We live in a “bigger is better” world. TV’s, houses, cars, even cell phones seem to be growing in size, with the price tags following suit. You could argue that acts of kindness are viewed the same. Wealthy donors making gigantic donations are more likely to grace the front page. We should not measure the world’s collective kindness by a small handful of people doing great, mountainous deeds. As admirable as super philanthropists are, they are still an anomaly. Their wealth is a superpower which allows them to give with more ease. Yet, when you look closer and zero in on smaller communities, you can find acts of kindness permeating throughout every country, state, city, and neighborhood. Taking a quick glimpse at the daily headlines might tell us that all hope is lost for the world. But it’s not. Not even close, and we have some stories to prove it.

Jonny Jennings’ and the Six Figure Returnables

Johnny Jennings has been recycling for over 50 years. It started when he and his only son, Brent, would walk their neighborhood picking up discarded bottles and cans. The money they earned from the bottle deposits went into a savings account, initially used for the family’s first home.

Even after Brent left home, Johnny continued to scavenge for returnables on his own. All the while, he served on the board of the local Georgia Baptist Children’s Home. He began donating his recycling earnings to the Children’s Home. As neighbors, friends, and local businesses caught wind of Johnny’s good deed, they started giving their bottles and cans to him as well. The tradition has continued until today.

Over the course of 50 years, Johnny has donated over $400,000 to Georgia Baptist Children’s home. Last year, his story went viral, and when alerted to this by his son, Johnny simply replied, “I wish they would just stop that.” He wanted nothing of fame or even basic notoriety. Giving was just something he did, and continues to do.

Read more about his story here.

Jonny Jennings’ and the Six Figure Returnables

Johnny Jennings has been recycling for over 50 years. It started when he and his only son, Brent, would walk their neighborhood picking up discarded bottles and cans. The money they earned from the bottle deposits went into a savings account, initially used for the family’s first home.

Even after Brent left home, Johnny continued to scavenge for returnables on his own. All the while, he served on the board of the local Georgia Baptist Children’s Home. He began donating his recycling earnings to the Children’s Home. As neighbors, friends, and local businesses caught wind of Johnny’s good deed, they started giving their bottles and cans to him as well. The tradition has continued until today.

Over the course of 50 years, Johnny has donated over $400,000 to Georgia Baptist Children’s home. Last year, his story went viral, and when alerted to this by his son, Johnny simply replied, “I wish they would just stop that.” He wanted nothing of fame or even basic notoriety. Giving was just something he did, and continues to do.

Extreme Couponing for the Children

Another tale of resourcefulness used for the good of others. Maybe you’ve heard of extreme couponing, but if not, it’s the practice of getting as much food and supplies as you can by carefully and meticulously applying coupons to your purchase. The subject of a few reality TV shows, this hobby, when done successfully, ends with the couponer amassing dozens and dozens of nonperishable goods stored in their basements, closets, and pantries. Lauren Puryear of Woodbridge, Virginia decided to use her cunning strategies to feed thousands.

As she explained to the blog Scary Mommy,“After I couponed for 50 jars of Ragu sauce and 100 boxes of Barilla pasta all for FREE, I knew I was going to make a difference in the world.”

And she did just that. Lauren’s smarts and dedication have fed more than 30,000 people. What began as an adventure in shopping quickly became a full fledged mission of good, with Lauren starting For The Love of Others, an organization established to help distribute food and meals to people living below the poverty line.

We love hearing stories of people using innovative ways to give back to their community.

When Life Gives You Lemons…

You know how the rest of the saying goes. Well, five-year-old Jett did just that. Although Jett is living in Philadelphia, he was born in Houston, and the news of Hurricane Harvey motivated him to do something for his home state. Jett wanted to make sure the Red Cross had all the help it could get, so he did what any five-year-old wishing to earn money does, and opened a lemonade stand.

Jett set up his stand and sign that read “50 cents a cup to help those affected by Hurricane Harvey” – All the inspiration his town (and many surrounding towns) needed to stop by for a glass. Jett’s seemingly small act of selflessness and charity spawned many friendly rivalries around town, with community members and leaders coming together to raise as much money as they could. Jett alone was able to deliver $400 to the Red Cross.

More on Jett’s story here.

Little things can often become big things. It’s a classic ripple effect. We see global change through small acts of kindness every day. There is no one silver bullet to make the world a better place, and we here at DollarFund certainly don’t claim to be so. We aim to inspire people through giving, even if it’s just a dollar. One dollar can quickly become many dollars. We hope to encourage a global community of giving. Your influence on the world doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Heck, it costs less than a cup of coffee. Johnny, Lauren, and Jett didn’t change the world, but their spirits certainly sparked some fires. Ones that will continue to grow, and spread to others. We’d love for you to join us in that same spirit.