$10M awarded to Raleigh nonprofits from American Rescue Plan funds

Good News Notes: “The City of Raleigh was awarded a total of $73.2 million from the American Rescue Plan Act. All that money needs to be spent by December 2026. The money can be used on a wide range of issues including community health initiatives, small business support, and infrastructure support. City staff has selected 13…

MacKenzie Scott boosts another Pittsburgh-area nonprofit with $10 million gift

Good News Notes: “Pressley Ridge, a nonprofit agency based in McCandless, announced Wednesday that it received a $10 million unrestricted gift from billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, ex-wife of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. The gift is the single largest donation the organization has received in its 190-year history. “We are grateful for and humbled by Ms….

High schoolers develop an inexpensive filter to remove lead from tap water

Good News Notes: “The next generation of scientists and inventors is already finding approaches to address society’s problems. Today, a group of high school students and their instructor report a solution to the problem of lead contamination in drinking water—an inexpensive faucet attachment that removes this toxic metal. Unlike conventional filters currently on the market,…

Toddler makes ‘miracle’ recovery after near drowning in Poway

Good News Notes: “A grateful mom is speaking out after her 2-year-old daughter’s ‘miracle’ recovery from a near drowning in Poway. A week ago, a day after Alia Preston and her family arrived in Poway from Queen Creek, AZ, she went out for a quick shopping trip with her mother-in-law. Her husband Nick was at…

Jennifer Lawrence Gives Birth to First Child

Good News Notes: “Jennifer Lawrence‘s motherhood journey starts now, ’cause TMZ has learned she recently delivered her first kid. According to public records … JLaw gave birth in L.A. County, but we don’t yet know the gender of the baby or the exact date of birth. Jennifer sparked rumors she might be pregnant last summer,…

Virginia nonprofit donates hundreds of robotic pets to children from Ukraine

Good News Notes: “Children in Ukraine who had to leave their homes are getting a special surprise from a Northern Virginia nonprofit. They look like stuffed animals, but there’s more to them. “These are quite remarkable. They are lifelike and act like real pets. They’re affordable,” Steve Cone, chief of philanthropy and communications at Virginia-based…