It’s time for your good news, Lebo! This column, inspired by my podcast, “Yinz Are Good”, is our collective spot to celebrate and say “thank you” to the people who lift us up, lend us support and enrich our lives. The people who ask themselves, “What can I do today to make our world a better place?” and then go out and do it.
This month, we’re shifting gears from your physical Kindness Crate notes to one of the virtual variety: I received a lovely email from Lebo resident Preethi Ravi with the subject line, “Kindness Crates Story.” As I settled in and began to read Preethi’s words, I felt a smile creep onto my face and my hand go to my heart. By the end of the email, that smile was plastered across my face, my hand was still on my heart, and tears had welled in my eyes. I felt uplifted, hopeful and heartened. I felt the power and possibility of community. And I’m happy to share her story with you. Her email reads:
“My name is Preethi Ravi. I have a kindness story I wanted to share with you to celebrate a neighbor in our community.
“Olivia Benson and family.
“In July 2025, I moved to Mt. Lebanon with my husband, our toddler and our dog.
“We had moved from Singapore, and while we had heard wonderful things about the Mt. Lebanon School District, I still did not know what this new neighborhood would hold for us. As an Indian family, Singapore had felt familiar. Pittsburgh felt full of possibility, but also uncertainty. I was anxious, hopeful and trying to imagine how we would build a life here.
“Then, one sunny afternoon, there was a knock at our door.
“Our neighbor Olivia was standing outside with her dog’s leash in one hand and a bag of goodies in the other. I still remember that sight so clearly. Something about her walking up to welcome us instantly calmed a part of my anxiety.
“I was cooking, so my husband stepped outside with our dog. Olivia introduced herself, asked where we had moved from, how we were settling in and what we did for work. When my husband mentioned that I would soon be looking for a job in communications, Olivia immediately said, ‘I might have something for her.’
“She took down our names and numbers.
“A few weeks later, the organization she worked with called me for a first interview. A few weeks after that, I got the job.
“It was huge for me.
“When I moved here, I had quietly prepared myself for a long job search. Six months, maybe a year. With layoffs, AI changing the job market and uncertainty everywhere, I thought that was the reality I needed to accept.
“But within two months, I had a job at an organization I genuinely loved.
“Serendipity, maybe.
“But what changed my life was not just the job. It was someone’s kindness.
“Olivia could have easily said, ‘I’ll refer you,’ and forgotten about it. Many people do. But she followed through. She helped in the way she could. And that one gesture changed not only my life, but also my husband’s and my toddler’s lives. It made the idea of America as a land of opportunity feel real.
“I had moved to Pittsburgh after a difficult season of depression, anxiety and uncertainty around work. When I found support, community and opportunity here, life started to feel hopeful again.
“In November, Olivia and her family invited us to Thanksgiving dinner. That was completely new to us. And what moved me most was that she welcomed people who had been strangers only months before into a full family dinner. Her family, her in-laws and her dad were all so warm, open and generous. They made us feel at home.
“So, this is really a thank-you note.
“Thank you, Olivia, for seeing a new family and choosing to welcome them.
“Thank you, Mt. Lebanon, for giving us more than a neighborhood — for giving us kindness, connection and a place to begin again.”
Hear, hear. And to Olivia and family: “Yinz Are Good”.
You can drop a note of kindness or gratitude in one of our Kindness Crates, located at Commonwealth Press, Lebo Subs, Rollier’s, and Sapling & Sons. You can also email your good news directly to me at yinzaregood@gmail.com. To listen to the “Yinz Are Good” podcast, click the links at www.yinzaregood.com.
