Weekly Uplifting Stories - Week of June 26th, 2023

Hello everyone and thank you for joining us for another collection of Uplifting Stories! 

This week, we start off with a quote:

“When you are kind to others, it not only changes you, it changes the world.” — Harold Kushner

Do you agree? 

This week, we have more stories of people doing nice things for others, and the impact those acts can have on others.

• A woman whose life was saved by a famous singer surprises him at a recent concert
• The 23-year-old woman who founded a non-profit that builds 3D printed schools
• A high school student who has sent hundreds of thank you cards to her teachers
• A 5-year-old boy who wants to send birthday cards to every kid in his town

A Young Woman Thanks the Singer Who Saved Her Life 22 Years Ago

When Taiwanese singer Richie Ren made a generous donation to help a baby girl in 2001, he may not have expected to meet her again.

But as it turns out, his act of kindness helped to save the little girl, who showed up at the singer's recent concert to thank him.

He made the donation on his way to a concert in Shenyang, China after reading about the little girl in the newspaper. The now 23-year-old woman managed to get up on the microphone at Ren's recent concert in the same city to surprise him with a sweet message before requesting a song. 

“I hope that the love between us will never change and that the universal love and compassion among people will also remain unchanged,” the 23-year-old said.

You never know how your act of kindness will affect someone's life!

Thinking Huts & Their 23-Year-Old Founder: Building 3D Printed Schools in Developing Countries

Maggie Grout knew from a very young age what she wanted to do when she grew up - to create opportunities through education. She founded Thinking Huts when she was only 15, looking to make a difference in the world, using education to change lives. 

We are on a mission to increase global access to education infrastructure by building 3D printed schools with communities in developing countries where they are needed most. - Thinking Huts mission

Now, they're building 3D printed schools in developing countries where they are most needed - and doing it by working with the community they are going in. Their first 3D printed school was built last year, in Fianarantsoa, Madagascar. Now, they're working on a 3D printed campus, nicknamed, "The Honeycomb."

You can follow Thinking Huts' progress on their Instagram page, or find out more on their website.

A High School Senior Who Has Sent Hundreds of Gratitude Cards to Her Teachers Gets Her Own Thank You

 Hoo boy, this one made me cry at the end. (Watch the video!)

Minna Yang started sending thank you cards to her teachers back when she was in kindergarten. Fast forward to today, she's a high school senior at Roseville High School in Minnesota. She continues to send these notes of gratitude to her long list of deserving teachers. 

In the video, Minna has 18 notes to finish - just that day! For the teachers, Minna has given them reminders of why they do what they do. They have kept the cards throughout the years, and pull them out when they need a boost.

"I like to thank them because they help me a lot." - Minna

Before her graduation, some of the teachers who Minna sent positivity to gathered together to tell her just how much her notes have helped them get through some really tough times too.

"It became a mission for her to leave just a wake of positivity." - teacher Sarah Wolfe

 It just goes to show how something that seems small can leave a legacy of kindness for others who really need it. 

5-Year-Old Boy Aims to Send Birthday Cards to Every Kid in Town

It started as a community service project, but 5-year-old Lukas has decided to keep making birthday cards for every kid in his town in Wisconsin. 

"I like about drawing inside the cards and outside the cards putting the stickers on is my favorite." - Lukas

His proud mom, Sam Smith says it's a great way to channel his creativity. One of Lukas' cards made it to Megan Novak's son, Eddie and signed it, 'love your new friend Lukas'.

This little boy is using his talents to spread joy to others, and it makes their days that much more special. 

Have a Great Week Everyone! 

We hope that these stories will inspire you for the week ahead.

As always, send us your uplifting stories! You can message us in the comments below, or DM us on our Instagram page. We're always looking for more tales of kindness to share with our readers. 

Photo by Gary Butterfield on Unsplash