>> changemakers are out there. >> i realize i need to try to make things different. >> redefining what is possible. >> we don't have to live this way. >> reporter: and lifting up humanity. >> these are their stories. these are the champions for change. >> good evening and welcome to "champions for change." i'm alisyn camerota. >> and i'm john berman. tonight, you are going to meet some people who are changing the world. they're not celebrities. they're not political leaders. maybe, you've never even heard of them. >> these are unsung champions who have rolled up their sleeves and taken on some of the tough problems facing humanity. so let's begin in the mountains of kentucky. an area struggling with unemployment and opioid addiction. >> but the region also has rich traditions of craftsmanship and music and a local artisan has found a way to turn that heritage into a culture of recovery. >> there is a lot of beauty in

southeastern kentucky. we have a saying, around here, that every holler is a home to someone's weary soul. troublesome creek got its name, for the most obvious of reasons. in rainy times, it tears out bridges and roads. when it gets really, really angry. well, it's a pretty good metaphor for the downturn of the coal industry. taking away all the good jobs and, of course, the open oioid epidemic. luthery is the art of string instrument making. this county is considered by many to be the birthplace. when i first came down to establish the appalachian school of lutheran in 2012. and then, came earl. >> when i did my first oxycontin, i felt like it would ease the pain and make it easier

for me. the pain from failure. the not believing in myself. i was in jail for nine months. i've been through five different drug treatment facilities. i had a love for woodwork. i knew i had a love for guitars. >> he said i need you to teach me how to make guitars. and i said, well, that's no problem, that's what we do. and he said, no, you don't understand. i need to come and do this. >> i was probably headed for death, that time. how many more chances do you get in life? >> there was some discussion about the wisdom of bringing people in addiction into our studios. >> he's like we're going to give you a chance. don't let us down. what was supposed to have been a one-year artisan residence turned into a six-year relationship. i built over 70 instruments, at this point. art releases something deep inside of you, you don't know

you have. in woodworking, i was able to see the flaws but turn them into features. i grew in self-confidence. i'm still sober, eight years later. >> we actually took our experience with earl. and using that as a spring line, the staff of the appalachian artisan center created the culture of recovery program which was designed to host people in recovery in our studios. our blacksmith, pottery, and luth luthery studios. we don't do the difficult work the recovery centers do. we don't take people in who need to go through detox. they do that and heroically. what we do is accept people into our studios when they've phased into a place where that's useful to them. >> i've never really completed

anything before in my life. and it's actually turned out to be a pretty nice piece of the -- piece of artwork. >> with my drug court clients that participate in the program, the recidivism rate is very low. i would consider it to be 10% or less. they're learning skills. they're learning patience. they're building relationships. and they're going to have a finished product in their hand. >> troublesome creek string instrument company is an extension of our school that allow us to bring people from the recovery community into full-time employment. >> my life, today, is bigger than i ever dreamed imaginable. i went back and got a masters degree in network security. from an addict to director of information technology. so, today, i get to work with addicts. it's amazing to see people's lives change. doug believed in me. he was able to show me a lot of things that i couldn't see, in

myself. i feel like god put doug in this town. >> it really is amazing, what people can achieve if just given a chance. >> everyone needs a purpose. i mean, and that troublesome creek is offering it. >> right. so last year, cnn's dr. sanjay gupta introduced us to a man who survived a suicide jump off the golden gate bridge. his story has, literally, saved lives. sanjay recently met back up with the mental health duo kadvocatea time when the coronavirus pandemic has the whole world on edge. >> people may see me as the bridge guy but i am just kevin. >> reporter: it's been almost 20 years since the iconic golden gate bridge became a symbol of kevin heinz' mission in life. life. that's the keyword here because when kevin was 19 years old, he jumped. falling more than 200 feet. and survived. >> this is the place where you jumped.

>> yeah. this is the place where i lived. >> i love that. how much does that still define you? >> it doesn't define who i am. but i have come a long way from under the golden gate bridge. >> today is our gift. >> reporter: kevin has since become an advocate for mental health around the world. his motto? be here tomorrow. >> i've fulfilled ten lifetimes on this journey. i am so grateful to be here with you. >> but i do want to show you this clip of someone else's life that you touched. let's take a quick look, and i want to get your reaction to this. last year, after our story about kevin aired, jen principe and tony muscle stopped and helped when they saw a man about to jump off a highway overpass. >> within, like, seconds, that interview with dr. sanjay gupta and kevin heinz just came back to me and i said we have to turn back. >> oh, wow. that's beautiful. >> that's a life saved. >> oh, my gosh.

>> it's pretty emotional. i mean, it's emotional for me. >> yeah. i can -- it is. >> reporter: but now, during this pandemic, we're not always able to reach out and physically help someone. >> i remember, even in the beginning, the terminology that people were saying. you need to be socially distant. >> i hate that terminology. >> me, too, right? >> physically distanced. socially connected. >> makes all the difference. >> yeah. >> what should people do? right now, people are watching saying you know what? i know somebody who is probably kind of lonely out there. they've been cooped up at home. >> so if you know someone that is going through it mentally during this period of crisis, please, reach out to them. don't wait for them to reach in. you know, be that person that lends that hand through that video call. because you can help someone, literally, change their life. >> and sanjay joins us, now. sanjay, it's so true. particularly, now. everybody needs to be connected. and if we want to reach out to somebody, do you have best

advice for how to do that? >> yeah. you know, it's -- there is a few things kevin told me, which i've already started adopting in my life. first of all, you know, you may want to, even today, just make a list of a few people that you'd like to reach out to during this time, in particular. and then, find the time to do it. these may be people you haven't spoken to in years, even. also, you know, when -- when you're -- when you're talking to them, this expert who sort of focuses on loneliness said a couple things. one, don't accept the first answer you receive. how you doing? i'm doing fine and it can end up a very superficial conversation. but just take the time to probe a little deeper and then listen. also, very interestingly, and again i have started doing this, have the conversation be directed in a way that, maybe, even, you're asking them for help or guidance in some way. >> kevin's story and your relationship with him, sanjay, have been so inspiring every time i hear it. it's just remarkable. one of his goals has been to get

a suicide net around the golden gate bridge. what's the progress there? >> yeah. so this is -- this is happening and this has been his life's work. things have slowed down a little bit because of the pandemic, like so many other things. but the net, itself, is basically constructed. they have started to put up the support brackets around the bridge. and they say, now, by 2023, that net, which is about 360,000-square-feet, should be all around the bridge. basically, as a -- as a safeguard to -- to keep people or -- or at least protect them if -- if they do decide to jump. i mean, there are still, to this day, you know, three people or so, every month roughly, that do jump off the golden gate bridge. so this net will go a long way. >> oh, my gosh. what an accomplishment. sanjay, thank you, very much, for that great update. >> you got it. thank you. >> okay. ahead on "champions for change." a young inventor floats a simple way to clean trash out of our oceans.

welcome back to champions for change. each year, tons of plastic float into the oceans. that do not go away by themselves. but a dutch inventor created a promising system that can intercept trash, before it gets to the ocean. >> research has found that just 1% of rivers is responsible for 80% of all plastic that's entering the ocean around the world. the intercepter is a fully solar-powered and autonomous

cleanup system. which basically uses the current of the rivers to collect the plastic. we have three intercepters cleaning rivers. one in indonesia. one in malaysia. and one in the dominican republic. getting out tons of plastic, every single day. >> it is so cool. the organization is called the ocean cleanup. in addition to its fleet of river craft, the group is working on technology to skim away those massive garbage patches in the ocean. >> good for them. >> all right. so wyoming, in the dead of winter, not where you would expect to find groundbreaking agriculture. >> but earlier this year, we caught up with this champion for change, who reimagined farming and also found a new way to cultivate dignity. >> jackson hole exists at 6,200 feet. we are surrounded by yellowstone national park.

and teton national park. we came together to look for an out-of-the-box solution. we wanted to employ as many people as possible, and do both year round. and that's where the idea to go up came from. vertical iris is really an evolution. none of us set out to be vertical farmers. i am an architect by trade and i have always believed in the power of architecture to be a vehicle for social change. on a tenth of an acre, we grow now the equivalent of ten acres worth of food. we grow tomatoes, lettuces, micro greens. we serve four different grocery stores in our town and over 40

restaurants. >> it's a very cold, snowy place, which poses a lot of problems for getting fresh produce. the way nona has approached it is bringing something unique to those chefs that they can use, and feature all year round. >> creating a local source of produce was the inception of the project. but then, as we came together, we realized that there was also a big problem. people with physical and intellectual disabilities in our town who want to work, who want to find consistent and meaningful work, were not able to do so. i have a brother with disabilities, and i think i've been an advocate for this population, before i even understood what the word meant. we're pairing innovation with an underserved population, and really creating a sea change of perception of what this population is able to do. and we've created amazing, committed, loyal crew of unexpected farmers. >> i'm a micro green grower.

i take some seeds. and i lay 'em on the medium. one layer. no more. no less. >> johnny is a graduate of the university of wyoming. and really, we count on him to accurately seed every type of micro green. he is the person that we trust, most. >> i am grateful for nona for hiring me so i can work at this job. and help grow produce. >> shawn washed dishes for most of his career. and the thing is that shawn never had an opportunity to really show to his employer what he can do. shawn is incredibly unique, in that he knows how to make this ecosystem run. and while, before, he had a job, now he has a purpose. we can empower the most underserved in our communities, just by giving them a chance. everybody here is a champion, and everybody here is dedicated to change.

and everyone here has shown their ability to change things, profoundly, in our community. >> as if jackson could be even more awesome. young inventors to some old friends, after the break, we'll catch up with some seniors social distancing, in perfect harmony. stock slices. for as little as $5, now anyone can own companies in the s&p 500, even if their shares cost more. at $5 a slice, you could own ten companies for $50 instead of paying thousands. all commission free online. schwab stock slices: an easy way to start investing or to give the gift of stock ownership. schwab. own your tomorrow. here's a choice you don't have to make:ses are always making choices.

the largest 5g network... award-winning customer satisfaction... or insanely great value. now, with t-mobile for business, there's no compromise. network. support. value. choose. all. three. t-mobile for business. ready when you are. dthat's nothing new.t? but if you want denny's for dinner, you can have that too. come get all your favorites, whether it's day or at night. and delivery is free, whichever you decide. see you at dennys.com

the last year, i spent time with the young at heart chorus. this is an inspiring group of senior citizens, who perform rock hits for audiences across the country. they were my champions for change. >> don't give up when you get older. don't be afraid of getting old because you have so much to offer. you have so much to give. >> now, the covid-19 pandemic has forced the chorus to cancel all in-person rehearsals and performances. >> everybody, at home. everybody, on the phone, you're going to sing-along. >> but thanks to technology, they have not let it stop the music. watch. ♪ what's that sound, everybody look what's going down ♪ >> it was really quite a task to

get 25 people, whose average age is 85, to be on zoom but we did it. >> if you want time to go slowly, at this age, then live in a pandemic because the time has just crawled by. without having young at heart and the structure of that and new music and learning new lyrics has just been incredibly helpful and very stimulating. >> i swear, every time i am with them or even hear them, i just want to sing with them. i just want to sing. >> i agree with you. i mean, music is so healing but i also feel like they have officially adopted you. >> that'd be great. awesome. i'd get nonstop cookies.

things like that. no. they're wonderful and the way they found a way to work on, is so important because they need this. they need this outlet and they have so much more to provide to all of us so visit young at heart chorus dot com to join them for their next live, virtual concert that's on october 3rd. >> just terrific. i love all their songs, and they have mastered zoom. >> i imagine which is the hardest part for seniors. i'm not kidding. >> for all of us. >> we're going to introduce you, now, to a plumber who knows a few things about smashing through walls and joining pipes. >> her name is cassidy and her program, tools and tiaras, empowers girls to break barriers. >> when i arrive at a plumbing job, most people do not believe i am the plumber. sometimes, people doubt what you are capable of. that's what i'm trying to change. that stereotype. so when i first started tools and tiaras in 2017, my goal was to give little girls the exposure to different careers in

the trade. we have a free, monthly workshop for women and girls. and then, a free summer camp, where girls can come and be exposed to all of the awesome careers in the building trades. >> this is the bottom of your bird feeder. >> our instructors are women. we had to order different kits and ship it out in boxes to the girls. my mission is to really just put tools in girls' hands, and let them build a world that they so desire. >> americans are doing a lot of soul searching when it comes to race and taking action. but even before this time of reckoning, tony weaver was fed up with the discouraging portrayals of black people he saw in the media. so he literally put on a cape, tapped into his own, creative powers, and set out to change the message. >> the united states is in a place of reckoning and that what

some people interpret as rising, racial tensions, that are recent, are actually things that have been present in our country for a really long time that, i believe, are actually woven into the fabric of what this country is. black students are dealing with something especially stressful right now. they see pictures and videos of people that look like them being killed and assaulted by police around the country. when i think about kids, right now, it makes me realize that there is a lot of work that needs to be done. when i was younger, i was dealing with a lot of bullying. and i wanted nothing more than to not exist. i can't rest knowing that there are kids that look like me that want nothing more than for somebody to look at them and say i believe in you, you're worth something, and they don't have it. when i started weird enough, in 2014, i was struck by the fact that media portrayals of michael

brown were having a tangibly negative impact on the way i, as an individual, was treated on a predominantly white college campus. so i had a thought process that, maybe, media representation can have a positive impact as well. my work is rooted in creating a new world of diverse and original stories, featuring characters and heroes that help young people find the hero in themself. the weird enough team is scattered around the globe. our thought was what if we could take that same, amazing feeling that you get when you watch an anime, and translate it, scientifically, to the way that young people behave in school and the way that they develop? so we have a program where we take an original comic series we create called the uncommons. and we partner it with lesson plans and curricula that can be used in school. but also, any kid or any parent or caretaker can access from home, too. >> roman has very, very, very great power. what i like most about the

uncommons is that it is about black heroes that save the day. my favorite character is iris because she is mostly curious and funny. she is a black girl and a hero, kind of like me. >> our characters do fight giant monsters but they're not the type that are the size of buildings. they're different types of monsters. insecurities. fears. past failures. things that people spend their entire lives running from. >> this doctor approves of tony weaver's message. when we have books that can speak to what messages we are trying to encourage in our children. there's one thing for me to say it, as a mommy. but there is something completely different when my daughter can look in a book, and see herself and the messages speak to some of the challenges that she has, as a little, black

girl, growing up in this country. >> there has not been, in my speerpt experience, a curriculum that represents our black and brown kids in a positive way. when tony introduced his literacy program, in 2017, he also just spoke to the kids about being a young, black entrepreneur. so they were inspired that this young kid, with a cape, who's supercool and has a high top, you know, haircut, looks like them. >> for me, my cape is a way to unapologetically bring myself into any space i enter. my way of saying that i'm not going to allow any people to minimize who i am. but what's a cape for me might be different, for a different young person. so i encourage them to find the thing that makes you feel empowered, and don't let anybody take it away from you. >> up next. a common shipping container, a bold designer, and new hope for puerto ricans who lost their

homes in hurricanes. (vo) with t-mobile for business, your business has an easy choice.

the largest 5g network... award-winning customer satisfaction... insanely great value. choose. all. three. ready when you are.

welcome back to champions for change. we are smack in the middle of hurricane season, right now. in fact, september is historically the season's most active month. >> so, exactly three years ago, back-to-back hurricanes devastated puerto rico. then, earlier this year, an earthquake struck. but puerto ricans are getting back on their feet thanks to people, like this architect, who builds new hope with old shipping containers. >> hurricane maria changed everything for everyone here in puerto rico. there were about 70,000 homes destroyed. some had no roof. and some only just had a toilet left standing. we don't have to live this way. my mission is to build homes that are earthquake proof and hurricane proof. my company's challenging the way we look at construction. we're using shipping containers as a base structure. i am a third-generation architect. my grandfather and my father

are, both, architects. they've always taught me that being part of a community and -- and helping out that community is actually really important. some days, after hurricane marina, i joined fema to work as an inspector. i remember this one case, the lady came to us and we couldn't find the house. and we realized that we couldn't find the house because there was absolutely nothing left. the desperation in that woman's face was just -- i'm just never going to forget it. the name of my company's called conti design build studio. in spanish, it actually combines into many phrases. for example, the word contigo, with you. meaning you can take your home with you. >> so there's no holes in the roof. there is no holes in the walls. there is a really beautiful container. it's a really beautiful, future home. our first konti home was built

own on an island off the coast of puerto rico. hello. when i come visit mildred, the owners of this house, it just makes me feel so happy to see that this couple was actually able to get their dream because it was more cost-effective and faster. it's probably one of my proudest moments. >> translator: i open those doors, and i'm in paradise. it was hour dream to have something that is ours, and we achieved it. at first, we didn't have a lot of faith. but she fought for us to build. >> translator: she lives with hair standing on end waiting to see if we will get hit with

another hurricane. this is the best option. >> almost three years after hurricane maria, the island's experiencing a string of earthquakes. in the south part of the island, this has left some homes and businesses uninhabitable. the nonprofit americas for conservation and the arts is using one of our homes as a health center. in order to be able to distribute supplies and aid to the people that have been affected by the earthquakes. the median income in puerto rico is about $20,000 when the average home costs about $100,000. the math just doesn't add up. our model goes for about half the price of the average home in puerto rico. we can also make our homes completely off grid. the ultimate goal is to be able to produce 100 units a month. we can really use these houses for disaster relief. we can use it for refugee camps. but the best part is we want to

produce them here, in puerto rico, and ship them all around the world. >> you can bring your home with you. what an incredibly creative idea. >> and those are some good-looking homes and supersturdy. >> cool design. so 15 years ago, megan williams was a teenager watching hurricane katrina devastate her hometown, new or leans. >> today, she is an engineer, a problem solver, whose system of green spaces and retention ponds keeps things dry in the big easy. >> this is my baby. this is the project that i am most proud of and most excited for. this is the pon tilly project. this is water that's not in the street and also not in people's houses. >> pre-rain garden, if we had any kind of even moderate rain, we were going to get standing water anywhere from 6 to 12 inches of water. and it would stay there -- it could stay there for 24 hours. it has absolutely been a

godsend. to have this has been wonderful. >> to see a project like this come to fruition and just really serve a much-needed purpose for a neighborhood that does not often get things like this is -- it's something i'm really proud to be a part of. >> thank you for talking to us. >> you are our hero. >> up next, he spent his first 22 years in a refugee camp. now, a video game he created provides aid for migrants around the world. when i came to the u.s., i was fifteen years old.

my family was really poor. now, i've got fifty employees. when the pandemic hit, i was really scared about losing my business. but osmar, my financial advisor from northwestern mutual, he told me, brother we got your back. his financial planning helped to save my business. if i could talk to my younger self, i would say, you're going to be proud of yourself.

the largest 5g network... with t-mobile for business, your business has an easy choice. award-winning customer satisfaction... insanely great value. choose. all. three. ready when you are.

dthat's nothing new.t? but if you want denny's for dinner, you can have that too. come get all your favorites, whether it's day or at night. and delivery is free, whichever you decide. see you at dennys.com a former refugee has created a powerful computer game. its players directly help mi migrants who were forced to flee

for their lives. >> i was show a computer for the first time in 2007 during a refugee registration. it was an amazing moment for me. i came to my mother and i was like i want to buy a computer. she kept quiet and saved money for like three years. looking for $300. >> after my mother bought me the computer. i then realized i could walk three hours per day to check my computer. and i would do it every day. >> so he can walk three hours back, so he can work for two hours. he is sitting in a refugee camp in northern uganda teaching himself how to code and building and creating a game? >> i am the ceo of the new game and i am creator of video salaam. when you are playing game, you are actually putting yourself in the shoes of somebody.

we realize that games are a very powerful tool that can bring our global communities together. i was born on the way as my family was fleeing south sudan. in northern uganda, i spent over 22 years in the refugee camp. the only thing we could do was wake up in the morning to go and find foods to eat because all you need is to survive. >> we are looking at approximately 80 million forcibly displaced people in the world today and that number is higher than we have ever seen. what we are talking about are people who are really running for their lives. they are seeking safe ground. >> salaam is a game and your focus of player is to take a refugee from a war-torn country to a peaceful environment. when you buy water in the game,

you are actually buying water for somebody in the refugee camp. >> it provides people engaging in that game an opportunity to contribute actual relief and assistance to refugees. the game is going to bring people that are not necessarily a traditional audience for messages about refugeeism. it's going to bring them into the room and they are going to be learning about this at a younger age. it's really a game changer. >> i want other refugees to understand that we are not just here to survive. we are also here to thrive. >> kevin barber was living life of a comfortable teenager in san diego. but he felt a calling to help

the homeless. so he posed a question, why not pay homeless people a fair wage to pick up litter? the program now known as wheels of change. >> we employ 20 people a day who make $52 at the end of their four-hour shift. the other, biggest part of our program is the homeless, peer-to-peer outreach aspect. our homeless employees go up to other homeless on the street and they offer them services, such as rehab, shelter, permanent housing. >> everything you see here that i am wearing is purchased. this is not donation. i bought it. with the money from wheels of change. >> last year, cnn's bill weir introduced us to the program that gave them a leg up it's called urban pathways and turns the traditional approach to addiction and homelessness upside down. bill checked back in recently and gave us this progress report. >> in the richest city in the world, a place with so much to see. it's a sight that makes most look away. >> hello? >> reporter: but they lean in.

in 2018, we met the angels in orange from urban pathways. >> are you okay? >> reporter: out here, rain or shine or constant rejection. all, with the hope moving chronically homeless folks, like robert, not just into a shelter for the night. >> look how big my bathroom is. bam. >> reporter: but a place of his own, forever. >> i got a shower. and i got -- and i got a hand shower. >> for generations, an american had to get clean and sober before getting any shot at help with housing. but mental illness and addiction and years in scary shelters, instead, creates an expensive treadmill of emergency rooms and jails. urban pathways believes in housing, first. >> on behalf of your friends at urban pathways, welcome home. >> just a few years after they

found him, robert is now a full-time social worker. >> we identified particular individuals that were able to live on their own. he was one of them. >> and he proved you right. >> exactly. >> after a year and a half, he proved you right. >> exactly. >> looks just like brand new. you take good care. >> phenomenal. i love this building. i love this neighborhood. >> not only is he now working full time. he's shown he is able to do it, finish school, even during a pandemic. >> reporter: but while he is thriving, our other friend from 2018, is sorely missed. >> they saved my life. they saved my life. >> the physical toll of decades on the streets caught up with robert since we met. but his life ended with comfort and dignity and love, that began when urban pathways leaned in when it's so much easier to just look away. >> they are something. and the best part is to see them come through at the end.

ten years down the line, you see them. you won't even recognize them. >> a doctor found a new way for patients to pay for surgery, without money. the currency of community, up next. . . .

denny's for breakfast? that's nothing new. but if you want denny's for dinner, you can have that too. come get all your favorites, whether it's day or at night. and delivery is free, whichever you decide. see you at dennys.com

here's a choice you don't have to make:ses are always making choices. the largest 5g network... award-winning customer satisfaction... or insanely great value. now, with t-mobile for business, there's no compromise. network. support. value. choose. all. three. t-mobile for business. ready when you are.

♪ welcome back. it is time to revisit one of my champions for change. two years ago i went to colombia to meet a special doctor who works with a nonprofit, operation smile. i watched dr. mauricio hererra perform surgery on an infant born with a cleft palate. without the operation, baby samuel would have suffered a lifetime of problems with speech, eating and just fitting in. little samuel came through with flying colors. he just celebrated his third birthday. we caught up with his more in colombia for an update. >> translator: since samuel went through surgery, he has changed in that he can breathe very well. he can eat his food very well.

he expresses himself with his words very well. he already says a few words, mom, dad, thank you. he tells me, mommy, i love you. and ice cream, he loves ice cream very much. i honestly did not expect those results for my son. maybe i didn't believe it. when he looks in the mirror, that helps him see himself, beautiful. i thank god very much because my son was privileged in having had surgery, and i feel sorry because there are children right now that can't because of the challenges that came along with the pandemic. my dreams are for samuel to be a child that gets an education. >> oh, my gosh! i can't believe how much samuel has grown up since i just met him. >> and that smile, it is just perfect. you know, operation smile

for just in under an hour and for just a few hundred bucks changes kids' lives forever. >> a few hundred bucks but a million dollar smile for sure. >> he looks great. this year we are featuring dr. demetrio aguili. he came to a stunning realization. >> he could restore people in the operating room but too on-drove them to ruin. >> he looked for a remedy and found one. earlier before the pandemic he took off his surgical mask and sat down with us. >> medical debt is a huge problem in the united states. two-thirds of the individuals that went bankrupt last year went bankrupt due to medical debt. i am a surgeon. i started to hear stories about patients who were experiencing financial burdens that were unfathomable to me, and maybe i help them with their pain or maybe i was able to help them walk again or go back to a

normal life. but then i would find out that some of these patients were under enormous financial strain. i felt helpless. i realized i need to try to make things different. i was in the air force for almost 21 years, between my active service and my reserve time. we did a lot of surgery in afghanistan. largely, humanitarian surgery. about 95% of those were cases that we did to help the civilians. now, my team and i get to do that medical mission work right here in our own backyard. the m-25 program is a mechanism by which we allow patients to invest in themselves. now, what do we mean by that? the patient comes in and they say, "well, i can't afford the financial impact of the surgery," so we offer them the opportunity to volunteer their time at a charitable organization. it also allows them the

opportunity to recruit friends, family, neighbors, and even people they've never met before to assist them in getting those volunteer hours done. in this way we help take care of the patients, we help take care of the community. we have neighbors helping neighbors. >> i suffered from neuropathy which is compression of the nerves in your lower leg and foot. my right leg feels like it is asleep all the time. stairs are always the hard part. i can very easily fall. he tells me it is 560 community service hours, jeff. $12,000 was just not doable. i have a small business so, you know, somebody else needs to be out sick, they still have a pay check at the end of the day, i don't. if this wasn't an option i probably would have said, i will deal with it and save money until we can pay for it. >> i saw a video on dr. aguila's facebook of jeff telling his

story and how he became involved with the m-25 program. i immediately thought of the nursing students here at the university of nebraska medical center, and so i thought it would be the perfect fit for our community service project. we provided approximately 180 hours of community service collectively toward mr. jensen's surgery. >> not one person in that nursing program knew who i was. it was the kindness of strangers that got this accomplished for me. >> they have the moral support of their community to help them get better, and that is shifting the way in which patients pursue their health care. it is hard to make a difference if you don't try to disrupt the status quo. the m-25 program empowers patients who often feel like victims of the system. in my heart of hearts i had this hope that we would rekindle in our neighbors and in ourselves a sense of volunteerism.

these days m-25 volunteers are taking proper coronavirus precautions and continuing to pitch in. the pandemic cannot stop their spirit of volunteerism. >> you know, in fact the best of human nature is still going on all around us, strong. they don't make headlines but average people are out there doing extraordinary things. >> maybe you can be a champion for change, too. maybe we all can. i'm alisyn camerota. >> i'm john berman. thanks for watching. ♪ >> president donald j. trump. the unconventional, unpredictable businessman was no different in his first term. >> proud of the extraordinary progress over the last four incredible years. >> reporter: shattering norms. >> it is completely disruptive and different than anything you've ever seen before. >> reporter: breaking boundaries. >> he would turn on them in a really aggressive way.

in a way that i'd never seen or heard of presidents doing before. >> reporter: and demolishing expectations and behavior for a president of the united states. >> does working for president trump ultimately mean you have to agree with him all the time? if you want to keep your job. >> reporter: a president who seems to thrive in division. >> donald trump! >> he's a racist! >> donald trump! >> he's a racist! >> reporter: whether those who hate him or celebrate him. a look now at the moments that defined president donald j. trump's first term. the issues he vowed to tackle. >> build that wall! >> repeal and replace obamacare. >> these massive tax cuts will be -- >> rocket fuel for the american economy. >> for those miners, get ready because you will be