Building Community
Our Theme in November 2019
A local pizzeria is feeding National Guard troops ahead of the inauguration
During the general election, we shared a story about a non-profit bringing pizza to hungry voters waiting in line. Now, we’ve got another patriotic pizza story for you. This time aptly named restaurant, We the Pizza, is delivering meals to the 20,000 National Guard troops protecting the Capitol Read More...
The Optimist View: Reflections on activism from Gwendolyn Zoharah Simmons
“If we merge mercy with might, and might with right, then love becomes our legacy and change our children's birthright.” - Amanda Gorman BY: AMELIA BUCKLEY As we celebrated the life and works of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. this week, many Americans contemplated the profound impact of his Read More...
Retired mathematician repairs over 650 bikes in his town for free
Back in September, we wrote a story detailing how the pandemic led to a bike boom in cities all across America as people looked for safer ways to get around. Such was the case in Potomac, Maryland, home to avid cyclist and retired mathematician Ric Jackson. When Jackson’s neighbor was looking Read More...
The beauty of compassion: How to make the world a kinder place
“It is true that when we harm others, we harm ourselves; but it is just as true that when we help others, we also help ourselves.” - Desmond Tutu It has been a tough time to be an Optimist. The events in Washington DC this week come after a year that featured a global pandemic, economic Read More...
Indonesians celebrate new year by clearing 30 tons of plastic off a beach
During the monsoon season each year, large amounts of trash and debris wash up onto Bali’s Kuta Beach. The litter is a serious issue and draws attention to our mounting single-use plastic crisis, but the community’s response to the trash is also inspiring. This year, locals got together for Read More...
How car-free streets unite communities: A firsthand account from Oakland
The Optimist Daily has never been shy to support urban planning that favors pedestrians over motorists. Not only does it make the streets safer, but it can also clean up the air in a city dramatically. But beyond all this, perhaps the biggest benefit of clearing the streets of cars is that it turns Read More...
How Phoenix is feeding the hungry and saving local businesses
Like most cities around the world, Phoenix, Arizona had its restaurant and hospitality industries ravaged by the pandemic. When the city received its federal CARES Act relief, it decided to allocate $951,000 towards an ambitious goal: saving the city’s farms and restaurants and providing food to Read More...
Optimist View Special Feature: Uplifting Stories by Ione Butler
“If you want to improve your mood, a great place to start is by shifting the narrative.” - Ione Butler, Author Uplifting Stories As we all hunker down to await the end of this pandemic, connecting with our usual holiday cheer is tough. Quarantine fatigue is getting us down, but the Read More...
Giving season: Business owner pays overdue utility bills for 114 families
In 2019, a Florida business owner by the name of Michael Esmond wanted to help out struggling members of his community, Gulf Breeze, by paying the utility bills of 36 households. This year, Esmond felt the need to up the ante with both Hurricane Sally and the Covid-19 pandemic causing economic Read More...
Chicago couple uses wedding deposits to feed their community
The pandemic has brought weddings to a screeching halt. When Chicago couple Emily Bugg and Billy Lewis canceled their big bash, they decided to use the catering and venue deposits to do some good in their community. The couple asked their caterer to take the $5,000 deposit and turn it into Read More...