podcast
CNN 5 Good Things
Saturdays are for sunshine — especially for your ears. With another election, ongoing wars and natural disasters, we know the news can be a lot to take in and we’re determined to share the bright side of humanity. Every Saturday, take a breather from the headlines and hear all the uplifting happenings across the world with 5 Good Things from CNN.
How a Bakery Helps Military Vets Find Their Passion
CNN 5 Good Things
Oct 26, 2024
An off duty lifeguard rescued a 17-year-old lost at sea. Some people experiencing homelessness in California now have a place they can call their own. How a crossword editor is using his love for puzzles to aid his stroke recovery. Dog Tag Bakery helps veterans rediscover their identity with a fellowship program. Plus, the good work a street veterinarian has been able to do since being named the 2023 CNN Hero of the Year.
Episode Transcript
Krista Bo
00:00:00
Hey there. Here's your weekly dose of feel good stories. We'll take you to a bakery in Washington, D.C. that's serving up more than pastries for veterans.
Meghan Ogilvie
00:00:09
We provide them tools, resources, a community to kind of go through that process to define success for themselves.
Krista Bo
00:00:16
Plus, how the work of a nonprofit is giving people experiencing homelessness in California a roof over their heads. From CNN, I'm Krista Bo, and this is Five Good Things.
Krista Bo
00:00:29
'A big mahalo goes out to an off-duty lifeguard from Hawaii who rescued a 17-year-old stranded at sea for almost 12 hours. Last Wednesday, Noland Keaulana was going about his day fixing his truck, when he received an alert about a teenager who went missing off the Honolulu coast. The longtime lifeguard was off duty that night, but his wife eventually told him the missing teen was their friend's son, Kahiau Kawai. Noland told CNN affiliates KGMB and KHNL last Thursday he just had to go out and find him.
Noland Keaulana
00:01:03
I'm the type of person that I want to go and be at every call. And I know last night I wouldn't be able to sleep if I didn't go out there.
Krista Bo
00:01:09
It turns out the high schooler's kayak had capsized during a team practice and he lost his paddle. So as Noland and other rescuers went looking for him with boats and aircraft, Kahiau was already hours into a struggle against the ocean's currents, dragging him farther and farther out.
Kahiau Kawai
00:01:27
You know, as I started drifting away, it just got darker and darker. Like, I freaked out for maybe a couple of minutes.
Krista Bo
00:01:33
The teen managed to keep his cool and swim to the side of his 20 foot surf kayak, alternating between lying on it and treading water with no lifejacket, mind you.
Kahiau Kawai
00:01:42
I shouted around just calling for help to nearby boats. But I was too far away for them to hear me or see me. So I didn't really have a choice but to kind of just relax.
Krista Bo
00:01:54
At around 4 a.m. the next day. After searching for over eight hours, a U.S. Coast Guard airplane crew spotted the kayak, contacted no one in his boat by radio and directed him to Kahiau out location. Noland said he was relieved to find him alive.
Noland Keaulana
00:02:09
I think he was in total shock because he wasn't emotional at all. And I was actually crying my guts off because he is, he was okay. And he said, I'm worried about my mom. She probably missed me a little.
Kahiau Kawai
00:02:22
I was glad to see a familiar face and I'm just very grateful that he knew that I was kind of drifting. And that really was what saved me.
Sarah Spillane
00:02:37
I have a son who's 14 and my goal is to have a place for him to be able to visit me.
Krista Bo
00:02:43
That's Sarah Spillane, who says she's experienced homelessness for about 14 years. But for the past year or so, she's been able to live in a tiny housing community in San Francisco. For LaTanya, her tiny home has given her a real sense of belonging.
LaTanya
00:03:00
I can wake up to somebody smiling. Makes me feel like like I'm like, I'm not alone or like somebody cares.
Krista Bo
00:03:07
LaTanya and Sarah live in a community of tiny homes or cabins developed by Dignity Moves, a nonprofit that helps cities build interim housing for people in need.
Elizabeth Funk
00:03:17
Each cabin's got the basics. It's got a bed, a desk, a chair, a window, a heater, electricity, a shared bathroom. And it's also got a laundry facility, just kind of like a college dorm room.
Krista Bo
00:03:30
Elizabeth Funk is the founder and CEO of Dignity Moves. And she says her reason for using tiny homes is simple.
Elizabeth Funk
00:03:38
Everyone has their own space and a door that locks and a place that they get to stay for six months to a year, whatever it takes, while they figure out where they're going next.
Krista Bo
00:03:47
There are around 500 cabins available in seven different communities located throughout California, and dozens more are in the works. Elizabeth says they've helped put a roof over the heads of around 1200 people so far. And can help connect them with local social services. And while there is a wait list for housing in many of the tiny house communities, the organization works closely with local social service partners to help manage intake.
Elizabeth Funk
00:04:12
The goal is to get people to where they can be stable for the long term. And that's what we're hoping is that people will be able to have a place to sleep and plug in their cell phone and shower and and feel like they're humans. And be treated with the opportunities that then they can get themselves back out and and maybe even return to being taxpayers.
Will Shortz
00:04:38
Puzzle people obviously like to use their brains, and if you give me a problem, I can probably think of three, four or five different solutions for it and then figure out which one is best.
Krista Bo
00:04:49
Being good at puzzles hasn't only helped Will Shortz's his career, it's also helped him navigate a major health issue. About eight months ago, the crossword editor for The New York Times and puzzle master of NPR's Weekend Edition had a stroke.
Will Shortz
00:05:02
One of the pieces of advice that everyone gives you: if you have a stroke, get help as soon as you can. So I was lucky enough and smart enough to get help within an hour.
Krista Bo
00:05:12
'The 72-year-old said his stroke affected the right side of his brain and the left side of his body. Now he can walk with a cane and he's gaining strength back in his left arm. CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta says it's important for stroke patients to introduce different types of exercise, mental and physical in order to strengthen their brains. That's advice Will says he follows pretty much every day, with a combination of physical therapy, occupational therapy and playing games.
Will Shortz
00:05:38
And I do stuff at home, too. I also play table tennis, and some days I just sit down and make puzzles.
Krista Bo
00:05:44
It's good to hear he's still solving and designing crosswords and puzzles that millions of people enjoy.
Will Shortz
00:05:49
My goal is to go back to work full time. I'm working part time now, so I'm just going to keep working until I get back to where I was before.
Krista Bo
00:05:58
Will says he tries to address challenges in his recovery piece by piece, kind of like solving a crossword.
Will Shortz
00:06:04
My advice for anyone who has any sort of challenge is to think positively and do the best you can. Don't give up. Visualize what you want to achieve and keep working toward it.
Krista Bo
00:06:21
In the military, a dog tag symbolizes a service members identity. So at the Dog Tag Bakery in Washington, D.C., as the name might suggest, they offer more than just delicious treats. Over the last decade, the nonprofit has helped veterans rediscover and redefine their identity as they transition to civilian life by offering a five month fellowship program.
Meghan Ogilvie
00:06:44
When you're in the military for both veterans and military families, the world is so black and white, and that's why the military is so efficient. There's very clear value sets that are also put in place and then you get out. Right.
Krista Bo
00:06:57
Meghan Ogilvie is Dog Tag's CEO. Her husband is a marine veteran and her father and sister served as well.
Meghan Ogilvie
00:07:03
You're going from wearing a uniform that identifies who you are, what your rank is, how many times you promoted, to going to a job fair with a resume in a blazer and introducing yourself. So you go from this very clear world to a very gray world. And so we provide an opportunity.
Krista Bo
00:07:20
The program focuses on entrepreneurship, workforce development and wellness, while also providing networking opportunities, mock job interviews and more. And by the end of it, the fellows graduate with a Business Administration certificate from either Loyola University or Georgetown University. It's not just veterans who can join. Military spouses and caregivers can go through the program as well. Megan says many fellows have gone on to start businesses and nonprofits, but they can also learn what they don't like, which is just as valuable or decide to join the workforce.
Meghan Ogilvie
00:07:52
We provide them tools, resources, a community to kind of go through that process to define success for themselves.
Krista Bo
00:07:59
So if this is something you can get behind and you're in the D.C. area, stop by their bakery for a cup of coffee and a piece of cannoli cheesecake. All the proceeds go to the program.
Krista Bo
00:08:14
'We love to cover the good work the 2024 class of CNN Heroes are doing on this show. But next, we check in on how last year's CNN Hero of the Year is doing - caring for the pets of the homeless.
Kwane Stewart
00:08:35
Some of the stories in the streets and the people I meet, the dogs I help. We will see months later, a year later. And the change and the reform, it's pretty magical.
Krista Bo
00:08:44
Dr. Kwane Stewart is a veterinarian whose nonprofit Project Street Vet, provides medical care to the pets of people experiencing homelessness in Northern California. For more than a decade and last year, online voters selected him to be the 2023 CNN Hero of the Year.
Kwane Stewart
00:09:01
It's like the Oscar moment where they open the card and they say, this year's Hero of the Year is.
CNN Heroes MC
00:09:08
Dr. Kwane Stewart
Krista Bo
00:09:09
Nine other CNN Heroes were honored at the awards show as well, and they all received $10,000. But he was the one going home with an additional $100,000 prize. That is, until he decided to split it equally among his fellow CNN Heroes.
Kwane Stewart
00:09:27
The the 100,000 I want to celebrate with all of you is my contribution to all of us. I want to say I'm honored to know you.
Krista Bo
00:09:36
'Since then, Dr. Stewart has gotten hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional prize money and donations - that's helped fund the expansion of his work.
Kwane Stewart
00:09:44
When I am able to care for these pets, keep them healthy, and keep them with their owner, their owner stands a better chance of themselves getting off the streets. Their pet companion is instrumental in that.
Krista Bo
00:09:56
He says he's been able to treat over 2000 animals. And that Project Street Vet operates in seven other cities. He's also opened up to dog food pantries in Southern California. As for what's next, he says the sky's the limit.
Kwane Stewart
00:10:09
More people, more pets served, more cities. And then the dream will just keep rolling on.
Krista Bo
00:10:14
To learn more about Dr. Stewart's story, had to cnn.com/world/heroes. The link is also in our show notes.
Krista Bo
00:10:22
It's almost that time of year to start voting for the 2024 CNN Hero of the Year. On Wednesday, October 30th, we're dropping a special episode dedicated to the Top Five CNN Heroes of 2024. That's also when you'll be able to start voting for your favorite do gooder. Check back in then to hear more goodness.
Krista Bo
00:10:45
'All right. That's all for now. Join us tomorrow for the next edition of One Thing. CNN's Kyung Lah and Yahya Abou-Ghazala investigate how Republicans and Democrats are taking millions of dollars in donations from elderly dementia patients to fuel their campaigns.
Krista Bo
00:11:01
Five Good Things as a production of CNN Audio. This episode was produced by Eryn Mathewson and me, Krista Bo. Our senior producers are Felicia Patinkin and Faiz Jamil. Matt Dempsey is our production manager. Dan Dzula is our technical director. And Steve Lickteig is the executive producer of CNN Audio. We get support from Joey Salvia, Haley Thomas, Alex Manasseri, Robert Mathers, Jon Dianora, Leni Steinhardt, Jamus Andrest, Nichole Pesaru and Lisa Namerow. Special thanks to Amanda Sealey, Meg Tirrell, Mark Doctrow, Christie O'Reilly and Katie Hinman. Thanks for listening. Till next time.
