Today’s edition of #FourForApril shows a remarkable breakthrough and three incredible acts of kindness across the globe. Florida’s Aquarium has made a breakthrough that will help save the word’s third largest coral reef, while two Vietnamese children have gifted a donation of 20,000 face masks to the UK. To say that is extraordinary does not that do that wonderful deed justice. Amazing.
In other news, a mosque in Inverness has donated all of its food for Ramadan to homeless, whilst a US supermarket is helping to support farmers by buying its produce and donating it to food banks.
We love the genius of scientists and even more the kindness displayed across the globe in today’s post. I hope you do too. Stay safe, stay hopeful 💚
Florida Aquarium makes breakthrough that will help save the world’s third largest coral reef
The Florida Aquarium has made a breakthrough that it is hoped will help save ‘America’s Great Barrier Reef,’ the third largest coral reef in the world.
For the first time in world history, the aquarium in Tampa, Florida, has successfully reproduced ridged cactus coral in human care.
The corals are just one of a variety of species rescued from Florida’s waters by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and NOAA Fisheries after coral reefs in the state began tackling a major disease outbreak that started in 2014.
Scientists are now caring for the rescued adult coral colonies to breed and reproduce them in the hope of someday restoring the reefs once the disease is gone.
New information on their biology, such as when they have babies or what their larvae look like, is also being discovered.
Before this discovery, there was very little information known about how ridged cactus coral reproduce.
No photos, videos, or published studies were ever done on the species’ reproductive biology until scientists at the aquarium successfully reproduced them while catching the “birth” on video.
About a year ago, the aquarium’s scientists became the first in the world to get Atlantic Ocean coral to successfully reproduce two days in a row for the first time in a lab setting.
You can read more about this groundbreaking story here.
Vietnamese children donate 20,000 face masks to UK
Two children in Hanoi have funded a gift of 20,000 face masks for Britain.
Truong Thi Linh Nhan and Truong Cao Khoi used their ‘lucky money’ they had saved over several years to donate the masks to help the UK tackle the coronavirus pandemic.
The masks were sent successfully by the British embassy in Hanoi last week on a commercial flight which also repatriated 100 British nationals.
The embassy tweeted a letter from Gareth Ward, British ambassador to Vietnam, alongside a picture of of the pair near Tower Bridge in London.
In his letter, he said: “I am glad that you, who are at very young ages, care about the world and have contributed to the fight against the virus.
“I believe that your gift is really meaningful to doctors, nurses and healthcare workers in the UK, who are working around the clock to fight against the virus and save people’s lives.”
Lucky money is a Vietnamese tradition in which children are given money in a red envelope to mark the Lunar New Year. It is a symbol of health, peace and happiness.
The embassy said the children had been saving their money up for a few years and had chosen to spend it on masks for medical staff.
You can read more about this incredible deed from the Nhan and Khoi here.
Scottish mosque donates food for Ramadan to homeless
A mosque in Inverness is donating the food it would normally make for worshippers during Ramadan to the homeless and others who need it.
Scotland’s Muslim communities, and those across the UK, are marking the holy month at home due to the coronavirus lockdown.
Following the kind deed, the mosque also urged its worshippers to eat well after their daily fasting to help maintain good health.
Ramadan, which started on Thursday evening, is considered the holiest of months in the Islamic calendar and normally sees Muslims fast by not eating or drinking during daylight hours as well as being a time for prayer and reflection.
Meals are prepared for congregations to eat following the day’s fasting, but this year people are being asked to stay at home, so the meals are still being made available for a good cause.
You can read more about this lovely story here.
A supermarket is buying milk and produce from farmers and donating it to food banks
We reported a few days ago the struggle that farmers were having in selling their milk, so they decided to donate it to whoever needed it.
It has now emerged that supermarket chain Publix has launched a new initiative to help some struggling farmers and to still get milk and other produce to Americans who need it most.
The company has said it will purchase fresh produce and milk from farmers impacted by the COVID-19 crisis and donate the goods directly to Feeding America food banks that are in its “operating area.”
They predict that in the first week of their initiative, 150,000 pounds of produce and 43,500 gallons of milk are expected to be donated.
Todd Jones, Publix CEO said: “As a food retailer, we have the unique opportunity to bridge the gap between the needs of families and farmers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
“In addition to providing much needed produce and milk to food banks, this initiative provides financial support to farmers during this challenging time.”
The company will purchase food from Florida’s produce farmers and southeastern dairy farmers through the initiative.
Publix Super Markets Charities recently also made donations which totaled $2 million to help Feeding America’s member food banks amid the crisis.
You can read more about this great initiative from Publix here.
Bonus positive:
This selfless donation of toiletries from a care worker and her son 💚
Every day in April, we will be sharing four positive news stories in one post under the hashtag #FourForApril. Got any kindness stories? Send them in! We’d love the world to hear about these good deeds by good people 🙂
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