Every Sunday, I cry.
The reason? Steve Hartman’s stories for CBS Sunday Morning. For his On the Road series, inspired by Charles Kuralt’s work, he shows up to meet ordinary folks in ordinary towns across the country.
In each story, people are suddenly given the chance to help someone, and they jump at it, no matter their own struggles and circumstances. They pool money to buy a car for a man who walks five miles to work every day; they pitch in to throw a party for an autistic child with few friends; they donate a piano to a talented musician in a struggling family.
The stories that really get the waterworks going are about the kindness of young people, like the four-year-old who loves to offer sandwiches to people in need, or high school football players who team up to support their school’s custodian.
From a distance, the world can seem full of anger, resentment, and frustration. But look a little closer, and you’ll see people who care about each other and will go to great lengths to help.
Our community is full of these giving people, and this issue shines a spotlight on many of them: Circles Upstate, teaming up to help people exit poverty; Triune Mercy Center and Premier Arts Collective, using art to create a safe space for people in need; Set Free Alliance, working with area restaurants to bring clean water and medical care to people around the world.
And our Charitable Giving Awards, given each year in partnership with Community Foundation of Greenville, showcase seven prime examples of how giving to a meaningful cause can make a substantial difference in your life and the lives of those around you.
If news of corruption and hatred gets you down, these stories remind you of people’s goodness. It’s all around us if we look more closely.
