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….

DC nonprofit uses donated miles to help connect military families

Good News Notes: “A D.C. nonprofit is helping connect military families who were unable to cover the costs of flights. Luke’s Wings began its mission in 2008. It started with helping patients at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center fly back and forth to their loved ones. It has since grown from providing 19 flights a…

Petting therapy dogs enhances thinking skills of stressed college students

Good News Notes: “Programs exclusively focused on petting therapy dogs improved stressed-out students’ thinking and planning skills more effectively than programs that included traditional stress-management information, according to new Washington State University research. The study was published today in the journal AERA Open, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Educational Research Association. The paper demonstrated that…

Painter Uses His Art to Tell His Story of Addiction and Homelessness

Good News Notes: “For Lucas Joel Macauley, art has been a refuge. His life took a turn after seeing a successful career as a tattoo artist and shop owner come crashing down due to addiction. Macauley found himself living on the streets for several years after losing his most important relationships and all of his possessions….

Salt Lake City School District offers students free telehealth services

Good News Notes: “Concerned by student mental health issues exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic, Salt Lake City School District is partnering with a Utah support group to provide free telehealth services to students. ‘We know that right now many of our students are dealing with depression, anxiety, peer struggles and other mental health issues,” said…