This week's episode is full of awesome, wholesome stories submitted by our listeners! Enjoy stories about an adorable dog named Snuffy who was the perfect furever match for a U.S. Army Veteran living with complex PTSD, a sweet woman's community she created after the loss of her husband, an awesome stranger who made a generous offer in a Walmart parking lot, the gift of a plant that started a friendship, a wonderful birthday idea that spread smiles to so many people, a full circle story with inspiring insights, and an amazing group working hard to clean up an ENORMOUS amount of trash in their local area! Find out which stories took the title of the various awards in our little "contest". :) Thank you so much to the listeners who submitted their stories!

Photos of Snuffy the Dog!

Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1124919431985231/

Send positive stories, hopeful news articles, or topics you'd like us to cover to us at upliftingpositivestories@gmail.com, and we may feature them in a future podcast episode!

Link to the "A California retiree started picking up litter on her pandemic walks, and the volunteer group she built in the San Fernando Valley says it has now hauled away nearly 750,000 pounds of trash" article: https://www.ecoticias.com/en/pounds-of-trash-san-fernando-valley/37716/

Stories of a generous stranger handing out food to people in need, amazing facts about Robin Williams and the Choctaw Indian tribe, a full-circle moment for a restaurant owner offering someone a position, an awesome interaction involving a mural, tiny homes being constructed for people in need, and more!

Next episode is our 100th episode and we want YOUR stories! We're holding a little contest for the best stories for each category:

• Most Unexpectedly Wholesome Story

• Best Awesome Stranger Story

• Cutest Animal Story

• Faith in Humanity Restored

• Best Tiny Act of Kindness

• Most Ridiculously Good News

• Best Story We Almost Didn't Believe

• The "I Needed This Today" Award

Please submit your stories or news articles by October 4th, 2026. The best story for each category will win that honorary title! :) You can send them to upliftingpositivestories@gmail.com, our Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/1124919431985231/, by commenting on this episode's Youtube video, or by posting on our Reddit page https://www.reddit.com/r/upliftpositivestories/

Link to the r/AskReddit Subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/

Link to the r/MadeMeSmile Subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/MadeMeSmile/?communityAnchorSource=daily_discussion

Link to the r/homeless Subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/homeless/

Link to the r/kindness Subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/kindness/

Link to the r/randomactsofkindness Subreddit: r/randomactsofkindness

Link to the "From homeless to a place of their own: How 'A Tiny Home for Good' is helping people rebuild their lives" article: https://edition.cnn.com/2026/07/10/us/andrew-lunetta-a-tiny-home-for-good-cnnheroes

Stories of students' sweet gesture for a teacher that seemed to be having an off day, a creative solution to help a Redditor that was experiencing financial struggles, a listener's story of donating hair multiple times for hair replacements for children and young adults with medically-related hair loss with information for how you can be a part of the cause, incredible efforts by volunteers to help people regain their sight in Trinidad, volunteers helping people get their smiles back, and more!

Do you want to be a part of an awesome cause? Visit Childrenwithhairloss.org to find out how you can donate hair for hair replacements for children and young adults with medically-related hair loss, and go to thelonghairs.us to sign up at the bottom of the page for the Great Cut in 2030!

Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1124919431985231/

Send positive stories, hopeful news articles, or topics you'd like us to cover to us at upliftingpositivestories@gmail.com, and we may feature them in a future podcast episode!

Link to the r/AsktheWorld Subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/AskTheWorld/

Link to the r/TwoXChromosomes Subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/TwoXChromosomes/

Link to the r/AskReddit Subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/

Link to the r/randomactsofkindness Subreddit: r/randomactsofkindness

Link to the "More Than 3,000 Regain Sight Through Adventist-Led Medical Mission in Trinidad" article: https://interamerica.org/2026/06/more-than-3000-regain-sight-through-adventist-led-medical-mission-in-trinidad/

Link to the "This 22-year-old engineer 3D prints dentures to give low-income Americans their smiles back" article: https://www.cnn.com/health/this-22-year-old-engineer-3d-prints-dentures-to-give-americas-poor-their-smiles-back-spc

Stories of a young boy learning a valuable lesson in helping others, a waitresses shocking discovery after serving a difficult customer for many years, anonymous notes that surely put a smile on neighbors' faces, a super sweet puzzle donation, two seniors' awesome birthday celebrations with advice for living to old age, and more!

Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1124919431985231/

Send positive stories, hopeful news articles, or topics you'd like us to cover to us at upliftingpositivestories@gmail.com, and we may feature them in a future podcast episode!

Link to the r/MadeMeSmile Subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/MadeMeSmile/

Link to the r/AskReddit Subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/

Link to the r/randomactsofkindness Subreddit: r/randomactsofkindness

Link to the r/AsktheWorld Subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/AskTheWorld/

Link to the "Bikers Surprise 105-Year-Old Woman with Motorcycle Procession for Her Birthday: 'She's Such a Baddie'" article: https://people.com/bikers-surprise-105-year-old-woman-motorcycle-procession-birthday-12023373

Link to the "100-Year-Old World War II Veteran Reveals His Secret to a Long Life — and Explains Why He Wants to Live to 132" article: https://people.com/100-year-old-wwii-veteran-reveals-secret-to-long-life-wants-to-live-to-age-132-12018318

Stories of a amazing dogs alerting their owners that something was wrong, a dog's sweet routine, a dog's surprising habit that will warm your heart, an animal shelter's awesome idea during the height of the Pokemon Go popularity, a pair of kittens' adorable venture to be close to their new cat dad, a touching reunion of a woman and her dog after 11 years apart, and more!

Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1124919431985231/

Send positive stories, hopeful news articles, or topics you'd like us to cover to us at upliftingpositivestories@gmail.com, and we may feature them in a future podcast episode!

Link to the r/BORUpdates Subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/BORUpdates/

Link to the r/wholesomestories Subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/wholesomestories/

Link to the r/wholesomememes Subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/wholesomememes/

Link to the r/spreadsmile Subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/spreadsmile/

Link to the r/AskReddit Subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/

Link to the r/randomactsofkindness Subreddit: r/randomactsofkindness

Link to the "Woman who never stopped updating her lost dog's chip reunites with him after 11 years" article: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/11-year-dog-reunion-9.7140780

Stories of someone's awesome recovery from BPD, amazing perspectives about struggle and self improvement from a Reddit Thread, a nonprofit organization helping people with their medical debt, and an in-depth of discussion about Adrianna and Wyatt's Birth Story: the hardships, the miracles, and the takeaways, in hopes that by sharing these stories, others may feel less alone.

Trigger Warning: In depth discussion and descriptions about our traumatic birth experience including induction methods, C-Section, and mental health struggles after. Feel free to skip to this timecode if you would like: 1:08:39

Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1124919431985231/

Send positive stories, hopeful news articles, topics you'd like us to cover, or anything you'd like to talk about to us at upliftingpositivestories@gmail.com, and we may feature them in a future podcast episode!

Link to the "Tied in knots by medical debt. Working to undo the damage in NC.": https://carolinapublicpress.org/75990/medical-debt-relief-undue-nc/

Link to the r/BPD Subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/BPD/

Link to the r/SelfImprovement Subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/selfimprovement/

Stories of a chance encounter a month after a kind act that made an impact, multiple simple actions that renewed people's view on humanity, a customer that gave a massive tip after witnessing a patient worker's actions, a hopeful study that indicates we are close to eliminating a type of cancer with a vaccine, and more!

Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1124919431985231/

Send positive stories, hopeful news articles, or topics you'd like us to cover to us at upliftingpositivestories@gmail.com, and we may feature them in a future podcast episode!

Link to the "Young women now have 'close to zero' risk of cervical cancer death after HPV jab": https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c621z28z138o

Link to the r/randomactsofkindness Subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/randomactsofkindness/

Link to the r/kindness Subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/kindness/

Stories of awesome acts of kindness at Dunkin Donuts, a group of Nanas that kept a wholesome secret for 30 years, a mom who rectified her daughter's "ruined childhood" in a super sweet, creative way with the help of Redditors, and a 100 year old Veteran who finally got the amazing prom experience he never had.

Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1124919431985231/

Send positive stories, hopeful news articles, or topics you'd like us to cover to us at upliftingpositivestories@gmail.com, and we may feature them in a future podcast episode!

Link to the r/randomactsofkindness Subreddit: r/randomactsofkindness

Link to the r/FaithinHumanity Subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/FaithInHumanity/

Link to the r/BORUpdates Subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/BORUpdates/

Link to the "100-year-old veteran attends 1st prom 82 years after missing his own" article: https://abcnews.com/GMA/Living/100-year-veteran-attends-1st-prom-80-years/story?id=133214627