Happy to see you back! I’ve gathered some fresh picks for this week’s Feel Good News — let’s spread some smiles together.

1. New York just delivered $189 million in summer food assistance to nearly 1.6 million children this summer, covering the gap left when free school lunch disappears every June

New York State has distributed $189 million in Summer EBT benefits to 1.6 million low-income children, with families able to apply through September 8, 2026.

2. The first 100% effective HIV prevention drug is approved and going global

An epidemic that’s been sustained for 44 years might finally be quelled, with the milestone approval of the first HIV drug that offers 100% protection with its twice-yearly injections. It’s a landmark achievement that stands to save millions of lives across the globe.

3. Portugal’s last circus elephant, Julie, has arrived at Europe’s first large scale elephant sanctuary and is already roaming free and enjoying her first mud bath

Julie, the first resident of the Pangea elephant sanctuary in Évora, Portugal, is enjoying her newfound freedom after being the last circus elephant in the country. Captured in Africa about 40 years ago, she joined the Victor Hugo Cardinali circus in 1988 and remained there until Portugal banned wild animals in circuses in 2018. Julie’s future is uncertain, as elephants born in captivity typically live shorter lives than those in the wild. However, she is adapting well to her new home, where she can choose how to spend her days.

4. Justice Dept. admits Reflecting Pool renovation was flawed, drops case against former Olympian

The Justice Department revealed that President Trump’s $14 million renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was poorly executed and acknowledged that the damage was not due to vandalism, as previously claimed. The Department dropped charges against former Olympian David Hearn, who was accused of vandalizing the pool. This admission contradicts Trump’s assertions that vandals were entirely responsible for the pool’s deterioration.

5. More than 3,000 people in Trinidad and Tobago regained their sight through a free cataract and pterygium surgery mission, with hundreds arriving daily and extra tents set up to meet the demand

A lot of the patients had put off care for years because screening and surgery were too expensive, so pre-op screening became a big challenge—many arrived without assessments and the teams had to adapt on the spot. The surgeries were minimally invasive and people saw quick improvements—colors sharper, less night blindness—and they also treated pterygium, that “surfer’s eye” caused by UV, dust and wind. For those folks, this wasn’t just better vision; it was independence and the ability to get back to normal life.

6. Pakistan built 27 gigawatts of distributed solar in just two years, matching the combined capacity of every coal, gas and oil plant it has ever built

In just two years Pakistan’s power story flipped: national electricity use jumped 21% (about 33 TWh) and that growth was basically all from distributed solar — generation went from 15 TWh to 51 TWh while grid output actually fell a bit. Renewables First estimates around 38 GW of distributed solar by June 2025 (about 27 GW of that installed in two years), pushing solar’s share from ~10% to ~28% of generation (roughly 32% if you count avoided transmission losses). That rapid rollout happened because solar got cheap, net-metering and low import taxes made adoption easy, and people were desperate for reliable daytime power.

7. Zero roadkill as Amazon canopy bridges secure 15,000 crossings

In Alta Floresta, efforts to mitigate wildlife-vehicle collisions have been more successful since the installation of canopy bridges in 2024, which have allowed 15,000 safe crossings for arboreal animals without any recorded roadkill. The program, known as Projeto Reconecta, aims to enhance wildlife connectivity and reduce roadkill through further installations and collaboration with local stakeholders.

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That’s it for last week :)

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