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For some kids in Chicago, life is a war zone. But these military vets offer safe routes to school.

Danger and uncertainty were the norm. Now there's a better way.

Chicago is a world-renowned city. But for too many kids, it's downright dangerous.

Despite the fact that Chicago is home to several museums, a giant lake, and a free zoo, between 2010 and 2014, 114 Chicago schoolchildrenwere murdered.

Some were just walking home from school.

All GIFs via NationSwell.

But as you'll see in this video from NationSwell, hundreds of people are doing their part to create safer neighborhoods.

Hakki Gurkan, military veteran and former Chicago police officer, stepped up with a program called Safe Passage.

Hakki Gurkan serves overseas and at home. Image by NationSwell.

After serving in Turkey, Iraq, and Afghanistan, Hakki returned home to a mountain of family medical bills and student debt. He joined Chicago-based Leave No Veteran Behind, a nonprofit that provides retroactive scholarships to veterans in exchange for service to the community.


The goal of Safe Passage, Hakki's service project, is two-fold: protect children and teens from violence and gang activity while also providing transitional jobs for vets re-entering civilian life.

He launched Safe Passage in 2011. The program put military veterans on patrol to help students get to and from school safely.

Unarmed veteran employees and community members stand at key points along the "high risk" routes to over 100 schools in some of Chicago's toughest areas.

Safe Passage does not provide security and instead offers a positive adult presence, employing community engagement strategies to build trust and engage with the students they serve.

Safe Passage schools saw a 20% decline in criminal incidents and a 51% decline in student disciplinary reports.

The schools also improved attendance by 7%. And the program a huge win for returning veterans.

Since launch, over 400 vets have participated in Safe Passage. It allows them to earn a steady income while seeking long-term employment while giving back to their community using skills they honed in the service.

In fall 2014, Illinois announced a $10 million investment in Safe Passage.

That's on top of the $1 million Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel pledged just months prior.

Together, the funds will expand the program to 133 schools, serving 16% of Chicago Public School students daily.

Now, 69,000 children can focus on their schoolwork instead of their safety.

Veterans, community members, and elected officials coming together to build safer, healthier neighborhoods — that's something we can all salute.

To see Safe Passage in action, check out this mini-documentary from NationSwell:

Health

How often should you shower? Doctors weigh in and rock some people's worlds.

Once a day is not ideal.

Photo by Karolina Grabowska/Pexels

Doctors say a lot of us are showering more than we need to.

A few times in recent years, celebrities and social media influencers alike have made waves by sharing that they don't make their kids bathe every day. For some parents, that was totally par for the course, but for others, letting a child go more than a day without bathing was seen as a travesty.

Doctors have made it clear that kids don't need to bathe daily, with some going so far as to recommend against it when they are young to protect kids' delicate skin.

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Cheeky cow interrupts a couple's serene wedding by dramatically mooing at the perfect time

"This cow definitely has a sense of comedic timing."

Representative images from Canva

Could have been worse. At least it wasn't a rooster.

There’s always that one wedding guest, isn’t there?

For Amy and Harry, their problematic wedding guest wasn’t even technically invited…or human.

As seen in a hilarious now-viral video posted to Instagram by Something Borrowed Films, Amy and Harry’s wedding photographer, the bride and groom stand before the officiant, surrounded by loved ones and the picturesque green fields of their outdoor ceremony venue.

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People can't get enough of this epic dance routine to "Somebody That I Used to Know"

The choreography. The camera work. The costumes. Wow.

Sergio Reis/Youtube

Odds are you’ve heard Wally de Backer, aka Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used to Know.”

It’s the Australian musician’s biggest commercial hit, selling more than 20 million copies since its release in 2011, making it one of the best-selling digital singles of all time. Not to mention it inspired several amazing covers, which you might have also stumbled upon.

The music video, in its poignant simplicity, is every bit as iconic.

Gotye stands naked facing the camera, as featured singer Kimbra faces him. As they sing, they are slowly “painted” into and out of the background of geometric shapes using stop motion animation. There’s a very Wes Anderson feel to it that adds so much to the story told in the song, making it all the more memorable.

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Blogger makes 3 tiny changes for Lent and his life got 20% better

Sometimes, the small things make all the difference.

via Cottonbro Studio/Pexels, Arnie Watkins/Pexels and Eren Li/Pexels

David Cain made three tiny changes that made a big difference.

A Japanese concept known as kaizen is based on making small, continuous improvements daily that eventually result in tremendous growth. The basic idea is that tiny changes can amount to big ones over time.

It’s an interesting concept to put into practice because it’s a lot less overwhelming to make small changes each day than trying to move mountains overnight. Plus, it’s probably easier to stay disciplined.

Blogger David Cain, creator of Raptitude, made three small changes in his life and says they’ve improved his overall sense of well-being by 20%. He admits that it only took about 2% more effort to get results that were 10 times greater.

He started his tiny change routine during Lent, the Christian period of fasting and reflection before Easter. During Lent, Christians are asked to give up something as a form of self-discipline and spiritual reflection, echoing Jesus' 40-day fast in the desert.

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Daughter explains brutal obituary she wrote for her father about his ‘bad parenting'

"Everything I was going to write was going to be a lie. He hated a liar..."

Photo by John Thomas on Unsplash

The last resting place for father Leslie Ray Charping.

Everyone is entitled to a few nice words at their funeral, as the adage goes. Normally, this is a non-issue. Flaws can be ignored or overlooked for the sake of harmony and a peaceful, optimistic send-off.

But what if the flaws created too much damage and heartache to go without saying?

Sheila Smith made headlines last week with an obituary that was as honest in what can only be described as a brutal sense. Brutal for the departed, her father Leslie Ray Charping, and brutal for the family that had to endure his life and death.

Here's the obituary in its entirety, taken from the website of Carnes Funeral Home:

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The very real story of how one woman prevented a national tragedy by doing her job

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Image by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Dr. Frances Oldham Kelsey and President John F. Kennedy.

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Dr. Frances Oldham Kelsey had only been with the Food and Drug Administration for about a month when she was tasked with reviewing a drug named thalidomide for distribution in America.

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