Art, Entertainment, Culture, and Creativity for Good

Stories about using art and creativity to make a positive difference

A photo collage of a woman posing in front of The Cacao Guardians' coffee beans, a close-up photo of a dog, a screenshot of Melt's lead vocalist, Veronica Stewart-Frommer in a TikTok video, three professional portraits of two dogs and one cat, and two members from St. Paul City's all-female council posing for the camera

Good News This Week: January 13, 2024 - Cacao, Books, & Dogs

Your weekly roundup of the best good news worth celebrating...
Read More
Three photos: One of two women holding a completed yellow sweater, one of an unfinished knitting project, and one of two women holding a completed knit blanket

These Volunteer Knitters Will Complete Unfinished Projects Your Late Loved Ones Have Left Behind

The nonprofit helps provide closure to grieving families and has already enlisted over 19,000 volunteers from around the world.
Read More
Three photos: Melt performing on stage, a photo of the five-member band, and another screenshot of a Tiktok promoting their song "Walk To Midnight"

Indie-Soul Band Melt Takes a Stand With 'Danceable' Protest Songs About Climate Change

Indie-soul band Melt has been teasing a new album of protest songs on TikTok, building on the quintet's history of speaking up and building community.
Read More
A tattoo of pawprints on someone's ankle, a black and white pit bull, and a red, yellow, and orange painting next to a photo of a dog

Tattoos, Emo Proms & Puppy Paintings: How One Dog Rescue Is Finding New Ways To Bring in Donations

An animal rescue in Austintown, Ohio is raising money for their adoptable pets with flash tattoo sales, emo proms, and dog paintings.
Read More
Nine non-Audible audiobook apps in a folder: Libro.fm, Scribd, Chirp, Libby, Speechify, LibriVox, Audiobooks, Hoopla, Apple Books

16 Alternatives To Audible for Ethical Audiobook Lovers

While it’s convenient to be able to access audiobooks through a monthly subscription, Audible is actually harmful to the industry at large. Fortunately, we have great recommendations for non-Amazon alternatives.
Read More
A smiling man holds up boxes of t-shirts; a green t-shirt reads "Safety, Healing, Accountability, Housing, Healthcare, Education, Food, Water, Abolition… For Everyone.” 

This Small Business Specifically Hires People Impacted by Incarceration

The company not only provides meaningful jobs but also creates products that address the experiences of those impacted by incarceration.
Read More
Zoe Minikes, a digital drawing of hundreds of small hearts, and the cover of the "So Many Hearts" book

An Artist Drew 20,000 Hearts To Represent Lives Lost in Gaza — And Now She’s Selling Her Work for Charity

Detroit-based artist Zoe Minikes began a practice of drawing a heart for all the lives lost in Palestine over the past 10 weeks, culminating in a charitable book called "So Many Hearts."
Read More
Madia Willis, Jasmine Hudson and J’Aaron Merchant on Shark Tank; a gift wrapped with nutcracker wrapping paper

This Crafty Black-Owned Business Is Making the Holidays More Inclusive

Madia Willis, Jasmine Hudson and J’Aaron Merchant teamed up with a dream of making holiday decorations more inclusive. Today, they sell products across the U.S.
Read More
Plants growing out of flower pots placed on a wall

New Study Finds That Growing African Vegetables on Buildings Can Save Space & Feed Cities

As cities grow, more people need food. However, space for farming is limited in cities. Building facades can offer a solution for growing food. We asked landscape architect Karen Botes to tell us about her research — cultivating traditional African vegetables on walls.
Read More
Dave Grohl smiling with other volunteers, holding barbecued meats

Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl spends day off volunteering, serves barbecue to hundreds in need

"Foo Fighters" frontman Dave Grohl spent a rare day off from his Australian tour to feed hundreds of people facing homelessness and food insecurity in Melbourne.
Read More
Vector illustration of a head filled with items related to mental health and hairdressing

Hairdressers Are Being Trained as Mental Health Ambassadors for Women in West Africa

In countries where mental health therapy is scarce and awareness is limited, the program has empowered hairdressers to provide much-needed support.
Read More
A sesame street muppet and a child on a park bench

Sesame Street Muppets Are Helping Young Children Understand Parental Addiction

Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind Sesame Street, is taking a proactive approach to address the emotional challenges faced by young children whose parents misuse opioids.
Read More