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Guy caught dancing while litter-picking is a sweet reminder that every effort counts

Sometimes it really is the little things.

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An unknown man vent viral for his lively dance moves while picking up litter

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Have you heard the story of the girl throwing starfish back in the ocean?

It's a parable about how some people will scoff at others trying to help because it won't solve the entire problem. The moral of the story is that being a useful person isn't about being able to solve entire crises, but doing your bit of good in the ways you are able and how that multiplies when many individuals do the same.

We focus so much sometimes on the hugeness of the issues in front of us that we forget we can (and should) do things because they are the right thing to do.

We can just do a little bit, and it adds up.The Avalon Theater's surveillance camera in Milwaukee snagged footage of this unknown guy delightfully dancing down the street, picking up trash as he goes. An employee decided to set it to music and do a little zoom work (full video below).

He's not solving all the world's ecological problems here.

He's just doing a bit of good in his corner of it and enjoying himself while he does.

Feeling inspired by his dancing good deed? Here are three ways we can do the same.

1. Sign up to do a little bit of beach or ocean cleanup.

I've done this before with my daughter at Lake Michigan. It's a great way to spend a free morning on a weekend, do a little good for your environment, and commune with nature.

You won't get the whole beach clean, but you'll be a part of the solution. Image by Angie Aker, used with permission.

2. Be "that weirdo" who cleans things up when you see litter.

Be the friend that makes it a point to stop and throw things away when you see them. Tell people when you see them litter why it's not cool. I told a friend that once when she threw something out the window, and she said my vehement reaction to what she did stuck with her the rest of her life and changed her habits.

3. Use your free time to give the Earth a little love.

Going for a hike or rowing around the lake? Bring some trash and recycling bags and stop at common picnic spots. You'll be sure to find things you can throw out, and you don't need to sign up for any official expedition to make yourself useful.

It just might put a jaunt in your step and inspire you to dance some litter over to a wastebasket near you.

Change what's within your arm's reach, and you just might change the world!

This article originally appeared on 06.28.16

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Walter Carr was all set for his first day of a new job, but then his car broke down 20 miles from work.

With the car dead and his new job with a moving company called Bellhops on the line, Carr knew he only had one choice: to walk. So after taking a four-hour nap to give him strength, the Birmingham, Alabama, resident started the long walk to work at midnight.

It took him another four hours to get to his destination.

At 3 a.m., several officers saw Carr walking through a neighborhood and stopped to ask where we was going.

After Carr told them about his journey, the officers took him to breakfast and then to a church, where they thought he'd have a safe place to rest until his job started.

But not wanting to be late for the first moving job of the day, Carr took off for Jenny and Chris Lamey's home. Another officer — who'd just come on the clock and heard Carr's story — picked him up and drove him the rest of the way.

By 6:30 a.m., the Lameys got a knock at their door. Carr had made it to work and was ready to move their household. Carr put in a full day, refusing even a short nap before he started.

Jenny Lamey, so impressed with Carr's perseverance, shared the story on Facebook. The post has since gone viral, amassing hundreds of shares.

Somehow my original post was deleted. Here is it again!! I am overwhelmed that it was shared over 800 times in one day!...
Posted by Jenny Hayden Lamey on Sunday, July 15, 2018

The CEO of Bellhops caught wind of Carr's journey.

Luke Marklin, the CEO of Bellhops, drove from Tennessee to meet the guy who'd walked 20 miles to get to work. By the end of their meeting, Carr was walking away with something more than just a clap on the shoulder.

Marklin gifted Carr his own car to make sure that he wouldn't have to choose walking over sleeping before work again. Jenny Lamey also contributed, starting a GoFundMe that's raised more than $8,000 for Carr's future.

"I want people to know this: No matter what the challenge is, you can break through the challenge," Carr told AL.com. "Nothing is impossible unless you make it impossible. You can do anything you set your mind to."

Watch Carr get his new car below:

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What if you could walk into a store, take what you need, and pay whatever you want for it?

And what if you could help others andsave food waste by doing so?

That’s the premise behind The Inconvenience Store, a unique supermarket that opened in June 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. The store collects produce that stores plan to throw away because it’s not fresh (or pretty) enough to sell and "sells" it by donation.

It receives throwaways from a local bakery — breads that aren't good enough to sell but are still perfectly edible — for its patrons to take home. Other things that stores are prepared to toss, like items that are dented or just past their best-before dates, also stock the store's shelves.

— (@)

There are no cashiers and no set prices — a contribution box sits near the exit as an unassuming invitation to give what you can in exchange for what you take. People can also volunteer at the store as a form of payment and support for the store.

Sounds like do-gooder, people-before-profit stuff, right? It is.

And the founder has already proven that the model works.

The Inconvenience Store is an offshoot of Lentil As Anything, a chain of vegetarian restaurants that has been in operation for 18 years under a similar pay-as-you-feel model.

Founded by Shanaka Fernando, a Sri Lankan immigrant with a passion for food and social justice, Lentil As Anything is on a mission to make meals that serve everyone, regardless of socioeconomic status.

"Restaurant culture separates us from the group at the next table," says the company's website, "and finances separate some from the table entirely. Lentil as Anything believes everyone deserves a place at the table."

Lentil founder Shanaka Fernando speaking @gatewayllen - a group inspiring young people to walk their own path - something Shanaka has done his whole life. #community
A post shared by Lentil As Anything (@lentil.as.anything) on May 16, 2018 at 6:42pm PDT

Like the store, most of the people who work at the restaurants are volunteers who donate their time because they care about food, culture, and community.

"The underemployed, the homeless, refugees and the disenfranchised are all given an equal opportunity to gain skills and help their fellow humans at Lentil as Anything," says the website.

With no set prices on the menu, diners choose what they pay for their meals based on what they can afford or what they think is a fair price. Key staff are paid, but there's no goal to make a profit. Produce for the restaurants is grown in community urban gardens or collected from stores prior to being thrown away. All extra funds get funneled back into the restaurant.

Great things happen when we work together! @fresh.is.good and @lentil.as.anything are doing our part to end food wastage in Australia! . . . When you hear the words food waste, you automatically think the food is bad, right? Wrong. Read about the impact food waste is having on our environment and communities, and what we’re doing to help make a difference. ⬆️ Link in Bio ⬆️ #foodwithoutborders #blogpost #foodwaste #FreshIsGood #lentilasanything
A post shared by Lentil As Anything (@lentil.as.anything) on Jun 5, 2018 at 10:25pm PDT

Fernando has created a community-oriented business model based on integrity, trust, honesty, and shared humanity.

Practically everything about Lentil as Anything and The Inconvenience Store flies in the face of the traditional, profit-based business model.

So how do they stay in business? A question like that has to be asked with the business's goal in mind — not to make a steep profit but to create a cooperative community based on food and culture sharing. It's not about making money but rather about being able to stay open through community effort.

Volunteering is a wonderful way to see how Lentil operates from the inside. Here is a lovely flashback from @xratedvegan -best name! ・・・ 👩🏻‍🍳 Volunteering last year @lentil.as.anything /@lentilsydney in Newtown. 🌱An Amazing non for profit Vegan restaurant in Newtown 🇦🇺 with the best vibes - where people pay according to what they can afford. If you haven’t been- it’s a must.👨‍🍳🌱 100% Plant Based baby! 💚😊🌱🌿
A post shared by Lentil As Anything (@lentil.as.anything) on May 3, 2018 at 2:57pm PDT

It comes back to the fundamental belief that we're all in this together.

"We call ourselves the human race, but this is not a race," said Fernando in his 2012 TED Talk. "This is not a competition. I prefer the term 'humankind.' It implies kindness. We share an affinity. There is a richness that awaits us and it relies on us, on our individual sense of leadership, on our ability to embrace, be open to each other. And all the answers to environmentalism, to the improvement of humanity, lies in this."

Putting people and our planet before profits may not be common, but high fives to Shanaka Fernando for proving that it's possible.

Watch Fernando describe his travels around the world that led him to his pay-as-you-feel model:

Back in 2013, Rachel Lapierre of Montreal, Canada, won the lottery.

She was to receive $1,000 a week — $52,000 a year — for the rest of her life. And what a difference that extra income has ended up making!

Well, not to her personally, really — but to lots of other people in need.

GIF via BBC News/YouTube.

Instead of keeping her lottery earnings, Lapierre has been giving it all away to charity — her own nonprofit.

"You know, money is money," she explained to BBC News. "When you [are] born, you don't have anything. And when you go, you're going with nothing. But you're going with your memories."

GIF via BBC/YouTube.

Before winning the lottery, Lapierre — a former Miss Quebec beauty queen — already lived a relatively well-off life. Grateful for her privileges and good fortune, Lapierre had launched Le Book Humanitaire (The Humanitarian Book) — a nonprofit helping people not only in Canada, but countries like Haiti, Sengal, and India, as well.

Lapierre has been giving all of her lottery income to The Humanitarian Book to help even more people in need.

The nonprofit mostly runs off the generosity of volunteers and serves communities in a number of ways, she explained to Canadian talk show "Tout le Monde en Parle" last year — from donating food to the hungry to helping cancer patients with cooking and cleaning around the house.

"We just try to promote good deeds," Lapierre told the BBC. "A good deed can be so many things. It can be [donating] a bike today, it can be food, it can be transport to go to the hospital, it can be just listening to someone on the phone because they're so lonely."

If one good deed can go a long way, imagine what Lapierre's lifetime supply will do.

Learn more about Lapierre's story and Le Book Humanitaire in the BBC video below:

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On Thursday, June 21, Melania Trump's "I Really Don't Care. Do U?" jacket sent shockwaves across social media.

As she was boarding a plane following a surprise visit to a U.S.-Mexico border facility, the first lady was photographed wearing a jacket that read "I Really Don't Care. Do U?"

Melania Trump. Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images.

People were understandably upset. The stories surrounding families separated after attempting to cross the border has broken hearts and sparked outrage.

More importantly, hundreds of thousands of people have been inspired to take direct action to help reunite families.

Upworthy writer Parker Molloy came up with an ingenious response by acquiring the domain rights to ireallydocare.com ("I Really Do Care") where people can make streamlined donations to a number of organizations working on immigration issues.

Just two hours into the campaign, more than $100,000 had been donated through the site.

At a time when people were feeling outraged, it's another perfect example of leading people who do care toward meaningful action and having your voice heard.

If you want your voice heard, sometimes you have to wear your values on your back. Literally.

PSA Supply Co., a commerce site recently launched by our parent company, GOOD Worldwide Inc., has followed Parker's lead by turning her re-design of Melania Trump's jacket into a T-shirt that you can purchase here.100% of the profits will go directly toward United We Dream, the largest youth-led immigrant network in the United States.

Visit PSA Supply Co. to get your T-shirt today. 100% of the profits will go directly toward United We Dream, the largest youth-led immigrant network in the United States.

We can't always stop bad things from happening, but how we respond says so much more. Here's your chance to be heard.

At a time when so many people are still trying to process what is happening with immigrant families separated at the border, it's OK to be outraged. It's OK to be heartbroken. But what we choose to do next matters.

Supporting groups that are fighting to protect immigrant families will send a message to those in power that dignity, justice, and human rights are universal values worth fighting for.

Why a furniture company is employing Jordanian women and refugees.

As the refugee crisis in numerous countries continues to grow, several companies are using their platform to help.

One of those is IKEA. The Swedish furniture company has partnered with the Jordan River Foundation to provide job opportunities for Jordanian women and refugees.

All photos courtesy of IKEA.

The first part of the partnership has culminated in the Tilltalande collection — a collection of co-created handcrafted textiles. Over 100 artisans are currently part of the initiative, and that number is expected to reach 400 by the end of 2020.

Vaishali Misra, business leader of the Social Entrepreneurs Initiative at IKEA, thinks it's just one of the many ways the company can put action behind its belief in a quality standard of living for people around the world.

"A sustainable world that provides a great quality of life for many people, respects human rights and protects the environment is possible," Misra writes. "We can provide economic opportunities and empower people so they are able to better provide for themselves and their families."

IKEA is showing mega corporations around the world how to put their dollars behind their mission.

By making women and refugee hires a priority, IKEA is making a bold statement: People from around the world matter, and they deserve the same opportunities as everyone else. The company stands by this ideology by providing steady year-round jobs, aiming to create sustainable job experiences that are safe and fair for employees.

"Each artisan is paid a salary equal or above the legal monthly minimum wage set by Jordanian government," Misra adds. "They also receive social security benefits and insurance."

As millions of people flee war-torn countries and unsafe territory, families are not only displaced, they're forced to start over.

People who previously had careers and a reliable means to support themselves are forced to begin their lives over again in a new place. Large companies around the globe have steadily become involved, creating space to support those living in or seeking asylum from vulnerable locations.

"The current international refugee crisis is one of the greatest, most complex humanitarian challenges of our generation," Misra says. "Today, the number of people displaced from their homes by violence and persecution is unprecedented in human history. More than 65 million people have been forcibly displaced and nearly a third — more than 22 million — are living outside of their countries as refugees, according to The U.N. Refugee Agency. At IKEA, we think being an active member of our local communities is an important part of how we realize our vision to create a better everyday life for the many people. We feel compassion for our neighbors and especially want to help others less fortunate."

The collaboration's success has created a ripple effect in supporting lasting economic development for women and refugees.

Committed to serving people in vulnerable communities around the world, IKEA is working to support positive social and economic development by collaborating with artisans in rural India, Romania, and Thailand and working with partners in countries like Uganda, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, and Croatia, just to name a few.

"We are of course committed to supporting refugee communities, but also seek and promote partnerships that can impact the well-being of other communities as well," Misra writes. "Our social entrepreneur partnerships help individuals in underserved communities learn the skills and acquire the resources to bring about a lasting change in their lives."

As the company looks toward how to be impactful in the future, it's clear that they've already gotten a pretty great start.

When 4-year-old Austin Perine found out some people are homeless, his first instinct was to help.

One day, Austin was watching an animal show with his dad, T.J., and they saw a mom panda abandon her baby. Concerned, Austin asked what would happen to the cub. T.J. told him it would be homeless for a while, but it would eventually figure out how to live on its own.

Austin asked his dad if people ever become homeless. That question sparked a conversation about homelessness, a trip to see where homeless people live, and one of the sweetest outreach projects you'll ever see.

Good morning 🌞 I’m headed to work! “Don’t Forget to #showlove ❤️💙❤️💙
Posted by Austin Perine on Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Austin wanted to give the homeless people he saw some food. So his dad bought 25 chicken sandwiches for him to hand out.

T.J. says he originally planned just to drive Austin by the area in Birmingham where homeless people live. But Austin wanted to talk to the people there — and offer them some food. So that's what they did.

"He liked it," says T.J. "The people were touched that a 4-year-old took the time to talk to them, and despite everything they were going through, they were able to smile because Austin was out there." People thanked T.J. for teaching his son to treat people who are down on their luck with dignity.

Austin hands out chicken sandwiches and sodas to Birmingham's homeless. Photo via T.J. Perine.

Austin liked it so much, he told his parents that he wanted to use all of his allowance to buy food for the homeless. Now, thanks to an ongoing donation from Burger King, Austin takes sandwiches to his homeless friends about three times a week.

"Feeding the homeless is the highlight of my life," he told CBS News.

Austin is a tiny hero with an important message.

Adding yet another adorable layer to this story, Austin dons a red superhero cape while he delivers his meals. As he hands each person a sandwich, he smiles and tells them, "Don't forget to show love!"

T.J. said his son asked to be called "President Austin" because he thinks that feeding the homeless is what a president is supposed to do. "I was like, 'Buddy, you have no idea,'" laughed T.J. in an interview with CBS. "But hey, I'm going along with it."

"He took this initiative on like a champion," T.J. says. "He looks forward to it."

Work work work work work work @rihanna https://t.co/ReG5FBrcBP
— Austin Perine 💎 (@Austin Perine 💎) 1525913196

Austin's parents have encouraged compassion throughout their son's young life.

T.J. thinks Austin's generous spirit is a solid mix of innate quality and learned behavior. Austin has an older brother who has autism, and Austin has gained compassion and generosity through helping him. "We compliment him when he does well with his brother," says T.J. "Austin helps him find things, helps him with his clothes ... so circumstantially, he has gained compassion that way."

Austin and T.J. are on a mission to #ShowLove to people down on their luck. Photo via T.J. Perine.

But T.J. said the key to his parenting philosophy is listening. "If I entertain Austin's interests, then in return, Austin is going to entertain the substance of what I want to talk to him about," he says. "So if he wants to talk about 'Cars 3' or 'Paw Patrol' or whatever a 4-year-old wants to talk about, then I make sure that I give him my undivided attention."

Whatever he's doing, it appears to be working. The duo has even started a fund to help fight hunger, and they just donated $5,000 to help build a shelter with services for the homeless in Birmingham.

Keep up the stellar parenting, T.J. And thank you for showing us all how to love, Mr. President. You've definitely got my vote.

Check out Austin's story on CBS News:

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