Miami Beach ditches Coke, picks Pepsi as plastic-free drink sponsor

Good News Notes: “The city of Miami Beach is breaking up with Coca-Cola as the city’s exclusive water and soft drink sponsor after Coke wouldn’t reduce the plastic packaging for its products. On Wednesday, the city officially announced its new partner — PepsiCo North America — which is committing to a green new deal with…

PowerZ raises $8.3 million for its video game focused on education

Good News Notes: “French startup PowerZ has raised another $8.3 million (€7 million at today’s exchange rate) including $1.2 million (€1 million) in debt — the rest is a traditional equity round. The company is both an edtech startup and a video game studio with an ambitious goal — it wants to build a game that is…

DC chef launches new nonprofit to provide free, healthy dishes

Good News Notes: “A new community pantry is giving residents in Southeast D.C. access to free, healthy meals. Kyanite Pantry, founded by chef Kya Parker, focuses on vegan and vegetarian dishes. The nonprofit also provides groceries and toiletries to residents in need. Parker lost her job during the pandemic and got the idea to start…

Hattiesburg company gives away free rugs to teachers for classrooms

Good News Notes: “Early Friday morning, teachers from across the Pine Belt lined up outside of Anderson Design Center in Hattiesburg as the company held it’s annual rug giveaway. The event allows teachers to pick out a rug for their classroom free of charge. Rachel Williams, Mary Miller and Sue Ellen Lutsch are teachers at…

Mindfulness Sessions To Help Non-Profit Workers, First Responders

Good News Notes: “Community Mindfulness Project (CMP) will offer weekly “Mini Mindfulness Burnout Busters” for non-profit workers and first responders free of charge every Wednesday at 9 a.m. The program began June 23. According to a news release, the short, 15 minute sessions provide mindfulness and meditation opportunities to specifically to help combat mental and…

Nonprofit stepping up for education during the COVID crisis

Good News Notes: “When COVID-19 forced Summit54 to cancel its signature program for elementary school students in the lower Roaring Fork Valley last summer, the local nonprofit could have gone on hiatus. Instead, it doubled down on its efforts. Summit54 created new, free programs to provide tutoring for elementary school students at a time when…

Zoom’s Branded Act Of Kindness

Good News Notes: “This Thanksgiving, instead of families gathering around a kitchen table, many will congregate around a webcam, smartphone or tablet.  And Zoom is making sure they can do it free of charge. Earlier this month, the videoconferencing company – which has experienced explosive growth during the pandemic – announced that on Thanksgiving it…

Walmart announces free Thanksgiving dinner for everyone

Good News Notes: “Through an exclusive promotion with Walmart, leading mobile rewards platform Ibotta, Campbell’s, Butterball and Coca-Cola have teamed up to launch the Free Thanksgiving Dinner program in an effort to feed millions of American families this Thanksgiving. Ibotta’s 2020 Thanksgiving Survey found that more than one-third of Americans will spend less on Thanksgiving this year…

“Bread Man” of Brockport Delivers Kindness, Bread

Good News Notes: “All it takes is four simple ingredients to make Chet Fery smile. ‘Making bread is my happy place,’ said Fery, who lives in Brockport with his wife of 42 years, Marina. ‘I love doing this.’ Fery spoke as he looked over more than two dozen loaves of rye bread, which he baked…

Therapy dog brings comfort to ER doctors on the frontlines

Good News Notes: “Heroes come in all shapes and sizes — this one just happens to have four legs and a furry coat. Wynn, a service dog in training, is bringing joy and comfort to the medical staff on the front lines of the coronavirus fight in Denver. The one-year-old yellow Labrador serves up cuddles…