Author: Kira Leinwand

The beginning of the year is a chance to reset, define what you want to accomplish, who you want to be, and how you want to make a difference. As some use January as the catalyst for self-change – with campaigns like #Veganuary, for example – JGI is taking this approach year-round! This includes our 🔗 #EATMEATLESS campaign and cookbook of the same name, which emphasizes that eating plant-based doesn’t have to be completely revolutionary for it to have a big impact for people, other animals, and the planet we share. Making any change can seem overwhelming, but new experiences can…

🎶 Oh the weather outside is frightful—at least in parts of the US that have distinct seasons and cold winters! But every ecosystem experiences shifts throughout the year, presenting native wildlife with unique challenges to overcome. Just as we help out in our human communities when times are tough—donating time or supplies for disaster relief, or even holding celebrations during the darkest days of the year—we can show compassion to our non-human animal neighbors! This is the motivation behind one Roots & Shoots group’s project, 🔗 Wildlife in Winter, out of East Jordan, Michigan! Group leader and parent Katie used…

2022 was a year of challenges and opportunities, but let’s not forget that it has also a year of powerful HOPE! One of Dr. Goodall’s most powerful reasons for hope is the courage and passion of young people to make a difference. In 2022, this was truer than ever as people around the world took action to bravely stand up to the threats they face in their communities and lives, and show what we are capable of when we work together. Our inspiring Roots & Shoots community was one of the most incredible models of this spark of hope. Around…

We’re approaching the end of the year, and in the United States, this means we’re surrounded by holidays with food at the center! Because many people are getting together to celebrate with friends and family, we usually see a lot of wonderful food collection events and other projects relating to food banks, all with the aim of lending a hand to neighbors in need. One Roots & Shoots group in Canoga Park, California, has been organizing monthly food distribution services for nearly four years, serving about 3,000 low-income families in their community with every distribution. Last year, they decided to…

In another year full of unique global challenges, a little bit of hope goes a long way. One place we’re finding a lot of hope is in the inspiring stories from our programs! The Jane Goodall Institute’s Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Center in the Republic of the Congo (RoC) offers second chances to chimpanzees orphaned or injured through the illegal wildlife trade. At Tchimpounga, trained JGI caretakers, researchers, and other professionals work with these chimpanzees and other wildlife with an individualized approach – each animal given a care plan to heal and thrive. Through this work, wildlife are given a second…

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have respected one another to ensure we all stay healthy by maintaing social distance and avoiding social gatherings to stay safe. Since even before the pandemic, however people who are in intensive care or otherwise hospitalized often miss out on the activities that they most enjoy doing, especially around favorite holidays. That’s why one Roots & Shoots group decided to make a difference with 🔗 Halloween Bags for kids at All Children’s Hospital!  This project started when Roots & Shoots group leader Rachel read Dr. Jane’s book, Doctor White, to the young…

In a world full of threats to our planet and all who live on it, it can be easy to lose hope. Nothing will change if we let those feelings of despair turn into apathy, but if we can turn our hope for the world into action, then there is the possibility for change! The strongest power of hope is its ability to multiply; when one person has enough hope to take action, people begin to see a change, and that gives them hope to take further action as the impact continues to grow. This is the purpose behind the…

A new school year is here, and while we’re sure many of you will be missing the free time of Summer, school brings a lot of great opportunities for fun, friends, and making a difference ! Every lesson is a chance to better understand the world, and it’s only by understanding the world that we help make a meaningful positive change. Now’s also a great time to start or join a 🔗Roots & Shoots group at your school, and meet other like-minded changemakers who can collaborate with you on impactful projects in your community! This school year, you probably have a…

In Tanzania, JGI has long supported community-managed funds to support sustainable development, and in 2021, through the Landscape Conservation in Western Tanzania (LCWT) project, this work grew in new ways including 17 new COCOBA (community conservation banking) groups in the first quarter alone! Each COCOBA group selected a community leader to be trained on general management, problem-solving, how to manage shares, handle passbooks, and more. These microcredit groups invest in livelihoods that offer alternatives to those that would be detrimental to habitat conservation, particularly in Mishamo and Katumba Settlements where agricultural expansion presents a very high threat to the Tongwe…

One of the cornerstones of Dr. Goodall’s ethos is the concept that non-human animals are sentient, complex, intelligent, compassionate, and have innate value. JGI caretakers at Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Center in Republic of the Congo witness that every day across the sanctuary’s diverse groups.  Ramsey Last summer, the chimpanzees on Tchimpounga’s Ngombe Island were gradually introduced to Ramsey, an adult female who had earlier been transferred to Ngombe Island from Group 2. During July, Ramsey spent time in visual proximity without physical contact. In August, she was slowly acclimated to the group. The order of integration is chosen with much…