whitfield reports.
Finding inspiration in music
The Mayor of London has placed 31 pianos around the city to inspire community spirit.
Better World Books
Stephanie Elam reports on a company aimed at making the world a better place, one book at a time.