It's Thursday, Apr. 18, 2024.

It's good news time!

This week:

1. 1. A Grimes nonprofit sends free meds to folks in need 💊   

   2. Teaching Des Moines kids about life through sports 🏀   

   3. Dubuque teen's roundabout journey to a new kidney 🏥   

And a bonus: The Biden administration announced the cancelation of an additional $7.4 billion in student debt for 277,000 borrowers, including 2,690 Iowans, last week.

Let's jump in!

1. Can't afford your meds? 💊  

Affording your medication in the US is a huge problem that elected officials have been trying to solve for a while.

But one nonprofit in Grimes isn't waiting.

Their project, SafeNetRx, takes donations of unused drugs and—using the help of volunteer pharmacy students from nearby colleges—sends them back out for pharmacies to distribute to patients in need across Iowa.

Read all about it in this Iowa Capital Dispatch story.

💬 "I love the idea of actually making an impact."

~Drake University pharmacy student Elizabeth Mensing

2. Life and basketball 🏀 

They want to learn the game of basketball. They're also looking for positive role models in life.

That's the idea behind a partnership between basketball training program Big Guard U and nonprofit Emerging Young Talent, which has been teaching both basketball and life skills to 200+ Des Moines youth and counting.

Read more about it in this Black Iowa News story.

💬 "We’re just trying to serve the unique needs of the youth and community and give them a better outlook on life.”

~Jontay Williams, founder of Big Guard U

When Christopher Tunis of Dubuque needed a new kidney, friend Kathi Anderson wanted to donate her own. But she wasn't a match.

However, thanks to a voucher program with the National Kidney Registry, Anderson found out that she could donate her kidney anyway, and that would mean Tunis was moved up the priority list to receive a compatible kidney in return.

Read more about how it unfolded in this IPR story.

💬 “God gave us two kidneys, and I had one to spare.”

~Kathi Anderson

Want to help a friend in need? Find out more about donating your kidney here.

This is Lucy. Her human got her an interactive sniff mat for dogs. But why sniff when you can lay on it?

(Photo submitted by Madhu B.)

Send me your pet's photo here!

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