Pass kindness on
Vol. 5, Issue 24
“The point is not to pay back kindness but to pass it on.” --Julia Alvarez
THE GOOD NEWS
Caring for Gotham’s fur-babies
The Mamdani administration’s 2027 budget has been released, and people are talking about all of the ways it differs from past financial blueprints. One line item really stood out: $1.5 million allocated to caring for New York City’s animal population.
According to Animal Care Centers of NYC, animal shelters took in over 16,000 animals last year. More than 6,500 were surrendered by owners, many of whom couldn’t afford to feed their animals or provide basic health care.
This new municipal funding aims to help such financially struggling pet owners and decrease the strain on the city’s shelters.
That strain is no joke.
Last summer, NYC shelters had to suspend all pet intakes because they were “completely out of space,” WABC 7 reported. It was the first time in 30 years that such capacity issues had prompted the shelters to no longer accept animal drop-offs (outside of those that required emergency medical care or were a public safety risk).
The city plans to spend $750,000 on its first-ever pet food pantry program to help pet owners who can’t afford food for their animals. The pet food pantries will be run out of existing community food networks and neighborhood hubs.
Another $750,000 will be used to expand access to free or low-cost spay/neuter services. Mobile clinics will travel to the city’s low-income neighborhoods to provide these procedures. Vouchers will also be disseminated, which can be redeemed at participating veterinarians.
FMI: Click here.
Field of dreams
The Superfield of Dreams at Carrier Park in DeWitt, N.Y., recently held its grand opening.
The 26-acre facility is the largest ADA-compliant athletic complex on the East Coast. It features seven fully accessible turf fields, a playground designed for kids with special needs, three all-inclusive basketball courts, and even a new Jumbotron scoreboard.
The facility said it aims to support child and adult athletes in baseball, softball, soccer, lacrosse, field hockey, flag football and basketball – and plans to host some Special Olympics events.
Carrier Park is also the new, permanent home of Syracuse Challenger Baseball. Established in 1982, it is now one of the oldest and largest baseball programs for adults and children with disabilities.
FMI: Click here.
And then one day, Sunny found his voice
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THIS WEEK’S POLL
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THIS WEEK IN (POSITIVE) HISTORY
On July 9, 1947, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower appointed Florence A. Blanchfield as a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army. She was the first woman in U.S. history to hold a permanent military rank.
On July 10, 1962, Telstar 1, the first communications satellite to transmit live TV signals and telephone conversations across the Atlantic Ocean, was launched.
On July 11, 1960, Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” was published.
On July 12, 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower presented his plan for an interstate highway system.
On July 13, 1923, the Hollywood sign was dedicated in the Hollywood Hills. The 50-foot-tall letters originally spelled out “HOLLYWOODLAND.” The last four letters were dropped in 1949.
On July 14, 2015, scientists from the Large Hadron Collider announced the discovery of a new particle called the pentaquark.
On July 15, 1988, the action film “Die Hard” starring Bruce Willis premiered.
THIS WEEK’S FUN HOLIDAYS
July 9 is National Dimples Day and National Sugar Cookie Day
July 10 is Global Energy Independence Day, World Kebab Day, National Clerihew Day, National French Fry Day, National Kitten Day, National Motorcycle Day, National Piña Colada Day, Pick Blueberries Day and Teddy Bears’ Picnic Day
July 11 is International Essential Oils Day, International Skinny Dip Day, World Population Day, National 7-Eleven Day, National Blueberry Muffin Day, National State Fair Food Day, National Swimming Pool Day, All-American Pet Photo Day and Cheer Up the Lonely Day
July 12 is National Different Colored Eyes Day, National Eat Your Jello Day, National Pecan Pie Day, National Simplicity Day, Barn Day, Etch-A-Sketch Day and Paper Bag Day
July 13 is National Barbershop Music Appreciation Day, National Beans ‘n Franks Day, National Nitrogen Ice Cream Day, National Rock Day, Embrace Your Geekness Day and Rubik’s Cube Day
July 14 is National Be Nice to Bugs Day, National Mac and Cheese Day, National Nude Day, Cow Appreciation Day and Shark Awareness Day
July 15 is National Give Something Away Day, National Gummi Worm Day, National I Love Horses Day, National Pet Fire Safety Day, National Tapioca Pudding Day, Orange Chicken Day and Social Media Giving Day
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
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HOW TO SPREAD JOY/KINDNESS
* Offer assistance when someone seems overburdened
* Stand next to the shopping cart kiosk in the grocery store parking lot. Hand a flower or a bottle of water to every person who returns their cart.
* Organize a blood drive
RECOMMENDED SUBSTACK
MOMENT OF GRATITUDE
Thanks to Igor Vetushko, Nice News, New York City Council, Animal Care Centers of NYC, ABC7, Facebook, Voters for Animal Rights, Allie Taylor, NYCC Animal Welfare Caucus, Harvey Epstein, Instagram, NYC Mayor’s Office of Animal Welfare, Good Good Good, Carrier Park, the Baldwinsville Messenger, NewsChannel 9 WSYR Syracuse, YouTube, Nice News, The Dodo, The Written Word, History.com, This Day in History, Britannica, Time and Date, On This Day, the Library of Congress, IMDb, This Day in Music, National Today, National Day Calendar, Holidays Calendar, 7-Eleven, the Wolf Conservation Center, Curious About Everything, Emily Charlotte Powell, While I Was Drawing, Counting Beans, Canva and Deposit Photos for art and story suggestions. Note: Generative AI was not used during the ideation, creation or publication of this newsletter.
KEEP IN TOUCH
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Thank you for making Curious About Everything your recommendation this week! 🤍
Re Kit-Kats, I nibble the chocolate off the edges of each finger then eat the cookie part. And I did not know they were called fingers!