Philanthropy
Latest news on corporate and nonprofit efforts aimed at changing our world for the better through benevolent initiatives, such as fundraisers, grants, and charities.
“The Cramm” by Olivia Seltzer: giving Gen Z context for the news
Our society often forgets to involve youth as an equal voice in our discussions about how our world ought to function. Young minds are our future artists, entrepreneurs, and legislators, and they need to learn to care about what’s going on in the world today so they can further our work tomorrow. Read More...
Ukrainian architects build modular shelters for refugees
Since Russia’s invasion, more than 6.5 million internally displaced people in Ukraine have fled their homes to find safety. Many of them are currently crowded in large spaces like school gyms or bomb shelters, with bare amenities available. In a bid to properly accommodate these refugees, a team Read More...
Can NFTs help save the Amazon?
Non-Fungible Tokens, commonly known as NFTs, are crypto-acquired assets in the form of digital art. These “one-of-a-kind” digital pieces rose in popularity last year, with plenty of influential personalities and celebrities purchasing them, often at exorbitant prices. Well, whether you’re Read More...
How AI helped Togo's poorest citizens
Back in 2020, we ran a story about a humanitarian project in Togo organized by the non-profit GiveDirectly, UC Berkeley, and Togo’s Ministry of Digital Economy. Its aim: use AI to deliver humanitarian aid in the form of money to the poorest populations in the country. Now some of the results Read More...
The James Dyson Award: a call to young inventors
The Optimist Daily has written about many winners of the James Dyson Award. This is an international design award that celebrates, encourages, and inspires the next generation of design engineers. It is open to current and recent design engineering students and is run by the James Dyson Foundation, Read More...
David Beckham surrenders Instagram account to Ukrainian doctor for a day
Amidst the breaking news of horrifying attacks and rising civilian casualties as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it can be difficult to know how to help. This past Sunday, ambassador for Unicef and former soccer star David Beckham decided to use his fame to bring awareness to particular Read More...
How to help Ukrainian refugees in Moldova
Since it began on the 24th of February, the war in Ukraine has forced millions of people to leave their homes. According to the UNHCR, more than 3 million people have already fled, and many more are expected to leave as the situation escalates. A great number of these people have sought refuge in Read More...
Upcycling your "business," 5 uses of human waste
At The Optimist Daily, we keep our ears keened for news about upcycling. It’s an impressive hack, making productive use of discarded materials and waste, turning what was trash into something new. It’s a great solution toward making sustainable products, and we’re always looking for creative Read More...
People are booking Airbnbs in Ukraine to help those in need
Over the last few days, Airbnb hosts in Ukraine have been receiving an overwhelming amount of booking requests from people across the world who don’t plan to show up. The gestures are part of a new way people have been showing their support to those affected by the war in Eastern Europe. Sarah Read More...
5 affordable ways to donate your money
You don’t need to be a billionaire philanthropist to make donations that matter. Even if you’re on a budget, there are some clever ways you can give to good causes—even if it’s a small amount of money. Here are five affordable ways to be a philanthropist. Rethink your rewards These days Read More...