Good People Doing Good Things

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, Good people doing good things, Social commentary

If it’s Wednesday, then it must be time for us to go in search of some good people, yes?  Oh wait … I think I see one over there …

His name is Kent Chambers and he is a teacher at Bob Jones High School in Madison, Alabama.  Since Mr. Chambers is still working, although teaching his math classes online, he and his wife did not have a pressing need for their stimulus check last month.  So, he and his wife anonymously donated $1,200 of their check pay the utility bills for some of the student’s families who he knew were struggling.  They also donated $600 to the burn care center at Shriners Hospital for Children in Cincinnati, Ohio, because the hospital has taken good care of his niece since she was hurt in a house fire.Kent-ChambersSays Mr. Chambers …

“I’m actually in better shape because I’m not having to pay for gas to drive to work and I’m still getting paid the exact same amount. There’s no need for me to take the money and splurge and do something reckless with the money. Let’s help somebody that really needs it.”

While others bought guns.  Sigh.  Two thumbs up to Kent Chambers and his wife!!!  Thank you, sir!

An anonymous donor has gifted $1 million to the staff of Dignity Health Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz, California.  The donor requested that the funds go entirely to the staff, from floor cleaners to nurses.  In an attached note he/she said …

“Thank you for standing up (and staying up!) to care for our community. This human kindness is what makes you heroic.”

hospital-staffThe hospital is using the donation to give bonus checks to nurses, cleaning staff, lab technicians, medical records staff, post room workers, and security guards who have worked at the hospital for at least one year. Full-time staff will receive $800 and part-timers will receive $600.

Host of The Daily Show, Trevor Noah, and host of The Late, Late Show, James Corden, are two of this week’s good people.  When production of their shows ground to a halt in mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic, the staffs were placed on unpaid leave, or furloughed.  Uh-uh, said the two men, and they are paying their staffs out of their own pockets until such time as production resumes.

Corden-Noah

James Corden (left), Trevor Noah

James Corden will be paying about 60 staff members, and Trevor Noah only about 25, but it still amounts to a good chunk of change.  Now, you might say that since both men are millionaires, they can afford it, and I would agree fully.  But … this is what makes them good people … they are doing something to help others with their millions.  Look around at other millionaires who are guarding their wealth like a bear guards her cubs, and some are even taking instead of giving.  So, when I read about men like Corden and Noah … yeah, I give them a thumbs-up and a “Thank You!”

Larry Connor is the CEO of The Connor Group, a Florida real estate investment firm.  Last month, Mr. Connor made $1.6 million in the stock market in the span of just eight days.  Now, some CEOs would have put the money into offshore accounts, or bought themselves a new yacht, but not Larry Connor!

Since the employees of The Connor Group are currently working from home, Larry held a Zoom meeting with all of them a few days ago and informed them that he is giving them the entire $1.6 million …

“These are challenging times, but the way our people have responded has been nothing short of heroic. Our number one core value is ‘Do the right thing.’ So, when I think about how I made the money compared to what our associates do on every day, to me, it was the right thing to do.”

Connor-GroupThe Connor Group has roughly 400 employees, whom the company calls “associates.” Bonuses ranged from $2,000 to $9,000 and will be paid to all non-highly-compensated associates who started with the company before March 1.  Says employee Pedro Ducos-Vazquez …

“Six thousand dollars. This is something you don’t get every day. It just blew mind, I was so happy and I’m glad that I work for a company like this. He is not just saying company things to motivate you. He lives our company’s circle of values. He leads by example.”

Yet another CEO who believes in helping others … shine a light on him, for he is an example that should be followed by many more!

It’s rare that I give a shout-out to corporations in this column, but today there are two grocery chains that I think deserve one.  You’ll remember a week or two ago I wrote about farmers plowing their crops under and dairy farmers throwing away perfectly good milk?  Well, Publix and Kroger are working in conjunction with Feeding America food banks and farmers throughout the country to rescue the milk and produce and donate it to Feeding America and other local organizations.

Needless to say, these two chains can’t save all the food, nor feed all the hungry in the nation, but they are making a start … they are using their own resources and funds to try to connect food and milk that would otherwise go to waste with people who would otherwise go hungry.  So, they get thumbs up, as well.

Well, folks … as you can see, they are still out there.  Lately we hear so much about greed that it’s sometimes easy to lose faith in humanity, but these are just a few examples of people who care more about others than about profit.

52 thoughts on “Good People Doing Good Things”

    • I’m glad, Larry! Hope is something in short supply these days, but … never forget that there are really more good people than bad … the bad just suck all of the air out so we don’t notice the good as much. Hugs!

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  9. yay, I love these posts. Amazon needs to step up and Jeff needs to reach into those vastly deep pockets of his to help out his biological drones, not having the intention to minimize the workers but that’s probably how he sees them, totally opposite of our perspectives of them.

    Again, thank you for these posts. hugs.

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    • I fully agree that Jeff Bezos could be doing SO much more than he is, as could others in his position. That said, for now let’s celebrate those who are giving what they can, doing their best to help make a horrible situation just a little bit better. Hugs, my dear friend!

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    • Thank you! Yes, sometimes it’s easy to forget the ‘good people’, for they are not the focus of the news stories we see, but rather are too busy being ‘good people’ to seek the limelight. Thanks for dropping by, and I’m so glad you enjoyed today’s Good People post.

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    • Thank you, my friend! Yes, we must find ways to match those willing to help to those in need of help. Left to our own devices, I think we will. When government steps in, though, they divide rather than unite.

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  13. Glad you have a Brit among your good people, but of course fair play and kindness knows no borders. Being isolated at home you feel helpless when others are rushing round being doctors or delivering food. But anyone sitting at home not spending money on outings or not dropping stuff in the food bank box can still help out in many ways. You can take out a subscription to The Big Issue, all money goes to helping their sellers who now have no work. You can donate money on line to your local food bank or your local hospital charity looking after hospital staff. So many people need help at the moment, but there are plenty of people out there who can help.

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    • You’re so right … my good people come from all over the world. My all-time favourite was Mama Rosie from South Africa. I like James Corden, have enjoyed him in Gavin & Stacey, and I love his carpool karaoke, so it’s a bonus to find out he has a good heart, as well. I had not heard of The Big Issue, but I’ll check it out. Yes, there are a multitude of ways to help people without leaving your home. I’m always happy to see people like these, quietly helping others … such a contrast from the buffoons we see on the news each day, especially in this country where the buffoons make a big show of carrying their big guns. Sigh.

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  15. Reblogged this on hughcurtler and commented:
    While some around us are toting guns into state offices and threatening officials, others are out there trying to do the right thing. Jill posts these reminders each week and they are indeed worth reading .

    Liked by 4 people

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    • Well, their payments to the utility company were to be kept anonymous so that the recipients would only see a zero balance on their bill, not who paid it. Then, I’m not sure how the story came to be published, but it was.

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