This week Love What Matters had to opportunity to interview Jason Wright‚ founder of the Kindness Card Movement‚ to learn more about how his inspiring mission to spread hope to unhoused individuals came to fruition. Read on to learn more about the growing movement that has amassed nearly 50‚000 followers on social media. What is the Kindness Card Movement and how did it start? Jason: “A few years ago‚ I did a documentary called Getting a Lift which entailed me taking homeless people and hitchhikers where they needed to go. In those videos‚ we’d often end up having lunch together. It kind of grew into me having really interesting discussions with people I’d just met on park benches‚ airports‚ and hotel lobbies. Courtesy of Jason Wright One day I was speaking at this church for a non-denominational kind of a gig and they gave me a wallet that had about $400 worth of gift cards in it. They said‚ ‘We want you to have a vehicle‚ a tool to be able to give and feed more people in your travels in a slightly more organized way to continue doing what you’re doing.’ And I was like‚ ‘Oh my gosh‚ that’s awesome!’ That was 18 months ago. Together we came up with this kind of kindness card thing. I gave those out over the next couple months of my travels and began posting the stories online. Soon‚ people started to respond; I’d go to a book signing‚ or to a speaking gig‚ or whatever‚ some event‚ and people would come up to me and give me a Taco Bell gift card with their initials on the back or their favorite inspiring quote and say‚ ‘Hey‚ will you give this away for me on your travels?’ From there‚ it just kind of grew and grew until people started saying‚ ‘Hey‚ can I just Venmo you money‚ and you go buy the cards in my name.’ Today I’ve given away $15‚000 worth of kindness cards in my neighborhood‚ $5‚ $10‚ $15‚ $25 at a time. I always have them handy in my travels.” Courtesy of Jason Wright What is a recent Kindness Card story that sticks out to you? Jason: “I was in Salt Lake City when I saw Raymond near my hotel. It took a little while to get him to open up. Of the hundreds and hundreds of interactions I’ve had‚ I’ve never had one where the person I talked to was so completely hopeless. It was utterly heartbreaking. So‚ I gave him the rest of everything I had‚ and I tried to get him to use my room for a couple of hours. He was not comfortable with accepting offers‚ so it was hard to get him to even accept the meals. He didn’t like asking for help. I usually don’t get emotional when I meet people‚ but Raymond was a really good‚ sweet guy in need of hope. While I’ve had a few meetings where I got emotional‚ with Raymond I just full cried as that guy pushed his home away in that shopping cart. It was in the snow; it was rough. That story in particular really resonated with people online‚ I think‚ because of the heartbreaking nature of his kind of journey.” What is your reasoning behind the Kindness Card movement? Jason: “99 percent of the people I meet and give cards to are actually pretty flipping hopeful. Like‚ they’re grateful to be fed. They’re grateful to be seen. They’re like‚ ‘You know what? I’m gonna make it.’ They just feel they need a meal or two‚ a job interview‚ and better government assistance. This kindness card movement has kind of become this bridge from hungry to hope. Like‚ how can we just help someone get another day or two? Courtesy of Jason Wright Because we’re not going to solve all of the homelessness problem with Taco Bell gift cards‚ right? That’s not the mission of it. We’re not tackling‚ and I don’t want anyone to think we’re trying to tackle‚ major‚ extremely complicated unhoused problems across the country. That’s not it at all. It’s just me being a vehicle for other people who‚ in most cases‚ are too shy to directly offer these acts of kindness. As my family tells me‚ I’m the ‘obnoxiously friendly’ kind. I understand that not everyone is like this‚ and so I’m happy to have those conversations with the homeless. Yes‚ we’re feeding people‚ but more importantly‚ we’re really feeding people’s souls. And we do that by giving a little bit of a bridge from hungry to hope. Just tonight on the way to Seattle I conversed with the sweetest man in a wheelchair. We talked for about 10 minutes and I realized it was the conversation that mattered a lot more to him than the two cards to McDonald’s. So‚ that’s the scoop.” Courtesy of Jason Wright How can people support the Kindness Card Movement? Jason: “You may donate funds electronically for cards to be purchased on your behalf‚ or you may send cards to the address below. (The most common cards are for Taco Bell‚ McDonald’s‚ Walmart‚ Target‚ etc.) Venmo: @authorjasonwright (6111) PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/jasonfwright Cash App: $authorjasonwright PO Box: Jason Wright Post Office Box 669 Woodstock‚ VA 22664” Courtesy of Jason Wright This interview was conducted and transcribed by Kelsie Radziski and edited by Sophia San Filippo. You can follow Jason’s journey on Facebook and Instagram. Have a story of love‚ kindness‚ or healing to share? Visit our submissions portal to submit today. Read more interviews like this: An Interview With The Adeline Movement: The Group Of Kids Re-Building Burned Home Of Hate Crime Victim ‘Every baby deserves a home.’: An interview with Carried To Full Term‚ the organization housing pregnant women without shelter Do you know someone who could benefit from reading this? SHARE this story on social media with family and friends.

Bill Belichick is out as head coach of the New England Patriots after 24 years and leading the team to nine Super Bowl trips and six rings. The veteran coach took to the podium on Thursday and told members of the press he would be a Patriot forever as he thanked the fans and the organization‚ ESPN reported. “[Patriots owner] Robert [Kraft] and I‚ after a series of discussions‚ have mutually agreed to part ways‚” Belichick said. “For me‚ this is a day of gratitude and celebration.” “We had a vision of building a championship football team that has exceeded my wildest dreams and expectations‚” he added. “I’m very proud of that. I’ll always have those great memories‚ I’ll carry those with me the rest of my life.” LIVE: Robert Kraft and Bill Belichick media availability 1/11: https://t.co/A3htiZoUin — New England Patriots (@Patriots) January 11‚ 2024 “It’s with so many fond memories and thoughts that I think about the Patriots‚ and I’ll always be a Patriot‚” Belichick continued. “I look forward to coming back here‚ but at this time‚ we’re going to move on. And I’m excited for the future.” Kraft followed Belichick at the press conference and said‚ “This is a move that we mutually agreed that is needed at this time. What Bill accomplished‚ in my opinion‚ will never be duplicated.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP “Coach Belichick will forever be celebrated as a legendary sports icon here in New England‚ and I believe go in as a Pro Football Hall of Famer on the first ballot‚” Kraft added. “Why? Because he is the greatest coach of all time. Which makes this decision to part ways so hard.” Belichick will undoubtedly be in the NFL Hall of Fame for the incredible run he had in New England‚ which includes six Super Bowl titles‚ 333 career victories (including playoffs)‚ second only to Don Shula’s 347‚ and nine conference championships‚ the most by a head coach in the Super Bowl era. Speculation that Belichick’s reign in New England would end has been trickling out all week as reports surfaced that the coach and Kraft had met several times throughout the week. Belichick leaves the team after a dismal season as New England finished with a 4-13 record. Since the Super Bowl-winning QB Tom Brady left the Patriots after the 2019 season‚ the Patriots have had a losing record three of the last four years‚ ESPN noted.

Jeremy Renner celebrated finally being able to return to the set of his show “Mayor of Kingstown” a year after his near-fatal snow plow accident near his Nevada home on Jan 1‚ 2023. The 53-year-old actor posted a picture on Instagram on Wednesday from the set of filming on season 3 of his Paramount+ show and wrote‚ “Day one on set… nervous today.” “Hope this works out that I can ACTUALLY pull this off for our production and more importantly the fans‚” he added. Camera test 1‚2‚3 … @kingstown day one #mayorofkingstown pic.twitter.com/IvOLavPd4L — Jeremy Renner (@JeremyRenner) January 10‚ 2024 Renner announced on CNN’s New Year’s Eve coverage that he planned to get back to work on filming his popular show in Pittsburgh. “It’s been a really wonderful‚ wonderfully busy year‚ and I think I’m ready‚” Renner said. “I think I’m strong enough. We’ll see. I mean‚ I literally go back in a week. But I’ll be doing my best‚ trying my hardest.” The actor has undergone extensive therapy for the last year as part of his recovery after his body was nearly crushed under a 14‚300-pound snowcat‚ resulting in more than 30 broken bones. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP “The Avengers” star has kept fans up to date on social media while documenting his journey to recovery during the year. “UPDATE: I’ve decided to push through the pain of progress (this damn shattered tibia) and take the new parts for a tiny test drive‚” Renner captioned a video of him in May undergoing physical therapy. “The body is miraculous…. Even though I feel like the Tin Man‚ needing oil for all my new joints (hips‚ knees‚ ankles‚ tibia etc ). Encouraged after this warm up to press on ( don’t tell my PT).” In November‚ Renner gave fans a sneak peek into his recovery efforts and wrote on Instagram‚ “I have been exploring EVERY type of therapy since Jan 14th.” “Everyday‚ countless hours of physical therapy‚ peptide injections‚ iv drips and pushes‚” he added. “Stem cell and exosomes‚ red light/IR therapy‚ hyperbaric chamber 2.0 atmospheres‚ cold plunge‚ and the list goes on and on…. BUT my greatest therapy has been my mind and the will to be here and push to recover and be better….” “Be exceptional…‚” the Marvel star continued. “I feel it’s my duty to do so. Not to squander my life being spared‚ but to give back to my family‚ friends‚ and all of you whom have empowered me to endure . I thank you all. [loveandtitanium].” Related: Jeremy Renner Talks Extensive Therapy Efforts After Snow Plow Accident

The Defense Department has not kept track of more than $1 billion worth of specialized military equipment sent to Ukraine‚ according to an inspector general report released on Thursday.  The report details how roughly $1 billion of the total $1.69 billion worth of defense equipment rated for specialized monitoring sent to Ukraine from the United States and partner nations is “delinquent” as of July 2023‚ according to the DoD’s enhanced end-use monitoring (EEUM) requirements. Delinquent means that the equipment has not been inventoried within a specific time frame.  “While there has been significant improvement in the delinquency rate for inventorying this sensitive equipment‚ persistent gaps as identified in our evaluation may correlate with an inability to maintain complete accountability for this critical U.S. security assistance‚” IG Robert Storch said.  The purpose of the EEUM program is to “safeguard designated defense articles that require additional layers of verifications and protections.” According to the Pentagon‚ equipment is rated for EEUM if it is fitted with specialized technology or could be especially vulnerable to misuse if it falls into the wrong hands.  “High rates of delinquency may correlate with an inability to maintain complete accountability of the EEUM-designated defense articles‚ which‚ in turn‚ may increase the risk of theft or diversion‚” the report said.  The inspector general noted that the U.S. Office of Defense Cooperation-Ukraine had so far been unable to conduct inventories within 90 days of much of the equipment sent to Ukraine. The report said that DoD personnel did not update equipment databases “in a timely manner” or maintain “an accurate inventory” of the defense articles sent to Ukraine. For example‚ more than half of the Stinger gripstocks given to Ukraine could not be accounted for as of February 10‚ 2023. In response to the inspector general’s findings‚ the DoD has said that wartime conditions have made it difficult to track the weapons and argued that it could “reasonably conclude that Ukraine is in compliance with requirements with respect to use‚ transfer‚ and security of items.” The report noted that it did not assess whether there had been a “diversion” of American military equipment once arriving in Ukraine but noted that the criminal investigation branch of the inspector general’s office “continues to investigate allegations of criminal conduct with regard to U.S. security assistance to Ukraine.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP Previous reporting has indicated that criminal gangs in Ukraine have illicitly obtained military weapons as military aid from Western countries poured in. In one instance‚ members of an organized crime group controlled by a Russian official were able to obtain ammo and a grenade launcher after joining a volunteer Ukraine battalion. Beginning in 2014‚ the United States sent Ukraine a total of $50 billion worth of military equipment‚ which ramped up after the war between Russia and Ukraine started in February 2022. Congress is considering sending more military aid to Ukraine but has been held up as Republicans push for border security funding.

Fulton County Special Prosecutor Nathan Wade met with Biden administration officials on two separate occasions before any charges were filed in Georgia against former President Donald Trump. Wade‚ who is currently under fire for his alleged romantic relationship with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis‚ retained invoices billing the county 16 hours for meetings with the White House or the White House Counsel — eight hours each on two separate dates‚ the second of which took place just two days after Trump announced his 2024 bid for the Republican presidential nomination. According to a report published Tuesday by Fox News Digital‚ Wade billed the county $2‚000 — $250 per hour for eight hours — for “Travel to Athens; Conf with White House Counsel” on May 23‚ 2022. Six months later‚ on November 18‚ 2022‚ Wade billed the county another $2‚000 — again‚ $250 per hour for eight hours — for “Interview with DC/White House.” The second meeting came just two days after Trump’s November 16th campaign launch. No details have been revealed regarding what those meetings were about or what was said‚ but at Fulton County‚ GA‚ District Attorney Willis’ request‚ a grand jury returned indictments against the former president and a number of his allies on August 14‚ 2023. Willis and Wade are currently the subject of a motion filed on behalf of Trump co-defendant and former campaign official Michael Roman‚ in which it is alleged that Willis and Wade have an “ongoing‚ personal relationship.” According to The New York Times‚ it was also alleged that Willis chose Wade — who was not a well-known attorney at the time — because of their personal connection. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP Since he was tapped for the job in November of 2021‚ Wade has brought in more than $650‚000 — and the filing also alleged that Willis was benefitting financially from their relationship‚ stating that money paid by the county to Wade had been used to pay for both Willis and Wade to take vacations together in Napa Valley and the Caribbean.

A few days ago‚ more than a dozen gunmen‚ some of them carrying grenades‚ stormed a television station in Ecuador. You might have seen some of the dramatic footage on social media. The attackers delivered this message: “We are on air‚ so you know that you cannot mess with the mafia.” And in Ecuador‚ that appears to be true.  Just a few years ago‚ Ecuador was among the safest countries in all of Latin America. But beginning in 2020‚ that began to change — and it changed very quickly. From 2020 to 2022‚ the murder rate in Ecuador jumped by nearly 250%. Political candidates now routinely get shot in the streets. Car bombings aren’t uncommon. Just last year‚ a leading presidential candidate was gunned down leaving a campaign rally. What happened to Ecuador is pretty clear. It doesn’t take a foreign policy expert to figure it out. The country’s ports‚ with access to the Pacific Ocean‚ were taken over by drug traffickers and cartels‚ who rapidly gained enormous power. That’s why the majority of murders in the country take place in coastal towns. It’s also why that presidential candidate was targeted. He promised to order the military to secure the ports‚ so he was assassinated. Now you can’t even watch a television broadcast in Ecuador without seeing masked gunmen behind the anchor’s desk. This isn’t to say Ecuador is a simple case‚ or one that’s directly comparable to any other country. But the top line conclusion isn’t hard to draw‚ and it’s this: When you don’t defend your country’s border‚ chaos follows very quickly. A lot of the institutions that you take for granted — whether they’re presidential elections or news broadcasts — suddenly become unreliable‚ to put it mildly. Things you thought were unthinkable begin to happen. And before you know it‚ you’re displaced in your own country‚ no matter who you voted for. The residents of Brooklyn‚ New York now understand that concept very well. This week‚ James Madison High School in Brooklyn canceled classes so that busloads of hundreds of illegal migrants could move into the building during bad weather. School functions that had been planned for months were postponed. Students were told that‚ instead of coming to class‚ they should log onto the Internet and “learn remotely‚” which is to say — as we know from the “remote learning” experiment during COVID — that they won’t learn anything at all. WATCH: The Matt Walsh Show This is so hard to believe‚ and so contrary to the very concept of a sovereign nation‚ it’s worth repeating: New York just ordered a public high school to displace American students — children who have every right to be in this country — in order to house criminal foreigners who crossed the border illegally. It’s hard to believe it’s real. But we know it’s real because the parents of students at James Madison High School have been filming what’s happening. Watch: Angry NYC public school parents are filming illegals as they move in to their kids’ school. This is surreal. The students start online classes tomorrow.pic.twitter.com/zWbGDXI8of — Marina Medvin 🇺🇸 (@MarinaMedvin) January 10‚ 2024 That’s a parent watching as the city — which she funds with her tax dollars — buses in hundreds of illegal aliens into her child’s school. These are foreigners who haven’t been vetted. No one has any idea who these people are. But even if we did know exactly who these migrants were‚ it doesn’t matter‚ they don’t have a right to be in this country‚ much less in our schools. But‚ in that footage‚ you see the city ushering these migrants into the school. And you can even hear someone chastising this woman for daring to be upset about this. Our children — American children — should be the nation’s top priority. That’s so obvious it shouldn’t need to be said. But we are putting adult foreigners above our own children. It’s madness.  And they’re doing this at literal gunpoint‚ by the way. All the parents can do is film‚ or they’ll be arrested and charged with hate crimes. So that’s what they did. For the past 48 hours‚ parents have shot videos of government agents moving equipment into their children’s high school‚ including cots so they can sleep in the gym and the hallways. You may have never expected that schools would become refugee camps in an alleged first world country‚ but that’s what’s happening. Watch: BREAKING: I just received this footage from a mom in James Madison High School in NYC where students are learning remotely to make room for illegals to sleep there. Workers are unloading cots‚ food‚ and supplies for the illegals. The mom is told not to record. Why are they… pic.twitter.com/NFHxxS55O5 — Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) January 10‚ 2024 You won’t find that footage on the national news or even the local news. We checked with Libs of TikTok‚ the account that posted these clips. She says that outside of NewsMax‚ no one has tried to license these videos. A few days ago we played on the show a video of some random female track runner beating some random dude in a race —that video was picked up by dozens of outlets‚ including the Today Show. But this story — which is arguably slightly more important than a casual race between random college kids — isn’t getting near the same attention.  I checked to see if CNN or MSNBC or The Washington Post ran a story on this. They didn’t cover it at all. No media organizations — even the ones that claim to focus entirely on big events in the city of New York — are tracking down the parents to hear exactly what’s happening here. But Libs of TikTok did. She just spoke to one parent who’s been watching all of this with horror. Listen: I spoke exclusively with a parent from James Madison HS in NYC. Parents are livid! Students need to show ID and walk through a metal detector every day. Illegals bypassed the detectors and don’t have ID. They have no idea who occupied the school and if dr*gs or weapons were… pic.twitter.com/b2XojvKQHx — Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) January 10‚ 2024 So the school is telling parents to send their students to school with sanitizing wipes and Lysol‚ just in case the fumigation efforts aren’t sufficient. And they’re telling the parents to shut up about the whole situation‚ because COVID lockdowns set the precedent. If you were wondering why the Left was so intent on implementing those lockdowns‚ there’s your answer. They wanted a precedent they could use in the future. And already they’re using it‚ in order to house illegal migrants in public high schools.  Three years ago if anyone on the Right had said that the Left would use the COVID precedent to turn public schools into homeless encampments for illegal immigrants‚ they would have been called an insane conspiracy theorist. And now here we are. This is a level of civil disorder that’s so extreme — that would have been so unthinkable just a few years ago — that it defies any kind of traditional political analysis. This is destruction that doesn’t benefit any particular political party over another. It’s destruction that’s calibrated to destroy the entire foundation of this country.  If you don’t believe that‚ consider the fact that just a few months ago‚ illegal migrants in New York City started encroaching on the turf of the single most reliable voting bloc for the Democratic Party‚ which is black people on welfare. These migrants started showing up early to snag their handouts‚ which enraged the black residents of New York. Again‚ this is like something out of a sketch comedy show. It would be funny if it weren’t so tragic. Watch: Tensions are rising in New York between blacks and illegal aliens as government handouts start running out pic.twitter.com/ssHbBPrdi1 — End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) November 22‚ 2023 At this point‚ you might be tempted to dismiss everything that’s happening in New York City — the migrants taking over the high schools‚ the hotels‚ and the welfare lines — as maybe somehow an isolated incident. But it’s not. This is happening in major cities that are nowhere near the southern border. It’s not just New York that’s starting to look like Ecuador. Here’s what Chicago’s O’Hare Airport looks like right now. The airport — one of the biggest in the country — is now walling off entire sections so that they can be used as migrant encampments. Watch: BREAKING: I received this from a source in O’Hare Airport in Chicago. Parts of the airport were sectioned off to house illegals. There were too many illegals and now they overflowed into the terminal area. My source says they were mainly Hispanic men and he was asked not to… pic.twitter.com/Bo8sQWen2Y — Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) January 10‚ 2024 Granted‚ people in airports already tend to splay out on the ground and treat terminals like campgrounds. But this is taking it to another level. No one ever voted to turn O’Hare International Airport into a migrant shelter. No politician ran on that platform. There was no referendum. There wasn’t even a poll‚ it just happened. Without anyone’s consent‚ the government is now ceding critical infrastructure to foreigners who have no right to be in this country.  Pretty soon‚ they won’t simply be ceding public buildings. They’ll take private property‚ too.  Already the government is laying the groundwork for that. And once again‚ COVID set the precedent. Remember when the Biden administration banned evictions? He effectively nationalized the rental properties. Now public officials are once again suggesting that private property must be surrendered — this time for the benefit of illegal migrants. Just a few months ago‚ politicians in Massachusetts and New York demanded that residents offer up their homes to foreign nationals. Watch: WATCH: NYC Mayor Eric Adams on housing illegal aliens: “It is my vision to take the next step to this — go to the faith-based locales and then move to a private residence. There are residents who are suffering right now because of economic challenges. They have spare rooms." pic.twitter.com/ZVy41liS9g — Breaking911 (@Breaking911) June 5‚ 2023 6 months ago‚ Massachusetts began to ask residents to host illegals in their homes and properties. Soon it will be mandatory. pic.twitter.com/wyhjXlxWDf — End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) January 11‚ 2024 “If you’re a landlord or a property owner‚ we can use you too.” That’s what they’re saying in Massachusetts. They’re not telling these migrants to get out of this country. They’re not talking about enforcing immigration law. Instead‚ they’re telling American citizens to surrender their property. This is one of the things Americans fought the Revolutionary War to prevent. That’s why the Constitution prohibits quartering troops in peoples’ homes. It used to be that everyone agreed that your home was sacrosanct. Democrats don’t see it that way anymore. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP What we’re seeing is no longer abstract. This is no longer a debate about “illegal immigration” and “open borders” or whatever. What we’re seeing are illegal migrants — criminals — taking over your airports and your child’s high school. At this rate‚ it won’t be too long until these criminals start walking into television stations with grenades. It’s no longer unthinkable for the government to nationalize private property to quarter these foreign nationals in homes and businesses. This is the inevitable end point of a country that doesn’t defend its borders or enforce its laws. Ecuador and the United States are separated by thousands of miles and trillions of dollars in G.D.P.‚ but they have one thing in common‚ which is that criminals will take over if they’re given the opportunity. The only real difference in that respect is that in this country‚ unlike Ecuador‚ the federal government will overtly help the criminals take control. They won’t even try to hide it. And once criminals take over‚ in this country as in Ecuador‚ they will not respect the rights of children to go to school‚ or the right of candidates to run for office‚ or the right of journalists to broadcast their news reports. They respect and understand only one thing‚ which is power. Right now‚ all they see is weakness. And they will exploit that weakness until one of two things happen: either every building in this country becomes a potential migrant encampment‚ or every one of these invaders is sent back by force to wherever they came from.

U.S. intelligence officials are reportedly becoming increasingly concerned that Hezbollah‚ an Iranian-backed Islamic terrorist group based in Lebanon‚ could launch terrorist attacks inside the U.S. homeland as tensions in the Middle East continue to rise in the months following Hamas’ October 7 terrorist attack on Israel. Politico reported that officials believe that Hezbollah‚ which has a large arsenal of rockets and other military equipment‚ would likely target U.S. personnel in the Middle East first‚ but they have encountered information indicating that Hezbollah could be planning attacks inside the U.S. or on U.S. officials overseas. “The arrests of individuals in the United States allegedly linked to Hezbollah’s main overseas terrorist arm‚ and their intelligence-collection and procurement efforts‚ demonstrate Hezbollah’s interest in long-term contingency planning activities here in the homeland‚” FBI director Chris Wray said in a congressional hearing on November 15. The terror group has “capabilities that other terrorist groups in the region do not” because of the significant funding Hezbollah receives from Iran every year‚ believed to be near $1 billion. The terrorist group has various operatives in its expansive terror network that are already inside the United States‚ which officials worry the group could activate for attacks. “Hezbollah could draw on the capability they have … to put people [in] places to do something‚” one of the officials told Politico. “It is something to be worried about.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP Since October 17‚ Iranian-backed terrorist groups throughout the Middle East have launched at least 127 attacks against U.S. forces‚ attacks that have been emboldened by the Biden administration’s unwillingness to punch back hard to deter future attacks. The terrorist group has conducted major attacks throughout the Middle East‚ Europe‚ and South America for decades. Hezbollah bombed the U.S. Embassy in Beirut‚ Lebanon‚ in April 1983‚ killing 78 Americans and injuring 120. Several months later‚ in October 1983‚ they bombed the U.S. Marine Corps. barracks in Beirut‚ killing 241 Americans and injuring 70.

A Vermont-based baking company is under fire for hosting a competition that barred white contestants from participating‚ an attempt to “foster greater inclusivity” in the world of baking. The 2024 Baking Pitchfest‚ hosted by King Arthur Baking‚ says it will provide “equitable opportunities for People of Color entrepreneurs‚” gracing the winners with “financial support‚ brand exposure‚ and mentorship to help accelerate their businesses.” The competition is billed as an “accelerator program‚” and will consist of two parts‚ a product edition and a bakery edition‚ which are limited to those defined as a “person of color led business” and a “person of color led bakery” respectively. Winners of the baking edition will receive a grand prize of $10‚000‚ “brand-building exposure through features on King Arthur Baking marketing‚” as well as one-on-one business consulting and a free membership to the Bread Bakers Guild of America. King Arthur Flour specifies their use of the term “POC” or “people of color‚” explaining that the phrase is “defined as Asian or Pacific Islander; Black or African American; Hispanic or Latinx; Indigenous or Native American; Middle Eastern or North African.” NOT SATIRE! King Arthur Flour is holding a no White people allowed "POC" only baking competition from January 2 through February 10‚ 2024. pic.twitter.com/87pqvw7WZR — National Conservative (@NatCon2022) January 7‚ 2024 King Arthur appeared to take down the page advertising the contest following an inquiry from The Daily Wire. The competition comes as institutions across the country‚ from multi-billion dollar corporations to Ivy League universities‚ embrace the diversity‚ equity‚ and inclusion (DEI) agenda‚ adopting discriminatory practices and policies in the name of anti-racism. “Pitchfest 2024 is a testament to our commitment to fostering a more inclusive baking community and empowering creative POC leaders in the industry‚” King Arthur Baking’s corporate social responsibility manager Molly Lawerence remarked. King Arthur Flour is hosting the competition in cooperation with Project Potluck‚ which refers to itself as “the largest professional community inclusively for People of Color (POC) in Consumer Packaged Goods.” Business Insider praised the organization’s attempts at “lifting up minorities in the overwhelmingly white consumer goods and food industry.” Project Potluck also decries the status of the industry on its website‚ remarking that “founders‚ leaders and professionals are overwhelmingly white” but reassuring that “we are here to change that.” “Baking Pitchfest 2024 is more than a competition; it’s a platform for empowering People of Color to break barriers and redefine the narrative in baking‚” the organization’s executive director Kathleen Casanova stated. King Arthur Baking and the Baking Pitchfest have since been blasted online by customers‚ with one former customer going viral after saying she would no longer be buying flour from the company. King Arthur Baking did not respond to a request for comment.

The NSF anticipates spending between $15 million and $25 million

'So they indeed may trip some wires because it’s very hard to deal with some of these issues'