Although this artist is based in Los Angeles, he wanted to send hundreds of his paintings 3,000 miles away to New York City to remind hospital staffers that he—and the whole country—is grateful for their hard work in the fight against COVID-19.

As a means of commemorating their heroics, Michael Gittes gifted a unique floral painting to every doctor, receptionist, janitor, inventory manager, cook, administrator, and nurse at the Interfaith Medical Center in Brooklyn.

At the height of the pandemic, the nonprofit healthcare facility was chock-a-block full of patients, sometimes treating over 100 people per day.

Gittes wanted to say a special ‘thank you’, and used syringes to create the expressionist paintings.

“When they actually got to touch and see the paintings, it was like Christmas,” Interfaith chief financial officer Tracy Green told CNN. “They just felt like … they’ve been working tirelessly the last couple of months and for someone to see that, and just give them a gift, they were just so happy.”

RELATED: Jewish People Who Have Recovered From COVID Have Donated Half of All the Plasma Used in US Treatments

“We love you, everybody loves you. You’re loved by millions of people you’ll never meet. You’re not a stranger to anyone. These flowers are from everyone,” Gittes relayed to the Interfaith staff.

Gittes’ work has been exhibited at The National Portrait Gallery in London, the Park Avenue Armory in New York, and even in the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea. The framing and shipping of the paintings was facilitated by money amassed by Gittes from private collectors purchasing his paintings.

Every unique flower represents each employee’s contribution to tending a garden of life in the Big Apple, while the use of the syringe, he feels, represents the healing power of both the hospital workers and his gifted pieces.

LOOK: 9-Year-Old Kenyan Boy is Honored for Inventing Handwashing Machine That Prevents COVID-19 Spread

“I think a lot of people don’t realize how mental and physical and emotional this pandemic has been, not only to our medical workers and hospital workers, but to their families,” Eli Bronner, Gittes’ manager and dealer, told CNN.

Gittes’ hoped that seeing the painting in the staffers’ houses or offices might help to offer “a moment of peace from the madness,” Bronner said.

Watch a video and follow the unique artist on Instagram…

Need more positive stories and updates coming out of the COVID-19 challenge? For more uplifting coverage, click here. 

Color Your News Feed With Positivity By Sharing This Sweet Story To Social Media…

A smile can go a long way toward cheering people up—especially these days when it’s more important than ever to find solace.

A new survey of 2,000 Americans found that half of respondents believe it has been important during the pandemic to find things to smile about in order to ‘stay positive’. And, they say that they can easily get that lift from others.

56 percent said seeing someone else look happy improves their mood—and in recent months 31 percent have made more of an effort to smile at others.

The survey by OnePoll for Ciaté London found U.S. adults believe they are smiling about 11 times every day, amounting to almost a quarter million times over the course of an average lifetime.

52 percent cite ‘hearing good news ’ as being something that most easily triggers them to beam—which makes us, here at Good News Network, respond with a big grin. 40 percent said a top smile-generator is hearing a joke, and 41 percent pointed to being with family.

RELATED: Instead of Selling Lemonade, Boy Sets Up ‘Drive-By Joke Stand’ to Spread Laughter During Quarantine

Further smile-inducing moments included getting a compliment from a stranger (36 percent), getting a check on payday (30 percent), and eating a nice meal (32 percent).

More than three in five of those polled have had their smile complimented on.

After being in quarantine and exposed to possibly more negativity than on average, 37 percent of those polled want to actively find more things to beam about following lockdown—and a third vowed to have more of a positive outlook in the future.

CHECK OUT: UC-Berkeley is Offering Up Their Popular ‘Science of Happiness’ Course for Free Online

Ciaté London elevated the simple smile to another level this week, when they project a huge smiley face on the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City.

Earlier this month, the same image—a traditional smiley face with whimsical lashes and lipstick added—was projected on the Parliament building in London, England, to uplift patients in a hospital across the river.

Charlotte Knight, Founder and CEO, said, “The research proved how often people enjoy smiling and the difference it can make to both self-confidence and overall moods—especially one that is 25 meters wide!”

RELATED: Survey Finds Working From Home Has So Many Benefits, 48% of Workers Would Take Pay Cut to Continue

“Particularly at times like this it’s important to stay self-confident, emotionally aware, and see the positives in everyday moments by sharing smiles.”

More than a third of American polled believe that they have smiled more with age—so maybe we all have something to look forward to.

Need more positive stories and updates coming out of the COVID-19 challenge? For more uplifting coverage, click here. 

SHARE A Mood-Booster On Social Media For Friends And Family…

A new blood test for prostate cancer is producing a 99% accuracy rating—precision that has never before been achieved for a blood test of this particular kind of cancer.

Furthermore, the test can determine the exact stage and progression of the cancer, which also reduces the need for invasive biopsies and scans.

The team behind the breakthrough, involving researchers from Nottingham Trent University and University Hospitals Leicester NHS Trust, determined that changes in the patient’s immune system could be examined through blood markers—specifically white blood cells.

By developing a series of sophisticated computational tools for analyzing the samples, the team can now determine the presence and stage of the cancer at unparalleled rates of accuracy.

WATCH: Color-Changing Inks Can Be Printed onto Clothing to Warn the Wearer About Potential Health Issues

“Our approach not only identifies presence of the disease, but also—crucially—its clinical significance. We can also do this with higher accuracy than current approaches,” said Professor Graham Pockley, Director of Nottingham Trent University’s John van Geest Cancer Research Center

“This will spare men from having unnecessary invasive procedures and help clinicians to decide whether to ‘watch’ or ‘actively manage’ patients, even when they are asymptomatic.”

With an estimated 1.8 million new cases in 2018 alone, prostate cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the world and the second most common form among men in the United States—a country that sees almost 200,000 diagnoses every year. It is the most common form of cancer for men in the UK with roughly 47,000 diagnoses annually.

RELATED: First-of-Its-Kind Study Finds Shining a Red Light Through the Eyelid for 3 Minutes Per Day Can Boost Failing Eyesight

The cancer can be treated successfully in its early stages, but is difficult to detect. The standard blood marker, unusual levels of a protein called PSA, will appear normal in 15% of people who have the disease, and so is not a reliable indicator.

This new test will not only save lives, but save millions of dollars in treatment and patient care, stemming from catching the cancer in early stages and reductions in the numbers of more expensive, invasive procedures.

Treat Your Friends To The Good News By Sharing This To Social Media…

For the last 24 years, this musical group has been showing that vegetables aren’t just good for your health—they’re good for your ears as well.

Prior to each of their performances, the members of the Vienna-based Vegetable Orchestra purchase fresh produce from a farmer’s market—all of which is later carved into instruments on stage for a live audience.

The Austrian musicians use everything from onion peels and carrots to pumpkins and bell peppers to perform their original songs.

WATCH: Church Uses Only Kitchen Utensils and Microwave Beeps to Record ‘Don’t Worry Be Happy’ – With Amazing Results

And do you want to know the best part of the orchestra’s shows? After each of their performances, the musicians clean and cook up all of their veggie instruments into a healthy meal served to their audience.

Although the orchestra has been in quarantine since the start of the COVID-19 outbreaks, they recently reunited over Zoom to perform a new original song called “Green Days.”

(Want to see more of the Vegetable Orchestra? Check out their live 2016 performance in the video below—or if you want to check out the video performance of “Green Days,” press play on the video at the top of this article.)

Be Sure And Share This Groovy Story With Your Friends On Social Media…

Happy 55th Birthday to J.K. Rowling, the author and humanitarian who bestowed the same birthday onto her famous boy-wizard character, Harry Potter. After writing the first of seven books in the series, Rowling went from a single mom supported by welfare to the world’s first female billionaire novelist.

DURING LOCKDOWN, Rowland dusted off a fairytale she’d created years earlier to read aloud for her little kids—chapter by chapter as she’d finish them. Entitled The Ickabog, it was offered the same way to children this spring in quarantine—with each chapter released one at a time for free on her website. In November 10, the book will be published in English (recommended for ages 7-9) and Rowling has pledged all author royalties from The Ickabog to COVID-19 charities. The illustrations were even chosen from kids’ artwork submitted during lockdown. LISTEN to chapter one and learn more… (1965)

Her artful wizarding fantasies became the best-selling book series in history, translated into 73 languages, but she’s not on the Forbes’ Billionaires list anymore because she gives so much to charity—particularly to multiple sclerosis, illiteracy, and child welfare charities—but also to the ‘tax man’, as a form of patriotism. She said, “I am indebted to the British welfare state… When my life hit rock bottom, that safety net, threadbare though it had become… was there to break the fall.”

MORE Good News on this Day:

• English writer Daniel Defoe (Robinson Crusoe) was placed in a pillory as punishment for writing a satire, but instead of humiliation in the public square, Defoe met sympathy from Londoners who threw flowers instead of vegetables or stones, and drank to his health (1703)
• Marquis de Lafayette, a 19-year-old French nobleman, was bestowed by the US Congress with the rank and commission of major-general of the United States, “in consideration of his zeal, illustrious family and connexions.”  (1777)
• U.S. President George H.W. Bush and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev signed the historic Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, known as Start, which reduced the countries’ stockpiles of nuclear warheads by about one third (1991)
• A total ban on the use of landmines was announced by the British government, after significant public pressure to endorse an international landmines treaty (1998)
• The presence of the British Army in Northern Ireland, the longest-running British Army operation ever, came to an end (2007)
• At the end of his European tour, Bruce Springsteen played his longest show to date – 4 hours and 6 minutes (2012)
• American swimmer Michael Phelps broke a record held for 48 years by Russian gymnast, Larisa Latynina, when he won his 19th Olympic medal, the most by any athlete in history (2012)

And, on this day in 1957, Richard Starkey (later known as Ringo Starr) made his debut at The Cavern in Liverpool, playing drums with the Eddie Clayton Skiffle Group. John Lennon first appeared at the club a week later with The Quarry Men. Three and a half years later, Brian Epstein, who would become their manager, first saw The Beatles performing in this warehouse basement. The Fab Four went on to play 292 times in the underground pub, which was formerly a bomb shelter, but now is the most famous nightclub in the world.

RELATED: Ringo Sells Beatles Drum Kit, Other Treasures, Raises $9.2M for Charity

Happy 76th Birthday to Sherry Lansing, who was named the president of 20th Century Fox in 1980 and became the first woman to head a Hollywood movie studio. A former math teacher, model, and actress, she was dissatisfied with her own acting skills, so decided to learn about the film industry. She started her own production company that created the box-office smash Fatal Attraction in 1987, for which she won a Best Picture Oscar nomination.  (1944)

Also on this day in 1968, The Beatles recorded the master track of a new Paul McCartney song ‘Hey Jude’. McCartney wrote the song originally as ‘Hey Jules’, to comfort John Lennon’s son, Julian, during his parents’ divorce. Working at Trident studios in London where they could access 8-track equipment, it became the first single for their new Apple Records—and more than seven minutes in length, Hey Jude spent nine weeks at number one on the U.S. charts, the longest for any Beatles single.

During the coda, which lasts for more than four minutes, they added a 36-piece orchestra—and not a particularly enthusiastic one. There was dissension among the classically-trained musicians, some of whom “were looking down their noses at the Beatles”. To bolster the energy and passion in their performance, McCartney finally stood up on the grand piano and began conducting them from there. On another take, the Beatles then asked the orchestra members if they would clap their hands and sing along during the fading refrain. All but one of the musicians complied (for a double fee). The one abstainer reportedly said, “I’m not going to clap my hands and sing Paul McCartney’s bloody song!”

The Beatles recorded the following promotional film, after the hit had been on sale in America for a week, enlisting an audience of around 300 local people, and grabbing fans outside Abbey Road Studios, to perform during the song’s finale. WATCH the video below, which was broadcast in the US on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.

SHARE The Milestones…

Four former presidents honored Congressman John Lewis at his funeral in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday, but none could match the eloquence of Lewis himself who wrote a letter to the nation, offering his final words, in the wake of his months-long battle with stage 4 pancreatic cancer.

“While my time here has now come to an end, I want you to know that in the last days and hours of my life you inspired me,” he said, of the recent rallies in support of racial equality. “You filled me with hope about the next chapter of the great American story when you used your power to make a difference in our society.”

“Democracy is not a state. It is an act, and each generation must do its part to help build what we called the Beloved Community, a nation and world society at peace with itself,” wrote the Civil Rights Movement giant in his essay, published in the New York Times on July 30, the day of his funeral.

“Ordinary people with extraordinary vision can redeem the soul of America by getting in what I call good trouble, necessary trouble.”

“Though I may not be here with you, I urge you to answer the highest calling of your heart and stand up for what you truly believe. In my life I have done all I can to demonstrate that the way of peace, the way of love and nonviolence is the more excellent way. Now it is your turn to let freedom ring.”

“When historians pick up their pens to write the story of the 21st century, let them say that it was your generation who laid down the heavy burdens of hate at last and that peace finally triumphed over violence, aggression and war,” Lewis continued.

“So I say to you, walk with the wind, brothers and sisters, and let the spirit of peace and the power of everlasting love be your guide.”

A close comrade of Martin Luther King, Jr., he was the last surviving person to have spoken during the 1963 March on Washington For Jobs and Freedom. Lewis’ signature achievement was the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. He had his skull fractured that same year while marching with King, leading more than 600 peaceful demonstrators across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Alabama in a rally for those rights.

A Georgia statesman reelected to the House of Representatives every two years since 1987, Lewis died on July 17 at age 80.

SHARE These Inspiring Last Words With Friends on Social Media…

Two South African women, neither having previous experience in the plastic recycling or waste management industry but with a shared vision of plastic-free rivers and oceans, decided to put their heads together to work towards a sustainable solution to the plastic pollution problem in Cape Town.

Santie Gouws and Ursula van Eck co-founded Sunshine Cleaning to address plastic pollution within neighborhoods that are adjacent to rivers and canals, to prevent such plastic from entering rivers—and ultimately ending up in the ocean.

“Our research led us to the Blue Downs canal and river system, right under our noses in Cape Town, one of the most beautiful cities in the world,” they told GNN.

The Netherlands Ocean Cleanup project, which has begun to collect plastic from rivers, too, has identified this particular canal as being amongst the top 1000 most severely plastic polluted river systems on the planet.

The pair realized that in order to achieve a sustainable solution, they would need to gain an understanding of the types, volume, and condition of plastic waste that makes its way to settle on the banks of of their canal. To do so, they would need some expert help—and they found it in South Africa’s largest waste management company.

RELATED: The Guys Who Sell Ocean Plastic Bracelets Are Closing in on 8 Million Pounds of Waste Pulled From the Sea

“Two weeks into our Covid 19 lockdown we contacted EJ of Enviroserv, with whom Santie had met at a Waste Management Seminar earlier in the year. EJ’s positive open engagement with us and pro-active attitude quickly resulted in a plan of action for a clean-up and waste assessment of the Blue Downs canal banks set for 18 July.”

Coincidentally, it would fall on the 10th anniversary of Mandela Day.

They then engaged Cape Town officials to obtain the necessary permissions, as well as the Blue Downs community, to ensure their buy-in, involvement, and blessing for the clean-up.

“Notwithstanding their challenges of trying to feed hundreds of people, arising as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, the Blue Downs Community Women Action group and local Ward Councillor Jerome Fitz received us with open arms and gave us their full commitment and support without hesitation.”

CHECK OUT: Slam Dunk for Team Green: Adidas Creates Shoe From Ocean Waste

Following a week of some of the most extreme Cape heat, the volunteers were blessed that day with the most spectacular Cape Town weather anyone could wish for—brilliant sunshine and blue sky, with snow still visible on the mountains in the far distance.

“Masked, sanitized, and keeping necessary social distancing,” 28 volunteers came together from Enviroserv, Blue Downs Women Action, and the Neighborhood Watch (which offered security from the area being known for gang activities), to join the ward counselor and Santie and Ursula to collect 826 pounds (375kg) of plastic waste from the banks of the canal that morning.

“The Community Women Action ladies supplied piping hot coffee and sandwiches, and even the Neighborhood Watch joined in picking up plastic whilst ensuring our safety.”

POPULAR: Hawaii Group Sets Record For Largest Haul of Plastic Removed From The Great Pacific Garbage Patch

They now await the results of the sorting and assessment of waste from Enviroserv—which also generously provided bags, gloves and masks—that will inform Sunshine Cleaning’s next steps on their journey to save their little corner of the globe from ocean-going plastic pollution.

As Nelson Mandela said, “It always seems impossible until it’s done.”

SHARE The Good News Story On Social Media to Inspire Action in Your Town…

Losing a parent is one of the most painful parts of life. No matter how old we are when they leave us, it can be a heart-wrenching experience. Our memories are all that is left of them—and happy reminders of their love turn into our most valuable treasures.

That’s how Mara Soriano feels about a very special teddy bear that she tragically lost in her recent move to a new apartment.

The Build-A-Bear plush toy didn’t cost a lot, but it contained a recording of her late mother’s voice telling her that she loved her and was proud of her. The bear, called “Mama Bear,” was in a backpack that contained electronics like an iPad and a Nintendo Switch. When the bag was stolen last week during the move, the 28-year-old, was heartbroken—not for the gadgets, but for Mama Bear.

So she posted online about the item lost in Vancouver, Canada, and the story behind it, which caught one viewer’s attention in a big way.

Diagnosed with cancer 10 years ago, Mara’s mother, Marilyn, gave her daughter the bear as a gift in 2017. As her cancer progressed, until her death last June, the gift felt even more special. “That bear was basically the last reminder of the mom that I knew—it was her voice that I remembered growing up,” she said in an interview with CTV News. 

Luckily, the internet did its thing and Mara’s search soon went viral. Meanwhile, Mara was out searching. She put up posters, dug through dumpsters, and communicated with others online, following any leads she could.

Actor Ryan Reynolds, a native of British Columbia, then posted a plea for its safe return. “I think we all need this bear to come home,” he wrote. Along with the message, he also offered a huge incentive for the thief—a $5,000 reward, “no questions asked.”

Vancouver: $5,000 to anyone who returns this bear to Mara. Zero questions asked. I think we all need this bear to come home. https://t.co/L4teoxoY50

— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) July 25, 2020

Then on Tuesday night, Mara’s special bear came home. “I’m not gonna lie I kind of buckled. As soon as I saw (him) pull her out of the bag my knees just buckled,” she told CTV News. “I just started sobbing and I grabbed her out of his hands and I couldn’t let her go.”

It’s a bit of a modern day miracle that would never have happened without the wonders of social media. Mara said she got an email from a good Samaritan who told her they had the bear. Though she was skeptical, she set up a safe meeting space with a member of the media also present. Luckily, it wasn’t a scam—two unnamed people brought her the bear, safe and sound.

Mara is getting married next summer and the bear is going to have a special seat at the ceremony—the one her mother would’ve sat in. For now, she’s keeping “Mama Bear” close and sending thanks to those who helped with the happy reunion.

She tweeted an excited message of gratitude to Ryan Reynolds, who is also an entrepreneur, referencing his gin company. “BREAK OUT THE @AviationGin, @VancityReynolds!!! MAMA BEAR IS HOME!!” she wrote. Ryan seemed almost as happy.

After having wired the money to the person who returned the bear, he took to Twitter to share the news with his followers, writing, “In happier news… thank you everyone who searched high and low. To the person who took the bear, thanks for keeping it safe. Vancouver is awesome.”

Vancouver certainly is—but the moral of this story might just be that humanity totally is, too.

WATCH the video below from CTV…

SEND Some Mama Bear Love to Friends On Social Media…

In the 1970s and 80s, Costa Rica had the highest deforestation rates in Latin America—but the next few decades saw the country halt her forest loss, initiate replanting and conservation efforts, and regrow almost all of her lost tree cover.

Their methods have set up the most successful forest management model on earth.

Leading the way in the fight against human-accelerated climate change, Costa Rica’s success story of sustainable forestry was strengthened by a simple strategy of valuing forests by paying for their restoration, through their Payment for Environmental Service (PES).

In the 1940s, 75% of the country was shrouded in rainforest, cloud forest, and mangrove. But over the next 40 years, it is estimated that as much as half of all the trees were cut down. Intense logging bans were instituted in 1996, with PES programs arriving the year after.

Harnessing the indefatigable forces of economics, PES conservation strategies mean the forest is essentially treated like a utilities company, with companies or beneficiaries of the resources and processes provided by the forest, ‘paying’ the forest for the service or resource.

For example, a stand of old trees sit on a farmer’s acre who knows he could chop them down and plant cacao, coffee, bananas, or other tropical agriculture products. Instead he receives money from a fund which businesses and citizens pay into so that he can afford to keep the forest intact.

Now 60% of the country is forested once again, and every year, the Costa Rican Forest Fund collects $33 million which it uses to make sure the forests of Costa Rica which sit on privately-owned land are taken care of. $500 million has been paid out to landowners and farmers over the last 20 years, stewarding 2.4 million acres (1 million hectares) of rainforest, and incentivizing the planting of 7 million new trees.

POPULAR: Indigenous Group in Brazil Wins Decades-Long Battle Against Illegal Loggers in the Amazon

A society in balance with the Earth

“People in Costa Rica receive a lot of money because of tourism and that changes the incentives of land use,” Juan Robalino, an expert in environmental economics from the University of Costa Rica, told CNN.

That’s because almost three million tourists come to see the country’s national parks and other protected areas, which cover a quarter of the nation and are home to half a million documented plant and insect species, including iconic animals like the sloth and great green macaws.

Employing 200,000 people, the tourism sector generated $4 billion in revenue last year, encompassing luxury beach-side resorts, and little agro-tourism spots like Pedro Garcia’s farm, who took advantage of the PES opportunity to transform a 7-hectare cattle ranch into a pristine slice of Costa Rican rainforest with native trees and wild agricultural products that provide homes for macaws, poison-dart frogs, and more.

RELATED: Costa Rica Announces Ambitious Plan to Ban Fossil Fuels and Become World’s First Decarbonized Society

Costa Rica’s PES system has been adopted by other nations across the world in recognition of its success—notably Rwanda, whose commitment to restoring its natural forest ecosystems saw them sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Costa Rica in 2019.

“We’ve been working together for the last 3 years. We look forward to implementing it [MoU] and possibly expanding the scope in the future,” said Rwandan Environmental Minister Biruta at the time.

RELATED: Man Succeeds Where Government Fails: He Planted a Forest in the Middle of a Cold Desert

“We have learned that the pocket is the quickest way to get to the heart,” Carlos Manuel Rodríguez told CNN. As Costa Rica’s Minister for Environment and Energy, Rodríguez understands that while placing a dollar value on the natural world may seem dirty and unethical, it’s the best incentive for people to work to conserve the environment.

GROW Some Hope on Your Social Media Feeds By Sharing This Good News With The World…

A safe single-shot vaccine for COVID-19 has been successfully trialed in Rhesus macaques, one of our closest relatives, and human trials began today.

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine called Ad26 was produced using a common cold virus, an organism that stimulates our immune system. In 52 of the primates, robust antibody activity neutralized the viral functions and properties of the Sars-COV-2 virus.

“The optimal Ad26 vaccine induced robust neutralizing antibody responses and provided complete or near-complete protection in bronchoalveolar lavage and nasal swabs following SARS-CoV-2 challenge,” read the study, published in Nature by scientists from the Center for Virology and Vaccine Research at Harvard.

This protection aspect is critical, as Ad26 produced “complete or near-complete protection” in the respiratory tract, a theorized necessity for any COVID-19 vaccine since that is the principle way in which the virus has spread across the globe.

It was clear that the observed antibody response was elicited by the vaccine, while also correlating with the efficacy rating of the defense following administration. These results suggested that the protective effects observed were due to the vaccine and not the monkey’s immune system.

RELATED: Possible ‘Breakthrough’ Coronavirus Treatment With Natural Protein Cuts Risk of Death and Serious Symptoms by 79%

“These data demonstrate robust single-shot vaccine protection against SARS-CoV-2 in nonhuman primates. The optimal Ad26 vector-based vaccine for SARS-CoV-2, termed Ad26.COV2.S, is currently being evaluated in clinical trials,” finished the Harvard team.

Funded by the U.S. government, the drugmaker said it had started early-stage human trials in the US and Belgium, according to Reuters, and would test its vaccine candidate in more than 1,000 healthy adults aged 18 to 55 years, as well as older adults.

The authors noted that a single-shot vaccine, as Ad26 would likely be, is the perfect solution for the pandemic, but admitted a two-dose administration would produce a stronger immune defense.

Need more positive stories and updates coming out of the COVID-19 challenge? For more uplifting coverage, click here.

SHARE the Breakthrough With Friends And Family on Social Media… (File photo by Pan American Health Organization, CC license)

55 years ago today, President Lyndon Johnson signed two national health programs into law, so that family savings were no longer in jeopardy of being wiped out: Medicare, at a time when nearly half of all Americans over 65 had no health insurance; and Medicaid, which has provided coverage for some 68 million children, parents, pregnant mothers, and people with disabilities. (1965)

MORE Good News on this Day:

• The French national anthem, “La Marseillaise” by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle, was first sung in Paris (1792)
• Foreign ministers from Greece, Turkey and the UK signed a Cyprus Peace Agreement and Cease Fire to end weeks of shelling on the Mediterranean island (1974)
• One final ‘old style’ Volkswagen Beetle rolled off an assembly line (2003)
• Top of the Pops, the world’s longest running music show, was broadcast for the last time on BBC Two after airing for 42 years (2006)
• 2009 Best Picture “Slumdog Millionaire” directed by Danny Boyle and starring Dev Patel first premiered at the Telluride Film Festival (2008)

Happy 62nd Birthday to Kate Bush, the pioneering English singer-songwriter, musician, dancer and record producer, who became the first female artist to achieve a UK number one hit with a self-written song in 1978 when, still a teen, she topped the chart for four weeks with her debut single, Wuthering Heights. She has since released 25 UK Top 40 singles, including the Top-10 hits Man with the Child in His Eyes, Babooshka, Running Up That Hill, Don’t Give Up (with Peter Gabriel) and King of the Mountain. Eclectic, experimental, and theatrical, after she announced her first concerts in 35 years, the 22 shows sold out in a record 15 minutes. (1958)

Having released ten studio albums in five decades, (three at No. 1, including Hounds of Love), she was the first British solo female artist to top the UK album charts, and the first female artist to enter the album chart at number one. With the hype over the new London shows in 2014, she had eight albums in the UK Top 40 Albums Chart simultaneously, placing her third behind Elvis Presley (with 12 albums in 1977), and The Beatles (in 2009 with 11). A 3-disk live recording from the shows is called Before the Dawn. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018, and was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for honors in the service to music… HEAR about her remarkable comeback, and WATCH her perform…

Also, on this day in 1619, in a church in Jamestown, Virginia, the first ever representative government in the Americas convened for the first time to establish local law as “the House of Burgesses.” Governor George Yeardley, installed by royal charter, gathered 22 elected Burgesses, representing the 11 plantations and settlements in Virginia. King James I, who believed in the divine right of monarchs, attempted to later dissolve the assembly, but the Virginians continued to meet at least once a year with their royal governor to decide local laws and determine taxation. All the great powers in the world at that time—China, France, Rome, Japan, Russia–were all ruled by kings, czars, and emperors, but in Virginia a new precedent was being set—and four centuries later, their elected representatives are still deciding matters with a vote and pen, rather by sword or bloodline. Some of the Burgesses elected later became household names.

Significantly, the House of Burgesses decided, contrary to instructions, that their decisions would be immediately binding, rather than held in limbo for months until London had reviewed them. Each of the other 13 new English colonies in America followed suit, demanded their own legislatures and resisting London’s demands for more control. By the time of the Declaration of Independence, colonists had already a century and a half of practice in establishing democracy, and notable new members of the Virginia assembly—Patrick Henry, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson—would lead the charge to secure full independence from the British throne. The six-day debut of the legislative session was cut short due to an outbreak of malaria.

And, Happy 73rd Birthday to Arnold Schwarzenegger, the actor, bodybuilder, and former 2-term governor of California who is now fighting to bring redistricting reform to the American political system. “Born in Austria and Made in America”, the ‘Governator’  became the youngest man ever to win the Mr. Universe contest at age 20, then pursued a film career, starring in in Conan the Barbarian,Predator, the Terminator series, andTotal Recall.

In 2006, Gov. Schwarzenegger signed the Global Warming Solutions Act, creating the nation’s first cap on greenhouse gas emissions, which targeted utilities, refineries and manufacturing as part of a plan to reduce the state’s levels by 25 percent by 2020. In 2011, Schwarzenegger founded the R20 Regions of Climate Action to develop a sustainable, low carbon economy. In 2012, he helped to found the Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy at USC to boost bi-partisanship cooperation in finding solutions to the country’s most serious challenges. Beyond his well-known support for the Special Olympics, he founded the Inner City Games Foundation in 1995 to provide cultural, educational and community enrichment programming to over 250,000 youth in 15 cities and 400 schools countrywide. (1947)

New Orleans is famous for its jazz music, but the city also has a problem with gun violence, something that local jazz trumpeter Shamarr Allen experienced while he was growing up.

After hearing of the fatal shooting of a boy from the city’s 7th ward, he thought he might be able to turn the surplus of trumpets lying around his house into meaningful opportunities for changing the tune played by kids who might be susceptible to gun violence.

“People don’t understand that these kids are trying, and wanting to do other things,” Allen told NPR. “But there’s just nothing for them to do.”

Allen posted a simple quid-pro-quo offer on social media which read “To the youth of New Orleans, bring me a gun, and I’ll give you a trumpet, no questions asked.”

In order to ensure total secrecy, because Allen guessed the kids wouldn’t make the switch if they feel they couldn’t trust him, he contacted the mayor, who put him in touch with the chief of police. The police department agreed that they would accept the guns without any strings attached and without asking anything about the kids.

According to Allen, officials were as happy as he was just to see the weapons off the street.

So far Allen has collected 4 guns—and completely depleted his stock of spare trumpets. One of them was a handgun with ammunition given to him by a young girl.

“I would never suspect that she would have [a gun]. And she was the most excited about getting [a trumpet],” said Allen.

RELATED: ‘Guitars Over Guns’ Keeps Kids Off Mean Streets With Celebrity Jams

Hoping to continue the success despite losing all his trumpets, Allen garnered the support of local musicians who have volunteered to give free music lessons to anyone who puts down the gun and picks up music. Additionally, an online fundraiser allowed him to collect $34,800 for musical instruments and supplies. He has also received a number of instrument donations for his program, he now calls Trumpet is My Weapon.

LOOK: Nursing Home Residents Recreate Classic Album Covers While in Lockdown

The trumpet was the first thing that inspired Allen as a youth to believe there was actually a “whole other world out here,” and he hopes it will have the same effect on the children he meets.

SHARE The Opportunity To Donate And Change A Life’s Tune On Social Media…

In a triumphant moment for the endangered species, new photos released today on World Tiger Day 2020, revealed sightings of numerous new tigers in a region of western Thailand for the first time in four years.

Issued for the 10-year anniversary of global awareness around tigers, the high-definition videos and photos were obtained with remote camera traps utilized as part of an ongoing wildlife monitoring program by Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), Panthera, a global wild cat conservation group, and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL).

The region is adjacent to the largest remaining, and only second-known breeding population of Indochinese tigers in the world.

“These sightings are extremely encouraging for the future of tigers in our country and beyond,” said Chief of the Wildlife Research Division for DNP, Dr. Saksit Simcharoen.

The partners ultimately hope to achieve Thailand’s goal of increasing tiger populations by 50% by 2022.

RELATED: Couple Buys Up Acres Around Indian Tiger Reserve For Reforesting So Big Cats Can Roam

Panthera’s Dr. John Goodrich, stated, “In a sea of news casting doubt on the future of our planet’s wildlife, this development is a welcome sign of hope and potential turning of the tide for the Endangered tiger in Thailand.”

At the first global tiger summit, and the launch of the first International Tiger Day, the governments of the 13 tiger range countries resolved to double the number of tigers by 2022—and “great” progress has been made.

“Tigers are finally making a remarkable comeback in much of South Asia, Bhutan, Russia, and China,” said WWF in a statement today.

Nepal reported it was the first country to double its tiger population in 2019, but India, in particular, has been touting its success.

A tiger census released last year in India, where 70% of tigers are located, reported that populations there had nearly doubled in 12 years—from 1,400 to nearly 3,000 in 2019.

LOOK: Tiger Family Pose For Amazing Selfies Before Knocking Out Camera’s Memory Card

In 1973, India had just 9 tiger reserves, but today, the nation has 50 reserves with a total of 2,967 tigers, reported Union Forest and Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar yesterday.

Around 3,900 tigers remain in the wild across the globe, according to World Wildlife Fund.

WATCH the HD camera trap video… (Top photo by Vincent van Zalinge in India)

Check out the first-ever tiger prosthetic, and all of GNN’s tiger good news stories here.

SHARE Your Love of Big Cats on Social Media to Celebrate World Tiger Day…

An award-winning “hero” teacher in England who spent each day preparing food for his students has made his final delivery—after delivering 7,500 packed lunches.

Zane Powles diligently prepared 85 lunches each morning after fearing his students would struggle to access food when school’s were shut during the pandemic.

The determined teacher walked 7.5 miles every day making his rounds for 17 weeks—and totaled over 600 miles over the course of his runs in North East Lincolnshire.

The 48-year-old estimates that he carried roughly four tons of food during that time, but said it was all “well worth it” after seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces.

When the school—where he packs lunches—closed for the summer on July 17, Zane delivered his final food package on the emotionally charged Friday afternoon.

“When I started these walks I was concerned about the kids and their wellbeing and I wanted to make sure I could see them all, said Zane, who works at Western primary school in the large coastal seaport of Grimsby. “I needed to know if they were safe, if they were healthy, and if they had access to food.”

“After all these months it was a bit emotional for it to come to an end—I love seeing my students and checking up on them. It’s so important to me.

“I’m just doing my job at the end of the day. My role is to help nurture and educate children, and to take care of them.

RELATED: Man Rescues 2.4 Million Pounds of Farmers’ Crops Going to Waste, Gets Them to Food Banks Across State

He added: “I can’t believe how far it’s gotten—I never expected to do any of this, but it’s crucial that it doesn’t end here.

The early riser got to school at 7am to start preparing and packaging the food before heading out on his two-hour journey—and he didn’t take a single day off during the pandemic while undertaking the mammoth task.

While delivering the lunches, he occasionally left his students some homework—which he says they were “less keen on”.

The dad-of-three said, “It’s been relentless and exhausting but it’s been well worth it. They’re always so happy and grateful.”

Zane also commended Manchester United star Marcus Rashford who successfully campaigned for free school meal vouchers for children in the summer.

But said his mission is far from complete and he wants to continue to help children in need.

RELATED: New Website “Pandemic of Love” Connects 132,000 People in Need of Aid With Those Who Can Help

He will be cycling through all of the UK’s city castles in a journey which will take him 1,500 miles to finish. With stops include Edinburgh Castle, Belfast Castle, Dublin Castle, Cardiff Castle, and the Tower of London, he is raising funds for Meals and More, which provides support to children who live with poverty. You can donate to his cause here.

“In the summer the children’s struggles are invisible to us because we don’t see them, but it’s essential that we ensure they’re safe.”

Zane has always put others first and works as assistant headteacher with challenging students in the school’s behavior unit.

Because of his work, he won the Inspirational Primary School Teacher award in 2019 after he was nominated by a parent.

Speaking at the award ceremony, he said: “We should never give up on children. Having a tough upbringing is never their fault.”

DELIVER This Hero Teacher Story To Friends Who Hunger For Good News On Social Media…

Need more positive stories and updates coming out of the COVID-19 challenge? For more uplifting coverage, click here.