Delivering Smiles
After facing food insecurity as a child, Shawn now ensures families in his community have enough to eat
11.13.20
True
This year more than ever, many families are anticipating an empty dinner table. Shawn Kaplan lived this experience when his father passed away, leaving his mother who struggled to provide food for her two children. Shawn is now a dedicated volunteer and donor with Second Harvest Food Bank in Middle Tennessee and encourages everyone to give back this holiday season with Amazon.
Watch the full story:
Over one million people in Tennessee are at risk of hunger every day. And since the outbreak of COVID-19, Second Harvest has seen a 50% increase in need for their services. That's why Amazon is Delivering Smiles and giving back this holiday season by fulfilling hundreds of AmazonSmile Charity Lists, donating essential pantry and food items to help organizations like Second Harvest to feed those hit the hardest this year.
Visit AmazonSmile Charity Lists to donate directly to a local food bank or charity in your community, or simply shop smile.amazon.com and Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price of eligible products to your selected charity.
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via Brittany Kinley / Facebook
Brittany Kinley, a mother from Mansfield, Texas, had a hilarious mom fail her and she's chalking it up to being just another crazy thing that happened in 2020.
When Kinley filled out the order form for her son Mason's kindergarten class pictures, there was an option to have his name engraved into the photos. But Kinley wasn't interested in having her son's name on the photos so she wrote "I DON'T WANT THIS" on the box.
Well, it appears as though she should have left the box blank because the computer or incredibly literal human that designed the photographs wrote "I DON'T WANT THIS" where mason's name should be.
<p>Kinley shared the photo on Facebook where it's gone viral receiving over 16,000 likes and 38,000 shares.</p><div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f56dfa7d2bf53b5d6d0c74fe107c3b3a"><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10124125803263754&set=a.10101049561961304&type=3"></div></div><p><br></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDgyODA2MS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxMjE3ODI4MX0.5hUbdvVBsC0y01oI5jplHMIHOwL1oVz2Ncj6wxGZ5Hg/img.jpg?width=980" id="b3fd6" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="5e9b3d1ceb60239e5e4c8869a56a4fed" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">via Brittany Kinley / Facebook</small></p><p>"I'm sure everyone needs a good laugh these days so thanks to my latest mom fail...you're welcome in advance haha," Kinley captioned the photo. "Mason got his kindergarten pictures and I didn't want his name on the bottom so I typed in "I don't want this" and they freaking printed this…"<br></p><p>Having "I DON'T WANT THIS" printed on a photo that represents 2020 resonated with a lot of people on Facebook. Probably because it's what we've been saying to ourselves day after day of being stuck in the house or going outside and seeing normally busy places turned into ghost towns.</p><p>"Love! This is something I would definitely do!! and... it's the motto for 2020," a commenter named Chrysa wrote.</p><p>"This is a 2020 MOOD! Trying to smile but deep inside we are all I DON'T WANT THIS," Omar added.</p><div class="rm-embed embed-media"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="198" src="https://giphy.com/embed/hRwtOlZ1SBdpHV6QRZ" width="480"></iframe><p><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/justin-meme-2020-hRwtOlZ1SBdpHV6QRZ"></a></p></div><p>But Kinley is just happy she's given people the chance to laugh in such a trying year.<br></p><p>"I think 2020 has been such a hard year for everyone and people need some positivity and a good laugh," Kinley said <a href="https://www.today.com/parents/see-why-one-mom-s-school-photo-fail-going-viral-t200189" target="_blank">according to Today.</a></p><p>"I've gotten so many messages from people saying they haven't laughed this hard all year and that it made their day," she added. "I never thought it would have that effect but I'm so glad we can spread laughter in a crazy time like this."</p><p>Mason now feels famous after all the attention his photo is getting. "He'll occasionally ask how many more people is he making laugh," Kinley said, adding "his teachers gave him a round of applause and yelled, 'I do want this!' during drop off!'"</p><p>Kinley has tried to get a hold of the company that printed the pictures but she hasn't had any luck as of yet.</p><p>"It's not their fault. It was my mom fail," Kinley said, "so no bad feelings there!"</p><p>Even if she does get new photos printed that don't say, "I DON'T WANT THIS" she has to keep a few of the original shots because they're sure to be a perfect reminder of the year nobody wanted.</p>
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It isn’t always easy to ask for help. But when organizations like Bread for the City bring you into their family, anything is possible.
11.19.20
True
A lot of people here are like family to me," Michelle says about Bread for the City — a community nonprofit located in Washington DC that provides local residents with food, clothing, health care, social advocacy, and legal services. And since the pandemic began, the need to support organizations like Bread for the City is greater than ever, which is why Amazon is Delivering Smiles to local charities across the country this holiday season.
Watch the full story:
Amazon is giving back by fulfilling hundreds of AmazonSmile Charity Lists, and donating essential pantry and food items to help organizations like Bread for the City provide to those disproportionately impacted this year.
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Twins born with separate fathers are rare in the human population. Although there isn't much known about heteropaternal superfecundation — as it's known in the scientific community — a study published in The Guardian, says about one in every 400 sets of fraternal twins has different fathers.
Simon and Graeme Berney-Edwards, a gay married couple, from London, England both wanted to be the biological father of their first child.
"We couldn't decide on who would be the biological father," Simon told The Daily Mail. "Graeme said it should be me, but I said that he had just as much right as I did."
<p>The only way to make it happen would be to have twins through in vitro fertilization. But they would have to find a doctor that would implant embryos from separate fathers in the same surrogate.</p><p>They knew it wouldn't happen in England, so they looked for a doctor and surrogate mother in a different countries.</p><p>"I saw Simon and Graeme's profile on a surrogacy website and I thought they had lovely smiles," Meg Stone, the Canadian soon-to-be surrogate, said. "I had recently split with my partner and I wasn't ready for another baby, so I wanted to help someone."</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzU3Nzc2MS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NzA5NzY4NH0.tellBR4cRFXU66RHZCi18tZspwycvO1tAWp6J7dlOE4/img.jpg?width=980" id="c4a44" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d9f5e6550e64c4b9e88b1ed96f9c8a7e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit..."><a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10214160128896931&set=ecnf.1224960326&type=3&theater" target="_blank">via Meg Seroki-Stone / Facebook</a></small></p><p>Meg was already a mother of two children, Jeffrey, 12, and Max, five.<br></p><p>The couple flew out to Los Angeles, where they both fertilized eggs from an anonymous donor. Then, they journeyed to Canada where they met with Meg to be sure she was the perfect fit.</p><p>"We were nervous at the beginning — in case that we didn't click with her. But we needn't have worried," Simon said.</p><p>Six months later, one fertilized embryo of Simon's, and one embryo of Graeme's, were inserted into Meg's womb.</p><p>The couple spent a stressful week hoping both embryos would take. They were afraid that one of the fathers' embryos would work, the other wouldn't, and they'd have to eventually go through the same process again.</p><p>"She FaceTimed us from the scanning room. First of all, we saw one heartbeat, and our stomach clenched with nerves," Simon said.</p><p>"Then we saw the other heartbeat. Graeme and I just hugged each other," he continued. "We were just over the moon. We were both going to be dads — she was pregnant with both of our babies."</p><p>The couple kept in close touch with Meg over the coming weeks and flew back to Canada for her 19-week scan. The two proud fathers-to-be were delighted to touch her belly and feel their babies kicking inside the womb.</p><p>At 31 weeks, Meg was in pain and thought she was about to go into labor. So the two men quickly packed their bags and flew to Canada.</p><p>"We dashed to the hospital when we arrived, to find out it was a false alarm," Simon said. "We were just so relieved that she and the babies were fine."</p><p>The couple remained in Canada and five weeks later, Meg gave birth to Calder and Alexandra Berney Edwards.</p><div id="3b5fa" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c31dd05e533fbd46384ecbfa32e6dcc1"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1090067634723401728" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Husbands who each biologically fathered one twin share their amazing story
'There has been so many lovely comments'… https://t.co/iMX7f6wnKE</div> — LGBT News World (@LGBT News World)<a href="https://twitter.com/LGBTNewsWorld/statuses/1090067634723401728">1548727351.0</a></blockquote></div><p>"It was the most amazing experience of our lives," Simon said. "Alexandra was born first and then Calder arrived minutes later. <br></p><p>"When we both held them for the first time, we couldn't believe that we were both daddies," he added. "It was a long way to go and do this, but it was worth it to both be able to have fathered one of the twins each."</p><p>"Calder was the double of Graeme, and Alexandra was the image of me," Simon said.</p><p>The couple remained in Canada for seven more weeks before they could take their newborns home. Then, they hopped on a plane and returned to England. </p><p>But sadly, they had to leave a new member of their family behind.</p><p>"It was sad to say goodbye to Meg, When we brought them home for the first time, it was just incredible," Simon said. "Since then they have gone from strength to strength. They are doing so well and hitting all their milestones."</p><p>The twins recently celebrated their first birthday and the fathers flew Meg out to celebrate with them.</p><p>"Simon and Graeme are like brothers to me now," Meg said. "They call me the twins 'Tummy Mummy' which I love."</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzU3Nzc0My9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NjIzOTg3Mn0.-PDkCedUjUEZhddBPP3mn4WndTKewjbnKCq3cmUGmDY/img.jpg?width=980" id="ab803" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="92fe092725ec622248d4512130ff6c60" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit..."><a href="https://twitter.com/LGBTNewsWorld/status/1090330704951603200?s=20" target="_blank">via LGBT News World</a></small></p>
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Design
'It's working!': Pics show animals aren't afraid to cross Utah's new 'Critter Bridge'
11.25.20
via UDOT / Facebook
In December 2018, The Utah Department of Transportation opened the largest wildlife overpass in the state, spanning 320 by 50 feet across all six lanes of Interstate 80.
Its construction was intended to make traveling through the I-80 corridor in Summit County safer for motorists and the local wildlife.
The Salt Lake Tribune reports that there were over 100 animal incidents on the interstate since 2016, giving the stretch of highway the unfortunate nickname of "Slaughter Row."
<p>Forty-six deer, 14 moose, and four elk were killed on that stretch of highway <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/working-deer-bears-other-critters-023001198.html" target="_blank">in 2016 and 2017 alone.</a></p><p>The number of deaths is a tragedy for the local ecosystem but the situation is also dangerous for humans traveling at high speeds on the interstate.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDgyNzgzNC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNDkyMjY4OX0.mUNwo-rRpszmPXpcn4rlDk-ttpWATme158_UV0OWKq4/img.jpg?width=980" id="68cee" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="fd10eafc1271742d8531128d0684e5d0" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">via UDOT</small></p><p>When authorities agreed to build the $5 million project some were skeptical about whether it would work. There was a fear that the animals would be too afraid to cross the bridge. A three-mile cattle fence was installed leading up to the overpass to encourage wildlife to make their way towards the structure.<br></p><p>Well, the skeptics can rest easy, because footage from a surveillance camera recently released by the department of wildlife proudly proclaims, "It's working!"</p><div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="5e8baecfdec389175a703cfe8109d167"><div class="fb-video" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=3416838815036581" data-allowfullscreen="true"></div></div><p>Surveillance video taken over the past seven months shows that bobcats, coyotes, deer, mountain lions, moose, and even bears all use the structure.<br></p><p>Deer</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDgyNzgyNy9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMjIxMDk5Nn0.6dWWuxz_8ojwYQ5efYQgbe2FWFzIOvQcP23AunuBryw/img.jpg?width=980" id="d16eb" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="6aed826fdc4a64b1188884d10fdd52dc" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">via UDOT / Facebook</small></p><p><br>Coyote</p><p><br></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDgyNzgyOC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NDI2MDkyNH0.sVq-vEtn_01bpmEvGj-ui-DcdO76T94o9YFgnEzhBSg/img.png?width=980" id="2ad5f" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="110c33bb53ad47525d0d6c18ecc826b1" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">via UDOT / Facebook</small></p><p><br></p><p>Bear</p><p><br></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDgyNzgyOS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzNTcxODMxNH0.XWMdZy4LM-Ey0EcssOpjoaWC9ZCXDIhoXwJiihdlKM8/img.jpg?width=980" id="0b55a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="0ee7f9f1312e30dbcd400d008555b7a3" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">via UDOT / Facebook</small></p><p>"From what we can tell, the number of accidents there is down dramatically," UDOT spokesman John Gleason<a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/working-deer-bears-other-critters-023001198.html" target="_blank"> told the Salt Lake Tribune.</a> "At least initially, it appears the investment in safety is paying off. And we expected it to take several years before the animals got used to using it, so this is great."<br></p><p>UDOT believes it will take up to five years of studying the bridge to know if the project will work long-term.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDgyNzgzMS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNDMzNDE2MX0.FA2IN6kQA26_TtRRWLlXVAeoTRKFNTsMMt1yYCHlCzw/img.jpg?width=980" id="14aaf" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="57b40c5bd452cdb81498ddd40db06e29" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image">
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">via National Wildlife Foundation</small></p><p>News of the bridge's early success has to be good for developers in Southern California building the world's largest and most urban wildlife crossing. The crossing above the busy 101 Freeway in Agoura Hills, just outside of Los Angeles, will be 165 feet wide and span 200 feet.<br></p><p>The $85 million dollar project created mostly with private money aims to help improve genetic diversity in the local mountain lion population and increase biodiversity in the area.</p><p>"Genetic decline, which is the result of isolation from these freeways for these cats is getting so bad, that they're starting to show birth defects," Beth Pratt with the National Wildlife Foundation<a href="https://laist.com/2020/10/25/wildlife_crossing_101_2022_groundbreaking.php#:~:text=The%20101%20Wildlife%20Crossing%20will,scheduled%20to%20take%20two%20years" target="_blank"> told LAist.</a></p><p>Two different microclimates have developed on each side of the freeway and this will allow them to reconnect.</p><p>"This project offers an opportunity to kind of stitch those two spaces back together," he said, "and allow that transition to occur naturally."</p><p><br><br></p>
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