You weren’t born yesterday, so you know to delete a threatening text message that claims to be from the IRS. And your “Spidey sense” starts to tingle when an text says you need to confirm your credit card number in order to receive a package.

Nice try, scammer.

But if you don’t know about a certain three-word phrase that scammers rely on, you could be at risk of falling for a scam text.

The phrase you need to watch out for

It may seem like a perfectly harmless phrase—heck, even a friendly one—but you should be on guard if you receive a text that contains the three words “would you kindly.” Even the single word “kindly” may be a red flag.

What’s the big deal? Isn’t the sender just trying to be polite?

That’s what the scammer wants you to think. Read on to learn why you should proceed with caution and how to handle that text—before it’s too late.

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Why is “would you kindly” a red flag?

“The word ‘kindly’ is simply something we don’t use in our common vernacular in the U.S.,” says Tim Bajarin, a 40-year veteran technology analyst and the chairman of the San Jose, California–based market research company Creative Strategies. “You’ll often hear it used in countries with British influence, perhaps once a colonial country, where English isn’t their mother tongue [such as Nigeria, India and Pakistan].” 

Because the word “kindly” is likely used by a foreign national, it’s possible (and even probable) that the message was sent by someone in an overseas “boiler room” out to defraud you. “If you see this word or phrase, it’s a red flag, similar to poor spelling or grammar,” adds Bajarin, who counts personal computing, cybersecurity and mobile devices as a few of his core specialties.

What else should you watch out for?

There’s more to be suspicious about than a certain word or phrase or spelling mistakes, notes Doug Shadel, founder of the Fraud Prevention Strategies and former Fraud Investigator and Special Assistant to Attorney General’s Office in Washington State. “Really, any communication that you get that’s unsolicited—whether it’s a text or robocall, social media message or email—should make you highly suspicious,” he says. “If you didn’t initiate this correspondence, chances are it’s a scam.”

Shadel, who also directed AARP’s Fraud Watch Network for 30 years, says that scammers know consumers are onto them more now than ever, so they’ve shifted tactics. Now, a common opener is a seemingly innocent message that says something like, “Did I miss you today?” “Hi, how are you?” or “I’ll be late for the meeting.” Then, says Shadel, “when you write back to ask who it is or tell them they’ve got the wrong person, they will try to defraud you in some manner.”

These conversation starters are used to gain your trust and friendship, reports the FTC. At some point, the sender will ask you to invest in cryptocurrency or say they’re in a jam and ask you to send them gift cards, but it’s all just a scam.

What should you do if you get a text with this phrase?

The rule of thumb is to just delete the text or emails that are unsolicited.

“If it’s an ‘imposter’ message, like someone claiming to be from, say, Bank of America or the IRS, never click on the link or attachment,” warns Shadel. “If you’re not sure if it’s [legit], you should independently log into that account with your own login and password—not what was sent to you—to see if the institution truly was trying to contact you.” Or call the organization by using a published phone number to verify the message was legitimate.

Should you report messages like this?

Yes. While you might not think reporting fraudulent emails or texts is effective, Shadel says it’s important for one reason: “Law enforcement needs to know the extent of the issue, to be able to devote more resources to stopping scammers.”

Here are other ways to fight back against scammers:

• Use your mobile carrier’s tool to catch and quarantine robocalls and spammed calls like Verizon’s Call Filter, AT&T ActiveArmor and T-Mobile’s Scam Shield. Or opt for third-party options, such as Truecaller, Robokiller or Nomorobo.
• The advent of AI may improve the spelling and grammar of the fraudster, so always remember that if you didn’t ask to be contacted, chances are the message is  a scam—even if it’s written in perfect English.
• Don’t fall for tempting offers. If the deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
• Use multifactor authentication (MFA) on your online accounts. This means you’ll receive a one-time code via text or email that’s required in order to log in.
• Reject any unsolicited advice or offers of help, as many scammers pose as “tech support” who will tell you they’ve detected a problem on your device and can walk you through fixing it.

About the experts Tim Bajarin is a 40-year veteran technology analyst and the chairman of the San Jose, California–based market research company Creative Strategies. Doug Shadel is the founder of Fraud Prevention Strategies. He is also a former fraud investigator and special assistant to the attorney general’s office in Washington State.

Why trust us

Reader’s Digest has published hundreds of articles on personal technology, arming readers with the knowledge to protect themselves against cybersecurity threats and internet scams as well as revealing the best tips, tricks and shortcuts for computers, cellphones, apps, texting, social media and more. For this piece on scam texts, Marc Saltzman tapped his 30-year experience as a technology journalist, the author of several books (including Apple Vision Pro for Dummies) and the host of the syndicated Tech It Out radio show and podcast to ensure that all information is accurate and offers the best possible advice to readers. We rely on credentialed experts with personal experience and know-how as well as primary sources, including tech companies, professional organizations and academic institutions. We verify all facts and data and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

Sources:

• Tim Bajarin, chairman of Creative Strategies and veteran technology analyst; phone interview, Sept.20, 2024
• Doug Shadel, founder of the Fraud Prevention Strategies and former fraud investigator and special assistant to attorney general’s office in Washington State; phone interview, Sept. 18, 2024
• FTC: “Why it’s not rude to ignore ‘hi, how are you?’ text messages from strangers”

Imagine this: You’re home sick, and Al Roker—yes, the NBC weathercaster and host of Today—shows up at your door. He comes bearing a dish of freshly made mac and cheese, the world’s best chocolate chip cookies and skillet cornbread, his three favorite dishes to cook for people who aren’t feeling well. On a scale of 1 to the sky parting and heavenly angels singing, how much better would you feel? (Heck, we feel better just imagining it!)

“Comfort foods are one of my favorite little ways to show kindness to others,” says Roker, who recently wrote the cookbook Al Roker’s Recipes to Live By: Easy, Memory-Making Family Dishes for Every Occasion. Hey, they don’t call them comfort foods for nothing!

Roker, a man known for being kind, learned early in life that a small act of kindness can change a life—sometimes a whole lot of lives. This is also the premise for Reader’s Digest’s yearly Nicest Places in America contest; we want to find all those kind people, clustered together in their communities, who are making the world a happier place. So who better to help us pick our winners than Roker, one of the nicest guys in the country?

“There are a lot of kind people out there, but it’s often the unkind folks who get the attention. So we need to make the effort to look for kindness, and the fact that Reader’s Digest is doing this is terrific,” he says. “We need to shine a light on those examples so that people can be inspired and think, If this person is doing this, maybe I can too.“

Ready to get inspired and learn a few new things about everyone’s favorite weatherman? Read on to find out Roker’s top picks for Reader’s Digest’s Nicest Places in America, how he thinks everyone can incorporate more kindness in their everyday lives and how the best recipes can encourage even more memory-making acts of kindness.

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Reader’s Digest: What’s a nice act you’ve done or witnessed recently?
Al Roker: Just now, and it was a simple thing when I held the door for someone. Holding the door is a nice act on its own, but then the person said “thank you,” and I loved that! Just that simple acknowledgment of a kindness with another kindness. It may sound like a little thing, but it’s these little moments of civility that add up. Another thing I like to do: When I walk in Central Park and make eye contact with people, I will mouth a hello or just give a head nod. It really throws people sometimes! But these simple gestures over time really add up.

Reader’s Digest: What was your process for choosing your top three Nicest Places in America out of all the options we sent you?
Al Roker: I read through their bios, and I realized they were all great places. Any one of them could be a top three. So then what I was looking for was a sense of surprise, something you wouldn’t necessarily expect.

Reader’s Digest: What stood out to you about your top choice—Fort Greene, Brooklyn?
Al Roker: I’m from New York City, and I love it. New York City is really a collection of small towns, not really much different than your small town in any other state. Fort Greene is one of those “small towns” in the big city. It has been its own unique community since the 1800s, and it’s seen a lot of ups and downs. You may hear “Brooklyn” and think hipsters now, but Brooklyn had a reputation, and yes, there are parts of Brooklyn that still aren’t great. That could cause clashes, but there’s a group of people in Fort Greene who are saying, “Let’s not just give in to that. Let’s try to de-escalate things and bring down the temperature.”

One of these people is Carlos Jones. He built up this conversation, with all this volume, and got all of these volunteers to work together to make the city nicer for people who had lived there a long time and folks just moving in. It just goes to show that one person has to start it, and then other people are willing to join in.

Reader’s Digest: What about Provo, Utah, caught your eye? Provo ended up earning the No. 1 spot on our Nicest Places list.
Al Roker: You don’t really think of Utah as a place that has to deal with the kinds of problems you see in more urban settings, especially with young people. But the CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] found there’s a “suicide belt” in the western United States, including Utah.

Look, mental health is a huge issue in this country, and I think there’s still a stigma about it. So in Provo, parents, teachers, social workers, faith leaders and folks got together to try and intercede. They trained peer groups to help. A lot of kids are not going to talk to their parents. They may not even talk to a counselor. But if there are other kids like them who have some expertise to at least see the signs and maybe intervene and get them on that path to seeking professional help, that makes all the difference.

I think the ultimate act of kindness is to reach out and try to help somebody who is suffering in silence because they’re so afraid to speak out. It is the ultimate act of kindness to save a life.

Reader’s Digest: Silver Spring, Maryland, was another one of your favorites. Why?
Al Roker: Immigration is such a big issue in this country that sometimes we lose these small stories. Like, here’s a guy, Manuel Vera, who decided to start repairing bikes and give them away for free. He doesn’t have any background in this; he’s just one person. But he starts upcycling bikes—important in this time of conspicuous consumption—fixing them and passing them on to folks who need them.

You’ve got all these refugees coming in, and how do they get around? They don’t have driver’s licenses. But they can ride a bike. And transportation is a powerful way of being kind to people, of being able to help your neighbor, who you may not know. But yet you give them the gift of mobility and transport, and that can change lives.

Reader’s Digest: What is your advice for people who want to do something kind but aren’t sure where to start?
Al Roker: It starts by looking around you and asking questions. Maybe you do a little investigation, talk to folks, find out what they need. There are so many people who want to help but maybe don’t have that spark to get it going. So if you do, all you need to do is light that spark, and you can help lead a movement and help your neighbors. Giving of yourself, no matter how you do it, is the ultimate gift.

My father, Al Roker, was a great example of this. As a kid, I thought he was “just a bus driver”—he was a manager for the Metropolitan Transit Authority—but it wasn’t until my dad passed and there was a memorial service for him that I realized the scope of what he’d really done. One by one, people came up to talk about what my dad meant to them, things that he did for them, things he said to them. I remember a number of young African American managers in the Transit Authority who said, “There’s a whole group of us who wouldn’t be where we are if it wasn’t for Al Roker.”

Up to that point, I had no idea that he touched all these lives just by being him. It wasn’t like he said, “I’m going to go out and do this grand thing.” He just did it. And that’s my message to people: You don’t have to make a big statement. Start with: “I’m going to do that.” Then do it!

Reader’s Digest: What would you say to people who have that impulse to do something kind but talk themselves out of it because perhaps they don’t know what to do or worry that it will be the wrong thing?
Al Roker: Look, the bottom line is: Reach out, and if people don’t reach back, well, you know, at least you gave it a shot. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. But the potential upside can be life-changing. And life-changing doesn’t have to be this whole “the sky parts and a chorus of angels sing.” Life-changing can be something as simple as a used bicycle.

Reader’s Digest: Can you point to any acts of kindness, big or small, that changed your life?
Al Roker: My life was changed by [famed NBC weathercaster] Willard Scott. He helped me when I was first starting my career, which is rare. Most people in this business are a little hesitant to lend a hand to somebody they see as a competitor. But not him—he was always so kind to me, to everyone.

Reader’s Digest: You recently wrote a cookbook, Al Roker’s Recipes to Live By, and as you’ve said, food can be “memory-making.” How can cooking together make the world a nicer place?
Al Roker: No matter what kind of childhood you had growing up or where you’re from, there were certain foods, comfort foods, and those evoke happy memories even today. Making these comfort foods is a way to show kindness to others.

Reader’s Digest: We love that! Is there a particular recipe that has a beautiful memory attached to it for you personally?
Al Roker: First of all, making this cookbook is a beautiful memory—I did this with my daughter Courtney, who is a professional chef. She was pregnant at the time, so the idea of family really started to resonate with her, and she wanted to do a family cookbook. She really did all the work, talking to all our friends and family, researching recipes and putting it all together. This was her creation of love, and I got to be a part of it. And I must say, it is beautiful!

As for a recipe that always makes me smile thinking about it, one of my favorites is my wife Deborah’s mom’s potato salad. We have it every time we get together, and it’s become something that we all share. I have a lot of great memories of our family meals all together with that potato salad.

Reader’s Digest: What makes her potato salad so good? Is there a special ingredient?
Al Roker: It’s just the right balance of everything. It’s not too creamy. It’s got a little spice to it. It’s the Goldilocks of potato salads.

Reader’s Digest: What about being kind to the cook?
Al Roker: Yes, that’s a thing! Be nice to the chef! I try not to be judgy, but, you know, Judgy McJudgeface over here—I think one of the cardinal cooking sins is when you take the time and effort to prepare a good piece of steak and somebody wants to put sauce on it. It drives me absolutely bananas. Don’t ask me for steak sauce! Stop!

Al Roker’s new cookbook, Recipes to Live By: Easy, Memory-Making Family Dishes for Every Occasion, is available for preorder now. And you can watch Al every weekday morning on Today, on NBC.

Why trust us

For more than 100 years, Reader’s Digest has been known for its heartwarming true stories and focus on community. In 2016, we launched the Nicest Places in America, an annual contest that honors kind, inspiring people making a difference in their hometowns. Readers send in nominations, and Reader’s Digest’s editorial team vets the entries and whittles them down with the help of a panel of judges. This year, the judges included Today’s Al Roker, Tuesdays with Morrie author Mitch Albom, author and podcast host Mónica Guzmán, award-winning journalist and author Steve Petrow, Reader’s Digest CEO Bonnie Kintzer, and Craig Elston, a barber who helped Buffalo, New York, earn the title of Nicest Place in America in 2023. We are committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

It started as a random act of kindness: Mitchell was brainstorming ideas of how he could help in his New York community. In between donating blood and volunteering at a school, he landed on the idea of finding a way to get banned books into the hands of teens who would otherwise not have a chance to read them. It became a passion project for him.

“Getting a book to someone who really needs it, especially if it’s one they aren’t able to get themselves, is one of the kindest things you can do for another human being,” he says, speaking to Reader’s Digest on the condition of anonymity. Mitchell isn’t his real name, but the threats he’s received since beginning his anti-book-banning project are very real.

And yet he continues to fight. One way he does this is through the national network of Little Free Libraries—tiny, often handmade structures through which people can exchange books for free. The nonprofit Little Free Library organization is dedicated to making books available to everyone, everywhere. You can leave a book or take a book—including banned books.

With a just-released interactive map of book-banning hot spots and Little Free Library locations, it’s easier than ever to share important books with those who most need them. Read on to learn how to use Little Free Libraries to get banned books into the hands of readers and find out how you can fight book banning in your community.

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The book-banning problem

“I went to Catholic school growing up, and I’m sure that there were books I would have enjoyed but weren’t available in my library—I didn’t know they existed,” Mitchell says. Those books could have truly impacted his life. As a trans kid, he saw very little representation of his experience in books, art or movies. That all changed when, as an adult, he stumbled across the right book.

He was browsing in a bookstore when he spotted a novel with a main character who was trans. “I didn’t even buy the book, but just seeing that helped me so much. It validated my identity,” he says. “That’s the power of a book.”

And that’s why book banning is so problematic. Unfortunately, it’s also on the rise. As PEN America reports, there were 3,362 instances of book banning in the 2022–2023 school year, a whopping 33% increase from the previous school year. On top of the unprecedented number of bans, the country is also seeing a rise in censorship laws.

It has a profound effect, particularly on the most vulnerable kids. “I’m opposed to censorship in general, but for me, the real issue is what it’s telling people about themselves,” Mitchell says. “Banned books send a terrible message that whatever it is you’re banning—gender, sexual orientation, sex education, religion, race—is so bad that people shouldn’t know about it or even talk about it. When people label a book that represents your experience as ‘bad’ or a ‘problem,’ then they are inherently saying that you are also ‘bad’ or a ‘problem.'”

How to use Little Free Libraries to get around book bans

To give kids the kind of help and support he found later in life, Mitchell started putting banned books into the Little Free Libraries around him. He quickly branched out, researching book bans across the country to find out which titles were banned, and where. Working with local volunteers, he helped get those exact books into the communities that needed them.

What began as a community project quickly ballooned into a nationwide network of volunteers bent on fighting book bans. Before long, he was collecting donations from all over the world to send to his underground book distributors.

Mitchell wasn’t the only one with this idea. The Little Free Library organization saw the value of lending libraries in an age of escalating book bans and created an easy way for the average person to make like Mitchell and share beloved books.

Using American Library Association and PEN America data on book bans, the nonprofit created an interactive map of book-banning hot spots and Little Free Libraries across the country.

You can use the map to see which areas have taken book banning to the extreme and how your state stacks up against the rest.

• Florida: The state has the highest number of attempted book bans, with 2,647 titles at risk.
• Texas: It comes in second for the number of book bans, with 1,469 attempted book bans.
• New York: The state where Mitchell lives has 80 attempted book bans.
• Vermont and Delaware: Gold stars go to these states, which have zero attempted book bans.

So how, exactly, can you use the map? It’s easy:

1. Look up which books are banned in your area—or anywhere in the United States.
2. Zoom in to find local Little Free Libraries.

You can leave banned books in any Little Free Library. And if you’re trying to get your hands on banned books, you can check the lending library in your area.

Why use a Little Free Library to get a banned book

In the age of the internet, you can find almost anything online. So you may be wondering why people don’t just get the banned book from someplace it isn’t banned—like Amazon.

It’s about safety and discretion, Mitchell says. “Everywhere else leaves a trail, either a digital or physical record of that person getting that book,” he explains. “[Little Free Libraries] keep no records at all, which makes it easier and safer for people to get banned books.”

In other words, this is ideal for people who are afraid of their families finding out that they are reading a certain book. Think of queer teens living with homophobic parents. They might want to read LGBTQ+ books but fear what could happen if they were caught. Or think of teens being homeschooled without sex education. They’d be able to get a book like It’s Perfectly Normal—a basic explainer about sex that is currently on many banned lists.

Besides, some people don’t have money to drop on books. That’s why libraries are crucial and bans are so destructive. For instance, kids who rely on libraries to access diverse children’s books—which are often some of the most banned—may not be able to afford to buy those same books.

How to fight book bans in your area

Fighting book bans takes courage: to stand up for the freedom to read and to stand against opponents who consider certain books dangerous. In areas of the country where books are a hot-button topic, fighting bans is even more important—and sometimes risky. Remember, we’re keeping “Mitchell’s” identity anonymous. That’s because he and his underground book army have received threats, both of violence and of litigation.

“Giving books shouldn’t be dangerous, but in some places you can be arrested or sued for ‘distributing explicit material,'” he says. Some people will even threaten volunteers or destroy Little Free Libraries in an effort to keep banned books from getting out. “If it were just me, I’d put my name and face out there everywhere, but I have to protect my volunteers,” he says. “Some of them are in risky places.”

What can you do to help?

• Start a banned book club.
• Visit Unite Against Book Bans’s book résumés to learn more about the titles frequently challenged and banned.
• Get involved with Banned Books Week events—it runs from Sept. 22 to 28.
• Drop off a book in a Little Free Library near you. Use the interactive map or the mobile app to find one.
• Purchase banned books from Little Free Library’s Bookshop.org storefront. You’ll support both Little Free Library and your local bookstore.

It’s worth finding a way to help in your area. “Every time I see a banned book at a [Little Free Library] in my area that I relate to, even if I don’t take it, I’m still so grateful that someone recognized it is important information,” Mitchell says. “It makes me feel like I’m part of this community.”

About the expert Mitchell, who used a pseudonym in this article to protect his identity, is a New York–based volunteer sharing banned books in Little Free Libraries. He created a nationwide network of volunteers who leave banned books in Little Free Libraries across the country.

Why trust us

At Reader’s Digest, we’ve been sharing our favorite books for over 100 years. We’ve worked with bestselling authors including Susan Orlean, Janet Evanovich and Alex Haley, whose Pulitzer Prize–winning Roots grew out of a project funded by and originally published in the magazine. Through Fiction Favorites (formerly Select Editions and Condensed Books), Reader’s Digest has been publishing anthologies of abridged novels for decades. We’ve worked with some of the biggest names in fiction, including James Patterson, Ruth Ware, Kristin Hannah and more. The Reader’s Digest Book Club, helmed by Books Editor Tracey Neithercott, introduces readers to even more of today’s best fiction by upcoming, bestselling and award-winning authors. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. For this piece on Little Free Library’s banned book map, Charlotte Hilton Anderson tapped her two decades of experience as a journalist and interviewed a person using Little Free Libraries to fight book bans. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

Sources:

• Mitchell, a volunteer (using a pseudonym) who shares banned books via Little Free Libraries; Zoom interview, Sep. 20, 2024
• Little Free Library: “Book Ban Map”
• PEN America: “Banned in the USA: State Laws Supercharge Book Suppression in Schools”
• Associated Press: “Utah bans 13 books at schools, including popular ‘A Court of Thorns and Roses’ series, under new law”
• News Channel 9: “Tennessee law expands book bans in schools, targeting LGBTQ+ content and more”

A masked burglar dressed in ninja black creeps outside your house at night, waiting for the lights to go out so he can make his move—breaking into your home and stealing your valuables while you and your family sleep. Terrifying, right? But this concept of a home invasion is mostly untrue.

Despite Hollywood and cartoon depictions, most burglaries occur during the daytime, according to the FBI’s 2019 Crime in the United States report. This wasn’t always the case, and the change may be due to societal shifts, notes Paul Grattan Jr., a retired sergeant with the New York Police Department (NYPD) and managing director of Graypoint Strategies, a public safety consulting firm.

During the 1950s and ’60s, nighttime burglaries were more common because “a large number of women [were] home during the day,” as fewer women worked outside the home, Grattan says. And burglars prefer to do their work when no one is home. “When it comes to residential theft, almost all present-day burglaries occur when a residence is not occupied,” he says.

Burglaries—which are defined as unlawfully entering a building and removing property—have been declining since the 1980s, Grattan says, and the statistics bear this out. Nevertheless, more than 1,925 home burglaries happen each day in the United States, causing losses valued at an average of about $3,300 and chipping away at your sense of security.

Read on to learn what burglars look for when deciding which house to target—and how to prevent a home invasion from happening to you.

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Homes that are safe from prying eyes

If you’re a burglar, the less activity that neighbors or passersby can see from the street, the better. That’s why bad guys look for the following:

• Homes with overgrown bushes or high fences
• Homes without nearby neighbors
• Houses difficult to see from the street
• Houses in the middle of the street, according to home security system manufacturer ADT
• Houses without security cameras

“Anywhere there is an element of comfortability for an offender, there is the increased chance of a crime,” Grattan says. In other words, if a burglar doesn’t have to worry as much about being seen, they are more likely to attempt a break-in.

Best move: Keep your landscaping trimmed, and consider installing security cameras, video doorbells and/or alarm systems.

Unlocked potential

Burglars want to get in (and out of) your home as quickly as possible. Sometimes, homeowners make it easy for them by unintentionally giving them access in the following ways:

• Unlocked doors and windows. You might be surprised that 34% of burglars get in through the front door, according to the National Council on Crime Prevention. “We estimate that between one quarter [and one] half of doors are left unlocked for a significant period of time each day,” says Tatiana Peralta, a spokeswoman for the National Crime Prevention Council.
• First-floor windows with an air conditioning unit. “Generally, if [AC units] are not secured properly, they can be pushed in, making for somewhat easy entry,” Grattan says. “When they’re pushed into the residence, they don’t make too much noise.”
• Fire escapes. “They are often on a less noticeable side of the building, and windows are often left open or unlocked,” Grattan adds.

Best move: Keep all doors and windows locked at all times, and make sure any window-mounted air conditioners are secured. This is probably the easiest way to prevent a home invasion.

Flimsy locks and door frames

In 2017, Oregon TV station KGW surveyed 86 imprisoned burglars about their methods. Some reported kicking doors in. Apparently, this is not just something that happens on TV.

“It’s not typically an offender’s first choice,” Grattan says, but he also notes that doors with flimsy locks, or those made with a hollow core, thin wood or glass can make a door vulnerable to this method of entry.

“One of the key components in a safe door that is difficult to kick in isn’t the door itself but the frame. In almost every burglary I responded to where the door was kicked in, it was the door frame that easily gave way on the inside—with nothing but thin wood that splits when the deadlock is pressed against it with enough force.”

Best move: Install a quality deadbolt lock on every door that leads into the house. Then strengthen your door frames using door-jamb reinforcement plates and kits, Grattan recommends.

Spare keys hidden in obvious spots

You’re not fooling anyone by stashing a key under the doormat or in that planter next to the front door. “Most bad actors will typically take a quick glance around the door and above the door frame, under a mat and inside a nearby mailbox,” Grattan says.

Best moves: Install an electronic door lock in place of one that requires a key. You can assign digital codes to people you want to have access, and they enter their code to unlock the door. Many of these locking systems also have an app that allows you to lock and unlock the door with your phone. If you still feel more comfortable with a physical key, at least use a lockbox with a PIN to secure the key. And if you must hide a key somewhere, Grattan recommends making it a key that opens a rear or side door and finding somewhere less obvious to hide it.

Signs you’re away from home

An unoccupied home is an appealing target to a burglar, particularly if they sense that you won’t be home for hours or even days. Some of the things they may look for include:

• No sound from a TV or radio
• Lights that don’t get turned on and off
• Mail or packages piled up
• Trash bins left on the street
• Snow not cleared from the driveway in the winter

Best moves: Have a trusted neighbor take care of some of these exterior signs of absence. To make it look like you’re home, you might even ask a neighbor to park their car in your driveway from time to time, particularly if you’ll be away for a while. Also, consider adding some “smart” lighting that you can control with an app. As Grattan notes, “this can help randomly change the lighting scheme and make the house appear occupied.”

Signs that you’ve got valuables inside

If your home suggests you’re wealthy, burglars might think they can get a good haul. “The overall picture tells the tale—if it has an expensive car in the driveway, it’s in a higher-end neighborhood, it’s a nice house, etc.,” Grattan says. Other giveaways:

• Expensive items visible in the windows. “We see this more in remote areas where trespassers are exploring a property,” Grattan says. “I know of a case in a vacation home in Vermont where a telescope that was on a tripod visible from the window was the only item stolen from the house—something that juveniles would likely have found desirable.”
• Bumper stickers that disclose the owner’s interests. In the KGW survey, one convicted burglar wrote: “NRA sticker on car bumper = Lots of guns to steal.”
• Your home is in a neighborhood where ethnic stereotypes prevail. Grattan says he saw many cases while on the NYPD where “a particular group of people was [believed] to keep valuables in the residence.” Within some immigrant and ethnic communities, he says, “mistrust in banks is common, and many residents keep large amounts of cash at home. Likewise, many immigrant residents were not able to open proper bank accounts. This presented opportunities in some areas for offenders to score large amounts of cash proceeds from burglary.”

Best moves: Minimize the visibility of any valuables you may have. Keep as little cash as possible in your home, and use a safe for any large amounts of cash that you do keep on hand. Be sure to bolt the safe to a floor or wall, though, since it’s one of the hiding spots burglars always check, and they can just walk away with the safe if it’s not secured.

The bottom line

While there are many things a homeowner can do to prevent burglary, other complex factors—drug issues, economic issues, poverty, etc.—also contribute to the threat.

And not all home invasions are burglaries. The term “home invasion” refers to breaking into someone’s home with the intent to commit a crime while the occupants are present. It can also include robbing a person (“robbery” means taking property from a person by force or threat of force, Grattan says), or even rape.

Learning how to outsmart burglars and prevent a home invasion, Grattan says, “often comes down to making your property less attractive to burglars than the properties nearby.”

About the expert Paul Grattan Jr. is a retired sergeant with the New York Police Department who now owns Graypoint Strategies, a public safety consulting firm. He has been interviewed by numerous media outlets, including the New York Times and Women’s Health.

Why trust us

At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experience where appropriate. For this piece on how to prevent a home invasion, Laurie Budgar tapped her experience as a longtime journalist who covers home safety, technology and scams for Reader’s Digest. We verify all facts and data and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

Sources:

• FBI: “Crime in the United States”
• Paul Grattan Jr., retired sergeant with the NYPD and owner of Graypoint Strategies; email interview Sept. 13, 2024
• FBI: “Crime Data Explorer”
• ADT: “When Do Most Burglaries Occur? Everything You Should Know”
• Tatiana Peralta, communications director for the National Crime Prevention Council
• KTVB: “We asked 86 burglars how they broke into homes”

Whether you’re a planner who packs weeks ahead of time or a procrastinator who tosses items in a suitcase just hours before it’s time to leave, one thing is for sure: You need quality luggage. You need a bag that fits your budget and suits your individual needs and style. Of course, there are a ton of options out there, from Amazon luggage to internet-famous brands like Monos and Away, July Luggage and Béis. But there’s another piece of carry-on luggage that made it onto our radar, and we would be remiss not to share it with you. The Calpak Luka Soft-Sided Carry-On is a stylish piece of luggage that reminds us of our favorite puffy winter coats.

To see if this suitcase is as functional as it is fun, our expert product testers took it into the Testing Lab for close inspection. They stuffed it, tossed it, dragged it and soaked it in hopes of mimicking the rough treatment it might receive as a checked bag at the airport. We compiled all of their findings into this comprehensive Calpak Luka review. Here’s everything you need to know.

What is the Calpak Luka?

As its name states, the Calpak Luka is a soft-sided suitcase designed for use as a carry-on bag. It’s available in two sizes: the carry-on and the mini carry-on. We tested the carry-on, which weighs just 6.35 pounds, holds up to 32 liters of storage and measures 41 inches high with the telescopic handle fully extended. Both sizes are within the carry-on dimensions for most U.S. domestic and international airlines.

The exterior of this suitcase is a puffy polyester shell. “It looks cozy and reminds you a puffer winter coat,” says the Product Testing Team. “Simple and minimalist, but still looks different than your average suitcase.” It has a large pocket with smaller compartments inside. One of those compartments is designed specifically for laptops, and it easily fits our tester’s sizable 14-inch computer. Our team noted that the bag’s cushy exterior made them feel as though the computer was very protected. There are also two zippered pockets on each side that look like charging pockets. However, this suitcase doesn’t have a charging cord or port.

The suitcase’s interior features a main compartment with nylon compression straps, one horizontal mesh pocket and two side-by-side mesh pockets. This bag also features cushioned top and side handles that make it easy to lift, well-concealed zippers with easy-to-grab rubber tails, a Transportation Security Administration (TSA)-approved lock, 360-degree swivel wheels and a telescopic handle for easy maneuvering through airports and hotels.

How we tested it

Product testing manager, Annamarie Higley, led the team in their efforts to see what the Calpak Luka carry-on is really made of. Higley was immediately taken with the trendy design, calling it “cute and attractive.” However, she did point out that it’s not a timeless style.

To test this suitcase, our team stuffed it with two heavy moving blankets to add weight and bulk. Then, Higley took it for a spin on various types of terrain, including low-pile carpet, vinyl, sidewalks, cobblestones, gravel and grass. Like other models they tested, this suitcase needed to be pulled rather than pushed over the grass and gravel. That said, our testers found that overall, the Calpak Luka pulled better than it pushed. What our testers didn’t like, however, were the wheels.

While the bag’s 360-degree swivel wheels provide a decent turn radius, our testers felt that they were lower quality than those found on other models. “The wheels really had a mind of their own, guiding the bag in all sorts of wacky directions,” explains our team. “I had an unpleasant time rolling this one overall.” Another issue of concern for our testers was the fabric. According to our testers, the light-colored fabric reaches almost the base of the suitcase. Every time they pulled it over a curb or stair, they ran the risk of the fabric getting snagged or torn.

While they were worried about the fabric being susceptible to snags and tears, they were pleasantly surprised by how well it held up during their next round of tests. During this portion of our testing, the team dropped this suitcase from roughly 4 feet high, tossed it over a barrier and dragged it along the ground for about a yard. After dragging this bag along the ground, it came away virtually unscathed. “I’m shocked to say this bag didn’t incur nearly as much aesthetic damage as I expected,” says the Product Testing Team. “The oatmeal-colored fabric remained unscathed. It picked up no dirt or tears.” After being dropped and thrown, our team noted that there were some scratches on the plastic base of the bag, and one of the wheel caps had popped off. “It could easily be popped back in, but I’m sure an airport employee wouldn’t take the time to do that,” says our team.

Overall, this suitcase will do just fine on a road trip or when used as a carry-on. And given its hip, puffy look, it’s ideal for travelers who value style and minimalism. In order to prevent your new luggage from showing dirt or stains that may accumulate during your travels, our team recommends opting for one of the brand’s darker colors.

Pros:

• Trendy minimalist design
• Lightweight
• Durable fabric
• 360-degree swivel wheels
• Telescopic handle
• Separate compartment for a laptop
• Classic and limited-edition colors
• Two-year limited warranty

Cons:

• Wheels aren’t as high-quality as good as other models we’ve tested
• Lighter colors can get dirty quickly

Why you should trust us

At Reader’s Digest, we know how important it is to find quality products that make your travels easier. This especially applies to luggage, which can be a hefty investment. As frequent travelers ourselves, we have years of personal experience with everything from budget-friendly luggage to zipperless luggage and everything in between. We only recommend a piece of luggage if we believe it’ll enhance your own travel experience.

Our product testing experts on the Product Testing Team spent hours in our Testing Lab using and abusing over a dozen soft-sided suitcases to see how well they might hold up to the treatment they’d receive in an airport. Several of those hours were spent with the Calpak Luka. Our team was impressed by the overall design of this suitcase, the durability of the fabric and the dedicated laptop pocket. “The stand-out feature is the laptop holder, which does feel very protected, thanks to the cushy exterior of the bag,” says our team.

It was meant to honor Queen Elizabeth II on the second anniversary of her death. But the new Queen Elizabeth statue in Belfast, Northern Ireland, has raised eyebrows around the world and received harsh criticism, especially on social media. Reactions range from “not good” to “actually offensive”—and worse.

This comes just a few months after the first official oil painting of King Charles caused a stir, making many royal fans literally see red. But are the negative voices really justified—and what else is there to know about the latest piece of royal art?

Read on to learn about the controversial Queen Elizabeth statue, its artist and the meaning behind his work. And yes, we’re sharing some of the nice and not-so-nice things people are saying about it. (Because you know you’re curious!)

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1. Elizabeth had a strong bond with Northern Ireland

It’s no coincidence that Belfast decided to honor the late queen. The monarch visited Northern Ireland 25 times, both as princess and queen.

She first touched down on July 17, 1945, shortly after World War II ended. Though her parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, accompanied her on that initial visit, she returned a year later for her first solo trip outside Great Britain. In early June 1953, a month after being crowned, Elizabeth visited Belfast as a monarch—an event so momentous that the governor of Northern Ireland declared it a public holiday. The queen returned several times before, during and after the Troubles, the Northern Ireland conflict.

Her last visit was in June 2016, when she went to Giant’s Causeway, a stunning stone formation on the northeast coast, and took a steam train tour similar to the one she took during her coronation visit. She intended to return in October 2021 but canceled on the advice of her doctors.

The queen was fond of Northern Ireland all her life. “Even in the most troubled of times, I have been heartened by the warmth and good humor of the people I have met,” she said during a visit in 2002.

2. The queen’s beloved corgis are part of the sculpture

The two pups at the queen’s feet are true eye-catchers, and they serve an important purpose: They pay tribute to her enduring love for her many corgis.

Elizabeth’s love for dogs is well documented. When she turned 18, she received a corgi named Susan from her father, kicking off a legacy: a line of royal corgis that lasted for at least 14 generations of dogs.

According to the palace website, Elizabeth owned more than 30 corgis and dorgis (a crossbreed of a corgi and a dachshund) during her lifetime. After she passed, her dogs moved in with Prince Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, who still live together in Windsor.

3. Artist Anton Brennan is mainly known for chessboards

The Queen Elizabeth statue was created by Belfast sculptor Anton “Anto” Brennan, who made a name for himself with satirical artwork featuring prominent politicians in Ireland and with eye-catching chessboards.

His most famous work is a chess set based on the Good Friday Agreement, the 1998 political deal designed to end the violent conflict in Northern Ireland after 30 years. The board features world leaders—including England’s late queen and the prime minister at the time, Tony Blair—as chess pieces and now sells for 450 pounds (approximately $590). Brennan also created a Titanic-themed chessboard and one for the war in Afghanistan, which features the then heads of state.

Brennan was commissioned by the local Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council in Belfast. Apart from the satirical chess piece, he had never created a sculpture of the queen before.

4. The queen is wearing her “Balmoral outfit”

We all remember Elizabeth wearing bright dresses and equally bright hats. But the statue shows her in rather casual clothes: tweeds, wellies and her trademark silk headscarf. These may not be her most glam garments (or most recognizable), but they reveal a side of the queen we saw less often. In fact, the Queen Elizabeth statue’s getup resembles the outfit she usually chose when vacationing at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, her favorite of all the royal estates and residences.

The late monarch had a soft spot for Scotland and the Highlands—she spent a significant part of her childhood there and returned every summer during her reign. The locals regularly spotted her walking her corgis in her tweed-and-wellies combo. Notably, Balmoral is also where Elizabeth died on Sept. 8, 2022, at the age of 96.

5. The statue reflects her passion for the outdoors

Sure, Elizabeth’s main residence was in London. But by all reports, she was a country girl at heart. “Although her life was devoted to public service, Queen Elizabeth was perhaps happiest when enjoying outdoor life, particularly walking in the countryside and spending time with her dogs,” Belfast’s deputy mayor, Paul Dunlop, said during the statue-unveiling ceremony.

And there’s no better way to pay tribute to the monarch’s love for the British outdoors than with a statue situated in a 400-year-old garden brimming with flowers and trees. The Queen Elizabeth statue stands in Belfast’s Antrim Castle Gardens, just a stone’s throw from the Platinum Jubilee Garden, which opened in 2022 to celebrate the monarch’s 70 years on the throne.

6. The Prince Philip figure was made by the same artist

The Queen Elizabeth statue stands adjacent to a statue of her husband, Prince Philip, which was created by Brennan in 2023. “Seeing these statues alongside each other today not only […] makes sure that her legacy as our longest ever reigning monarch lives on, and will be remembered by future generations, but it also reminds us of the bond between her and her consort, His Royal Highness, the Duke of Edinburgh,” said David McCorkell, the late queen’s personal representative for the Northern Irish county Antrim.

Elizabeth and Philip were married for 73 years. And these side-by-side statues aren’t the only testament to their love: They’re also buried next to each other at Windsor Castle near London.

7. Royal fans think the statue looks like Mrs. Doubtfire

The unveiling of the Queen Elizabeth statue made headlines around the world—but the reactions were mixed, to say the least. Many royal fans thought the sculpture didn’t do the beloved monarch justice. The negative comments ranged from “dreadful” to “blooming awful” and “more of an insult than a tribute,” with one royal fan saying, “Whoever signed that off needs their eyes tested.”

One social media user went viral by joking that the statue looked like Mrs. Doubtfire, the cross-dressing nanny in the 1990s hit movie of the same name, played by the late Robin Williams.

But the council that commissioned the statue doesn’t agree. The official statement said the statue shows the monarch “in a dignified pose, reflecting her grace, steadfastness and lifelong dedication to public service,” However, it did acknowledge that “art can prompt diverse opinions.”

8. The queen statue is not the first to raise eyebrows

While the criticism of the queen’s sculpture might seem a bit harsh, it’s nothing compared with the response to an abstract statue of Philip: It’s been called the “worst artwork ever seen.” The piece, dubbed “The Don,” shows Philip wearing an academic cap and gown and was initially erected without permission in front of an office building in Cambridge in 2014—and therefore had to be taken down.

Though the piece was created to celebrate Philip’s more than three decades as chancellor of Cambridge University, it wasn’t a welcome tribute. The local council branded it “possibly the poorest-quality work that has ever been submitted.”

In 2023, the controversial statue was erected again … and again failed to get planning permission. The council has once again ruled it must go.

9. The royal family hasn’t commented on the statue

So what do those who knew the queen best, namely her family, think about the new statue? It seems this is a situation in which the royal etiquette rule “never complain, never explain” applies. As of now, no senior royal has publicly voiced their opinion. According to the unofficial royal guidebook, members of the “Firm” are expected to always stay neutral, keep a straight face and avoid controversy.

It remains to be seen if any of the royals will check out the statue next time they are in Northern Ireland. So far, there’s no Belfast date set in the royal diary.

10. There are only a few Queen Elizabeth statues in the U.K.

Considering she was the longest-reigning monarch in British history, you’d think that there would be lots of sculptures of the queen placed around the country. Surprisingly, there are only a handful.

There’s one in Windsor Great Park, which was unveiled in 2003 and shows the monarch riding a horse. Shortly after the queen’s passing, York unveiled a stone statue that is now on display in the city’s cathedral. A year later, the Royal Albert Hall in London added a bronze statue of Elizabeth and Philip at its entrance, while Oakham in the East Midlands erected a bronze sculpture outside a library to celebrate what would have been the queen’s 98th birthday.

But more statues are in the works! Newcastle upon Tyne in northeastern England will present its bronze statue of the monarch in the Queens Gardens later this fall. And in 2026, when the queen would have turned 100 years old, a new sculpture will stand in St. James’s Garden, close to Buckingham Palace, her official London residence.

Why trust us

At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. For this piece on the Queen Elizabeth statue, Astrid Hofer tapped her experience as a London-based journalist with more than 20 years of experience covering topics including the British royal family. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

Sources:

• BBC: “The Queen’s delight at many visits to Northern Ireland and the Republic”
• BBC: “‘It’s not good’: New royal statue divides opinion”
• BBC: “Queen Elizabeth’s memorial to be close to Palace”
• ITV News: “Queen’s visits to Northern Ireland as princess and monarch”
• Sky News: “New statue of Queen Elizabeth II divides opinion”
• Sky News: “Prince Philip ‘The Don’ statue to be removed for second time”
• Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council: “Sculpture of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II unveiled in Antrim Castle Gardens”
• Newcastle Under Lyme Borough Council: “New statue of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II commissioned”
• Belfast Telegraph: “NI ‘piece process’ chess board for sale with key players from Good Friday Agreement era”
• The Independent: “Queen Elizabeth II statue mocked for looking more like Mrs. Doubtfire”

In 2020, when Sara “Seung” Blanco Parra was 12, she and her family left their home in Colombia and wound up in Provo, Utah. It couldn’t have been more obvious that they were outsiders. They were immigrants, spoke little English and practiced Catholicism in a city whose population mostly belongs to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). And yet Blanco Parra, now 16, says she’s never felt more safe or welcome.

“In Colombia,” she says, “I hardly knew my neighbors. Here, I know I could ask anyone for help, and they would give it to me.”

During their first few months in Provo when the family had no car, Blanco Parra remembers a motorist pulling over as she was walking to a restaurant with her mother. He gave them a lift, paid for their meal and then hurried off.

This was Provo.

It was the living embodiment of ­Mormon culture—conservative while curious and open to the world, entrepreneurial while charity-minded, abstemious while fun-loving, ambitious while family-oriented. The city frequently made it onto lists for great places to live, to work, to raise a family and to play in the outdoors. When one local family was entertaining friends from out of town, the guests looked around and commented, “This place feels like Mayberry.”

There are plenty of reasons that this beautiful city of 113,000 like-minded neighbors could’ve been named the Nicest Place in America. But Provo also struggled with a dark secret. Starting in the late 1990s, young people had begun killing themselves at an alarming rate. What sets the community apart is the blueprint it built to fight this deadly epidemic.

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Understanding the root of the problem

In 1999, a 14-year-old boy walked into Provo High School, the city’s second-largest school, and handed his watch to his best friend.

“I’m not going to need this after tomorrow,” he said. During the school day, he shared his plans with six other friends, then went home and killed himself. He wasn’t the first.

In the early 2000s, sociologists identified a “suicide belt” stretching across the Intermountain West from New Mexico to Montana. Suicide rates within the belt were about twice the national average, and Provo wasn’t immune. Between 1998 and 2003, the Provo City School District averaged one or two suicides per year. Over a three-year period, its largest school, Timpview High School, suffered four deaths among its population of 2,100 students.

Why was this happening? Could the conformism and strictures of the Mormon church, with its moral prohibitions, be suffocating for young people? Conversely, could life for nonmembers in Provo be challenging? But the cases didn’t neatly align with the first theory, and research suggests that religion can be protective against suicide.

It was when Greg Hudnall, the associate superintendent with the Provo City School District, actually sat down with young people who had attempted suicide that things came into focus. He consistently heard them describe a sense of loneliness, of isolation, of anonymity.

“Do you have any idea what it’s like,” one girl said to him after her suicide attempt, “to attend a middle school with 1,200 students, share a locker, play on the volleyball team and not once in three weeks hear your name mentioned?”

Somehow, in this city famous for its niceness, too many kids were feeling as if they didn’t matter. Whatever was driving that, the solution began to appear clear: Make sure the kids knew they did matter. But how?

Finding hope—and a solution

When Hudnall, now 66, began exploring youth-focused prevention programs at other school districts, he learned that many administrators handpicked their most popular students to be trained on what to do if a classmate appeared suicidal. In 2004, Hudnall, along with the school system’s prevention officer, Cathy Bledsoe, took a slightly different tack: Rather than identifying the popular kids themselves, they asked every student at Timpview to name three classmates—not kids who were popular, but those they would turn to if they were in crisis. Out of 2,100 students, 40 names rose to the top. They came from all over the student body—athletes, nerds, drama kids, cowboys, gay, straight, LDS, non-LDS—but they shared a set of traits. They were known among their classmates to be good listeners, caring people, empaths.

Hudnall and Bledsoe, now 72, rounded them up to talk about suicide prevention, and the kids gave themselves a name: the Hope Squad.

Working with local mental health experts, including Brigham Young University academics, Hudnall trained the Hope Squad members to recognize suicide warning signs, taught them what questions to ask and empowered them to guide their struggling classmates toward counselors and social workers. The Hope Squad wore special T-shirts to school, hosted a Hope Day and Hope Week, and met regularly for training and fellowship.

Things turned around so abruptly, it was startling. The year after the first Hope Squad was formed—after that devastating string of four suicides in three years—not a single Timpview student took their own life. Nor during the second year, nor the third, nor the fourth … nor, as of this year, the 20th. The program has been so successful that it was adopted in all 19 of the district’s schools, then approved by the Utah legislature as a recipient of funding for any school in the state wishing to start a Hope Squad.

Embracing Provo’s sense of community

Nestled between the majestic Wasatch Range of the Rocky Mountains and the high-altitude Utah Lake, Provo is a place of natural beauty. It was settled in the 1840s when, under the leadership of their prophet Brigham Young, pioneers belonging to the LDS Church trekked across the Great Plains. They settled Salt Lake City, then Provo, turning an inhospitable desert valley into a lush oasis. Their emblem, the beehive, symbolized their industriousness and unity.

They planted orchards, built wool and steel mills, and established Brigham Young University (BYU), which is home to some 35,000 students. Today, the city is quite diverse, with Spanish-speaking wards, Pacific Islander wards and Korean wards. In recent decades, Provo has given rise to health-care, finance and tech companies, and its prosperous, enterprising culture is the perfect extension of its bustling-beehive past. It enjoys affordable housing, an enviably low crime rate and a high rate of community volunteerism.

“We know our neighbor. We’re kind. We look out for each other,” says the city’s mayor, Michelle Kaufusi. “Provo people are sensitive to what’s going on in the community.”

On any given Saturday, some 250 volunteers show up, ready to work, in a preselected neighborhood. They will rip out damaged trees, pour concrete for driveways, “anything we can do to help the neighbors,” says Kaufusi, 57. The Provo native, who grew up as one of seven kids in a single-parent household, started this MyHometown initiative to help the city that helped raise her.

Residents of Provo are also notoriously outdoorsy, hiking Provo Canyon, fishing Utah Lake, skiing at Sundance. The city boasts a center for the arts, four science museums, a picturesque public library, several theaters, a state-of-the-art rec center, ice cream shops that outnumber bars 15 to 1, and an LDS meetinghouse on nearly every corner.

While life in an LDS town can have its challenges for nonmembers, there’s surprisingly little conflict. As Trenton Brown, a 32-year-old non-LDS transplant from upstate New York, puts it, “You never feel judged. It really is a great place to live.”

Saving thousands of lives around the country

Hudnall retired from the school district and now operates Hope Squad as a nonprofit in Utah. In 2017, he began licensing the program to schools around the country. There are Hope Squads in 2,000 elementary, middle and high schools, a few colleges, a few corporations and even some senior centers. To date, the program has resulted in 12,000 referrals to mental health services and more than 2,500 hospitalizations.

Blanco Parra is now a Hope Squad member, as were all six of Kaufusi’s kids. Blanco Parra recently became friends with a girl in the nearby town of Spanish Fork. In early 2024, she noticed that her new friend’s text messages contained an alarming litany of daily pressures, conflicts with parents, expressions of hopelessness. She kept thanking Blanco Parra for being her friend and left three or four tearful audio messages.

Although the girl lived in another school district, Blanco Parra contacted a Timpview counselor and together they connected her friend with a school social worker, who helped her through the crisis.

“She was a little angry that I did that,” says Blanco Parra. “But at the same time, she was glad.”

Helping in little ways that make a big difference

Such dramatic cases are relatively rare. Hope Squads would not be nearly so successful if members only stepped in to help after their peers were already in crisis. Instead, a Hope Squad is about the crucial yet less glamorous work of deep prevention, of making all their classmates feel seen so that they never begin thinking about taking their own lives.

Hope Sybrowsky, 16, the aptly named president of Timpview’s Hope Squad, describes the bulk of the work as “going to school every day and looking around. You might see someone happy and bubbly one day and then the next day they’re sort of quieter. So I will just go up to them and say, ‘Hey, are you doing OK? Because it looks like you’re feeling a little down.’ ”

Some Hope Squads will sit together and memorize the names and faces of everybody in their school. Having someone drop a casual, “Hey, Megan!” in the hallway can feel like a gift. Not all Hope Squad members are naturally extroverted, but belonging to the organization gives them license to act on their benevolent instincts.

School counselor Rachelle Carter, 54, who is the adviser to Timpview’s current Hope Squad, marvels at how uninhibited the group’s members can be.

“I can’t tell you how many times I have seen them go up and just sit with ­someone that was all by themselves,” she says. “Just sit there and eat lunch with them or just talk to them. They’re the type of kids who are not afraid to do that. They want to just watch out for ­people.”

To be clear, Hope Squad members aren’t expected to be counselors. Rather, they’re taught to be sensitive to the struggles of their peers and to bring in adult help when they see red flags, as was the case with Blanco Parra and her Spanish Fork friend. Momi Tu’ua, 57, Timpview’s current principal, estimates that in her school alone, there have been about 100 referrals made by Hope Squad members over the years.

“About a third of them were cases where we had to intervene at a much deeper level,” she says. “I shudder to think what would have happened in those 30 or so cases without the Hope Squad.”

Continuing to reach out and connect

Adam McMurray, 18, is a former Hope Squad member and a freshman at BYU who plans to establish the university’s first Hope Squad.

During high school, he says, “it can feel like all your peers are finding their place—the football team, math club. A few students just don’t seem to quite fit in anywhere. Everyone in Hope Squad was on the lookout for those people. It trained us to have those eyes to see those other students.”

Acknowledging the worth of the people around you, McMurray says, “is ­something I think everyone in the world could do a little bit better on.”

Of course, Provo is not perfect. Ensuring that everyone feels included is an ongoing challenge, says Hudnall: “You really have to work at it. It’s not one and done.” But he’s confident his city will continue to put in the effort. Provo’s key asset, Hudnall believes, is “stalwart, kind, supportive people, who really care about connection.”

Kaufusi has a message for every person who calls Provo home: “We want them to know that we need them. We need them in our families, we need them in our communities, in our schools, in our friend groups. They are loved and needed.”

Why trust us

For more than 100 years, Reader’s Digest has been known for its heartwarming true stories and focus on community. In 2016, we launched the Nicest Places in America, an annual contest that honors kind, inspiring people making a difference in their hometowns. Readers send in nominations, and Reader’s Digest’s editorial team vets the entries and whittles them down with the help of a panel of judges. This year, the judges included Today’s Al Roker, Tuesdays with Morrie author Mitch Albom, author and podcast host Mónica Guzmán, award-winning journalist and author Steve Petrow, Reader’s Digest CEO Bonnie Kintzer, and Craig Elston, a barber who helped Buffalo, New York, earn the title of Nicest Place in America in 2023. We are committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

At first, Manuel Vera just wanted to do something productive for his neighbors during the COVID-19 lockdown. Maybe he could help them get outside by tuning up bikes in need of a little TLC, he thought. So he posted to an online group in his Silver Spring, Maryland, neighborhood, offering to fix people’s bikes for free. All he asked was to be reimbursed for any new parts.

“Then I started thinking about all the bikes that people have at home that never get used,” says Vera, 74, who is retired from the local power company.

Soon he was asking neighbors to donate any bikes collecting dust in their garages and basements after kids had outgrown them or adults had upgraded to new models. Then, in his tidy little backyard shed, he’d get to work.

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Identifying a community need

Vera’s workspace is nearly as tricked out as his bikes. The green gardening shed, its inner walls lined with tools, holds a workbench and repair stand, and even has AC and Wi-Fi. You’ll know Vera is at work when classic rock or folk music floats out its open doors.

Space is tight, so Vera prefers to work alone—though not for lack of volunteers. Kabul’s fall in 2021 saw an influx of refugees to Silver Spring, a Washington, D.C., suburb of about 80,000. It’s home to families, young professionals, retirees like Vera, and a large community of immigrants and refugees raring to make Montgomery County home.

Vera tunes up the donated bikes and hauls them to parks, food banks, apartment complexes and churches. He camps out with his Free Bikes sign and waits for people to wander over. Then he pairs people up with the perfect new ride and watches them pedal away happy. His first giveaway saw six bikes go in under 30 minutes.

“People ask a few questions like, ‘Are they really free?’ ” says Vera. “The answer is: ‘Yes. If you like this bike, it’s yours.’ ”

Now neighbors know him as the Bike Dude, and they keep him busy with a steady supply of bikes, helmets and locks to redistribute. The local farmers market collected 36 bikes at its first attempt. Vera is constantly tagged in Facebook Buy Nothing group posts when locals seek to either acquire or offload sets of wheels.

Making life better, one bike at a time

In addition to the adults and kids he meets at his Free Bikes events, eager customers come from local resettlement agencies and other nonprofits. The groups provide Vera with the height, gender and age of a rider, and he delivers a fitting bicycle to their door. He’s happy to make the trip.

“People found themselves running from home, coming to the United States with nothing but the clothes on their backs,” says Vera, who emigrated from Peru with his family when he was 14. “Many of them are professionals who suddenly found themselves on the receiving end of charity.”

Manizha Azizi, 47, whose family fled to the United States when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan during the Cold War, works with Vera on behalf of the resettlement assistance group Homes Not Borders.

“A lot of times, people want to donate or offer their services, but you still have to do the footwork,” says Azizi. “With Manuel, I just give him the information and he takes it from there.”

Vera recalls one instance in which an Afghan man needed a way to get to his new job as a night security guard. Vera outfitted him with not only a bike and helmet but also lights, a pump and a reflective vest.

Ibrahim Alashe’s new bike cuts his travel time to the grocery store in half, sure. But since the 21-year-old Syrian refugee had said he primarily wanted a bike to exercise, Vera made sure his was a sports bike that he could use for cardio too. The model retails for up to $800.

“When I was looking for bicycles, it was very expensive, so when he does this for people, it makes them so happy,” says Alashe. “It was one of my dreams to get a bicycle, and he helped me lose weight. So it’s very, very good.”

So far, more than 700 Silver Springers like him have new wheels to take them anywhere their feet can pedal, thanks to the big-hearted Bike Dude.

Why trust us

For more than 100 years, Reader’s Digest has been known for its heartwarming true stories and focus on community. In 2016, we launched the Nicest Places in America, an annual contest that honors kind, inspiring people making a difference in their hometowns. Readers send in nominations, and Reader’s Digest’s editorial team vets the entries and whittles them down with the help of a panel of judges. This year, the judges included Today’s Al Roker, Tuesdays with Morrie author Mitch Albom, author and podcast host Mónica Guzmán, award-winning journalist and author Steve Petrow, Reader’s Digest CEO Bonnie Kintzer, and Craig Elston, a barber who helped Buffalo, New York, earn the title of Nicest Place in America in 2023. We are committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

In 2003, three churches brought a mobile dental clinic to Cashiers, North Carolina, a tiny vacation town with just 752 year-round residents. When the clinic moved on, hundreds of hopefuls were left in line.

Church volunteers who saw the good that accessible dental care could do raised funds to buy office space. Dental practices donated chairs and equipment; a dentist and a hygienist donated their time; and the Blue Ridge Free Dental Clinic was open. The pool of volunteers grows every year: In 2023, more than 20 professionals helped some 700 people with overdue fillings, extractions and dentures.

“You don’t need to walk around feeling bad about yourself, because they can change your life for the better,” says Elizabeth Hooper, who skipped her school reunion because she couldn’t afford to fix her teeth. “I got the smile—I’m going to show it off!”

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Why trust us

For more than 100 years, Reader’s Digest has been known for its heartwarming true stories and focus on community. In 2016, we launched the Nicest Places in America, an annual contest that honors kind, inspiring people making a difference in their hometowns. Readers send in nominations, and Reader’s Digest’s editorial team vets the entries and whittles them down with the help of a panel of judges. This year, the judges included Today’s Al Roker, Tuesdays with Morrie author Mitch Albom, author and podcast host Mónica Guzmán, award-winning journalist and author Steve Petrow, Reader’s Digest CEO Bonnie Kintzer, and Craig Elston, a barber who helped Buffalo, New York, earn the title of Nicest Place in America in 2023. We are committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

When Category 3 Hurricane Idalia, complete with 125-mph winds, came pounding across the Gulf of Mexico in August 2023, Horseshoe Beach, Florida, took a direct hit.

An idyllic enclave of some 200 permanent residents in the state’s sparsely populated Big Bend region, the town prides itself on its old-­fashioned vibe, neighborly spirit and resistance to commercialization.

“They paved the roads back about 15 years ago,” says Mayor Jeff Williams, “and a lot of people in town raised Cain about it.” Horseshoe Beach had no cell service or internet access until 2014.

Now, one of Florida’s final frontiers faced an existential threat. Idalia’s storm surge damaged or destroyed every building that wasn’t constructed on pilings. Forty homes were washed away completely. Devastated residents returned to town later the same day, shell-shocked and numb. Then they started cleaning up the mess.

A community disaster called for a community response. People who owned second homes in Horseshoe Beach handed the keys to their now-homeless neighbors to stay as long as they needed. Residents brought in their heavy equipment and chain saws to open the roadways and plow away debris, clearing neighbors’ property without a thought of payment. When contractors from inland showed up passing around business cards, Williams says, the locals “just about run them out of town. Because everybody’s friends and families were doing it for nothing.” And this is just part of the reason Reader’s Digest named Horseshoe Beach one of 2024’s Nicest Places in America.

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Leading the charge to help

Hours after the storm moved on, 25-year-old Lacey Coe, nearly 6 months pregnant and with three little ones under 5, realized that all these neighbors helping neighbors were going to need to eat. So she drove 40 miles to the nearest superstore, loaded up on groceries, returned to her undamaged home and, as she puts it, “put on my big-girl britches and started cooking.”

The next day, she did the same thing. And the next. And the next.

The area beneath her elevated house, where she’d set up a deluxe grill donated by a neighbor, became a gathering place for whoever was hungry, three meals a day, drawing between 40 and 100 people per meal. She served pork chops, grilled chicken, seafood boils, salmon, ribs, rice and gravy, green beans, potatoes, salads and more. She worked from 6 a.m. until 11 p.m. and never charged a dime.

“She became the captain of the ship,” says resident Bill Ordner, 59, who had never spoken with Coe before the storm but grew close to her family when he made it his business to help her however he could: prepping meals, cleaning up, carrying ice. One day, he recalls, she accidentally laid a hot frying pan on her thigh. “She put some burn gel on it and went right back to cooking,” he says.

To Coe, this brand of kindness was simply in line with her Horseshoe Beach upbringing. In this town, she says, “when you find out somebody don’t have what they need, you go do it, you get it, and you make sure they have it.”

Eventually, someone put out a donation jar, and Coe manned the grill for three months. Then she had her baby and started back up again.

Maintaining that strong sense of community

Horseshoe Beach’s future is uncertain. Modern building codes require homes to be elevated, which can double construction costs. Many are putting up pole barns and parking their RVs on the concrete slabs where their houses once sat. Some will likely sell their properties to out-of-towners who have the means to build fancy homes and might not share the community’s long-held values.

Mayor Williams agrees that the actions of Coe and her neighbors align perfectly with the enduring spirit of Horseshoe Beach.

“Someone has a problem with their shrimp boat, the next day you see 12 or 14 neighbors out there helping him pull the engine so he can get back to work,” he says. “Horseshoe Beach will be back as good or better than we were. But we don’t want to change.”

Why trust us

For more than 100 years, Reader’s Digest has been known for its heartwarming true stories and focus on community. In 2016, we launched the Nicest Places in America, an annual contest that honors kind, inspiring people making a difference in their hometowns. Readers send in nominations, and Reader’s Digest’s editorial team vets the entries and whittles them down with the help of a panel of judges. This year, the judges included Today’s Al Roker, Tuesdays with Morrie author Mitch Albom, author and podcast host Mónica Guzmán, award-winning journalist and author Steve Petrow, Reader’s Digest CEO Bonnie Kintzer, and Craig Elston, a barber who helped Buffalo, New York, earn the title of Nicest Place in America in 2023. We are committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

Last year, Emily Anadu answered a call from New York City’s Parks and Recreation Department.

“Emily, I’m mad at you,” the man on the other end of the line told her.

Anadu, 45, and thousands of other Brooklynites had just convened in Fort Greene Park for the Lay Out, an annual gathering the Sunday before Juneteenth. People come together to eat, buy clothes and crafts, and just bond with one another.

“Oh, no,” Anadu replied, “did we do something wrong?”

“No,” he said. “You didn’t leave anything for us to do.” Attendees and organizers had returned the park in better condition than it was given. That spirit of help and community is nothing new for residents of this Brooklyn enclave, despite changes to the neighborhood over the past few decades, but it is something they’re working to protect and prioritize.

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A storied history

Decades ago, Fort Greene, a section of Brooklyn just off the Manhattan Bridge, was largely populated by first-time-homeowning Black families living on tree-lined streets where the sky’s view inspired limitless possibilities. It was a place where folks knew their butcher’s name. Kids played outside till dusk. You saw the same people every day.

The neighborhood became a mecca for art and culture, championed by filmmaker and hometown hero Spike Lee, who set his first movies there. In the 1840s, Walt Whitman helped found Fort Greene Park, the neighborhood’s beating heart, and almost a century later, Richard Wright wrote parts of Native Son in the 30-acre green space.

“It was more family oriented, and you felt that family love. Every parent had permission to check someone’s child,” says Carlos Jones, 56, CEO and co-founder of Switching Lifestylez, a group of volunteers in Fort Greene who help de-­escalate conflict among youth. On any given day, members might walk kids home from school, step in if they see trouble brewing or just lend an ear.

“Now, it’s totally different, but we are bringing that vibe back,” he says of this 2024 Reader’s Digest Nicest Places in America finalist.

A community worth protecting

Things have changed, as anyone would expect. Skyrocketing housing costs and stark economic disparity between longtime residents and newer, wealthier residents have forced lifelong Fort Greeners out of certain parts of the neighborhood, if not out entirely. Amid it all, one thing remains firm: an intrinsic sense of both camaraderie and mutual support.

It’s that sense of belonging that the Lay Out aims to protect. The idea was born in a group chat during 2020’s Black Lives Matter marches—Anadu and friends just wanted to create a safe space in the park, which is beloved to Fort Greeners. Anadu knows it so well, she can follow its pathways while reading a book. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, she picked up trash alongside maintenance crews on her daily walks.

“I’m desperately trying to hold on to the history of this neighborhood, trying to make sure that Black people always have a presence,” says Anadu.

The Lay Out is more than a celebration in the park. Its organizers have created an entire ecosystem, with a network of more than 500 Black-owned businesses and cooking classes whose ticket proceeds keep community fridges stocked with delicious food, free for the taking, to name a few ongoing efforts. But Anadu stresses how important simply gathering in Fort Greene Park, a space that felt increasingly encroached upon, can be for residents to bask in the joy of shared connection.

“It was about reclaiming space, reclaiming each other, and this idea that peace is a form of resistance,” she says.

The neighborhood is a master class in preserving the mores of old while making just enough room for what’s new, dynamic and curative.

“I want people to see we aren’t like every other community,” says Jones. “Fort Greene is a wonderful place with a vibe like no other.”

Why trust us

For more than 100 years, Reader’s Digest has been known for its heartwarming true stories and focus on community. In 2016, we launched the Nicest Places in America, an annual contest that honors kind, inspiring people making a difference in their hometowns. Readers send in nominations, and Reader’s Digest’s editorial team vets the entries and whittles them down with the help of a panel of judges. This year, the judges included Today’s Al Roker, Tuesdays with Morrie author Mitch Albom, author and podcast host Mónica Guzmán, award-winning journalist and author Steve Petrow, Reader’s Digest CEO Bonnie Kintzer, and Craig Elston, a barber who helped Buffalo, New York, earn the title of Nicest Place in America in 2023. We are committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

To see the best of Butte, Montana, all Joyce O’Bill has to do is look out her front window at the gleaming white Virgin Mary on the mountain.

“I look out every morning and say hi,” she says.

Perched high on a ridge outside of town, the massive statue known as Our Lady of the Rockies (or just Our Lady to locals) can be seen from almost everywhere in this famously hardworking city. Bob O’Bill built it as a tribute to his wife while she battled cancer. While Joyce was hard at work beating the disease, her husband’s modest vision of a 5-foot front-yard statue was blossoming into a 90-foot mountaintop memorial to both family and motherhood.

“Bob said, ‘I’m not religious, but I’ve got a lot of faith,’ ” says Joyce. “I tell everybody that it doesn’t have so much to do with me, or religion. It’s for all mothers.”

Joyce ended up outliving Bob: He passed away in 2016, and she’s still going strong at 90. So strong, in fact, that she drives twice weekly to the Butte Emergency Food Bank to give back to the community that has given so much to her.

“I started 31 years ago, and kept going and going. I’m the old one there,” she says. “When we started, it was only four of us. Now we have 60 or 70 volunteers.”

It’s people like her who inspire Lorraine Hamry most. A retired banker and Butte native, Hamry started volunteering at the Butte Emergency Food Bank a decade ago and is now its director.

“I’ve absolutely fallen in love with it. I had no idea how much Butte gives back,” says Hamry of one of Reader’s Digest‘s Nicest Places in America finalists. “People in Butte are so proud. They think everybody should know where Butte is. It’s not ‘Butte, Montana’—it’s ‘Butte, America.’ ”

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Tough but kind

Founded in 1864 and once the largest city in the West, Butte has always been a rugged place. Joyce O’Bill still remembers when the local high school got its first turf field.

“The kids played on rocks and dirt for years,” she says. “When they finally put in grass for the football field, we thought we were big time.”

Now home to 35,000, Butte is most famous for its biggest scar: the mile-long crater on the east side of town known as the Berkeley Pit, or just “the pit,” a former open-pit copper mine almost 1,800 feet deep. The city was once among the world’s most important copper-mining regions. Workers created a tight-knit community that took care of its own.

“Everybody knew everybody,” recalls Hamry, 61. “People say they’re ‘Butte tough’­—that’s because everyone here is surviving.”

Today, as mining gives way to tourism, Butte’s blue-collar workers have been joined by artists, professionals and entrepreneurs like Demetrius Fassas, a Kentucky transplant who moved to Butte in 2015.

“People who come here tend to want to create something for themselves, to start things,” says Fassas. “These people are hardy. They know how to do stuff. They’re survivors.”

Fassas, 34, came to Montana to ski, then stayed to build a career in service. In between, he has helped launch community gardens and two sober-living communities. He now runs the Covellite Theatre, named for the region’s signature ­copper-rich mineral. The Covellite hosts concerts, potluck suppers, open mics and fundraisers.

Curiously, Fassas has found that the less he asks for, the more he gets.

“We’ve had donation events that do better than ticketed events,” he says. “If you don’t put a price tag on it, people actually give more.”

Butte’s emphasis on community

A few blocks away at the Hungry Hill Center for Art, Education and Outreach, Butte native Mike Kujawa has found the same generosity. An art teacher at Butte’s high school, Kujawa wanted to support the food bank’s youth programs. So he and his students made simple bowls to fill with soup and sell at a fundraiser. Patrons would pay $20 for their meal and the bowl it came in. At the time, Kujawa, 57, had no idea how much support his Empty Bowls Project would generate.

“That first year, we made 650 bowls, and we were overwhelmed. We had just one soup line and so many people,” Kujawa recalls. “This year, we made 1,700 bowls and could only sell 1,300 tickets because that’s all the fire marshal would allow in the building.”

The support reflects a deep Butte tradition, Kujawa says.

“It goes back to the mines—there was no insurance. When somebody died in the mine or got injured, everybody got together to help the family,” he explains.

It’s that same Butte spirit that made the Our Lady of the Rockies statue possible.

When Bob O’Bill shared his modest plans with friends in 1979, they started thinking bigger. A supporter donated land. The mining company lent equipment. It took Bob and his friends five years to build the road to the ridgetop and pour the concrete base. The 51-ton statue was completed in 1985, its seven steel sections flown in by Nevada Air National Guard helicopters as locals cheered from below.

“So many good guys,” Joyce O’Bill recalls. “They’d all work their jobs all day, and then go up there at night and work some more. Then they’d come down all hungry and dirty and sit in the front room and giggle.”

A shrine at the site includes 15,000 memorial tiles for mothers and grandmothers. One tile honors the great-grandmother of Butte native Shannon Hopewell.

“The view is spectacular—you can see the Berkeley Pit, the city, everything,” says Hopewell.

A resilient spirit

Our Lady of the Rockies isn’t Butte’s only statue of note. Outside the town archives, where Hopewell works, stands a bronze-and-stone memorial to a true Butte survivor—the famously standoffish stray dog known as the Auditor, who spent 17 years living alone at the Berkeley Pit.

“The number of people who stop by to pat his head is amazing,” says Hopewell.

Miners named the dog the Auditor because he’d show up when least expected. He wouldn’t let anyone near him, but miners left him food and built him a doghouse, where he would eventually pass away peacefully.

The story captivated Hopewell, 32, who recently published a children’s book about him called The Richest Dog on Earth.

“We don’t really know where he came from, but the miners took care of him,” Hopewell says. “There’s a resilience to the people of Butte. Even if you’re alone, you can still find a friend.”

The city isn’t perfect, says Fassas: “Nine months of winter is tough.”

But Butte has held on to its history and builds its future.

Visitors can see the World Mining Museum, hit the Montana Folk Festival and eat at the nation’s oldest Chinese restaurant, the Pekin Noodle Parlor, founded in 1911. There’s a film festival, the country’s most difficult 100-mile mountain bike race, and a two-day Fourth of July party (Butte’s title as Montana’s “festival city” is certainly earned). And the spectacular landscape around the city offers hiking, biking, hunting, fishing and any winter sport you can think up.

The longer you stay, claims Kujawa, the harder it is to leave.

“You will see a rough edge,” he says, “but they’re the friendliest people around. What else is there to say?”

Why trust us

For more than 100 years, Reader’s Digest has been known for its heartwarming true stories and focus on community. In 2016, we launched the Nicest Places in America, an annual contest that honors kind, inspiring people making a difference in their hometowns. Readers send in nominations, and Reader’s Digest’s editorial team vets the entries and whittles them down with the help of a panel of judges. This year, the judges included Today’s Al Roker, Tuesdays with Morrie author Mitch Albom, author and podcast host Mónica Guzmán, award-winning journalist and author Steve Petrow, Reader’s Digest CEO Bonnie Kintzer, and Craig Elston, a barber who helped Buffalo, New York, earn the title of Nicest Place in America in 2023. We are committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

Princess Diana was adored by millions, practically from the moment she stepped into the public eye. When the world tuned in to watch her walk down the aisle with Prince Charles on their wedding day, no one could take their eyes off England’s new princess. It seemed like a real-life fairy tale for a charmed couple. However, as we know now, Diana and her Prince Charming weren’t destined for a happily-ever-after. In fact, the beloved royal, who died in a car accident in August 1997, had a very different view of things—even in those early “happy” days.

In a video recorded in the early 1990s but not released until two decades after her death, the late Princess of Wales talked openly about what she called “the worst day of my life.” Read on to find out what surprising date Diana was referring to—and what royal experts say about the day her life took a very different turn.

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What was the worst day of Diana’s life?

Despite the thousand-watt smile, the gorgeous gown and the over-the-top festivities, Diana called her wedding day “the worst day of my life.” The intimate confession came to light when new footage of Diana emerged in 2017, a full 20 years after her death. In the once-private videos, which were used in a Channel 4 documentary in the U.K. and a National Geographic program in the United States, Diana discussed her relationship and wedding day with friend and voice coach Peter Settelen. She revealed that she had met Charles only 13 times before they tied the knot on July 29, 1981, and confessed, “If I could write my own script, I would have my husband go away with his woman and never come back.”

The woman she was referring to, of course, was Charles’s long-term love, Camilla Parker Bowles, now Queen Camilla, with whom he carried on an affair for years. The late princess also openly talked about the love triangle in an interview for BBC One’s Panorama in 1995, during which she infamously said, “There were three of us in the marriage, so it was a bit crowded.” Of course, we are well aware of how it all ended: After lots of drama and alleged affairs on both sides, Charles and Diana’s marriage was officially history in August 1996. And Charles married Camilla many years later, in April 2005.

Why did she go through with the marriage?

Diana, who was only 20 at the time of her wedding, had spotted some red flags in her relationship, but she felt pressure from her family and the public to go through with the marriage. As royal biographer Ingrid Seward notes in her book about Queen Elizabeth and King Charles, My Mother and I, Diana was ready to call it quits a month before the big day, after Charles didn’t talk to or dance with her all evening at Prince Andrew’s 21st birthday bash at Windsor Castle. Seward describes the late princess as “distraught, flustered, angry,” adding that “as far as Diana was concerned, the royal wedding was off.” It was her father, John Spencer, the eighth Earl Spencer, who reportedly persuaded her to go ahead as promised, claiming “it would be an act of gross discourtesy to break off her engagement to the future king so close to the wedding.”

Marlene Koenig, an internationally recognized royal expert and the author of Queen Victoria’s Descendants, tells Reader’s Digest that the pressure didn’t end there. “Diana wanted out, but she had the engagement ring on her finger, and her sister told her that, since her face was already on the tea towels, she couldn’t go back,” she says, noting that it was the perfect storm of pressure. “Her family was very keen on the wedding because it put them on the map, while the press and the public saw Diana as the perfect spouse for Charles. She came from a good family and looked gorgeous—she ticked all the right boxes that people were looking for in a future queen.”

The wedding turned into a historical event: An estimated 750 million people in 74 countries around the world watched it live, making it the largest broadcast in British history at the time. In the U.K. alone, 39 million—more than two-thirds of the population—were glued to their TV screens.

How did Charles approach the marriage?

The prince seemed to have a practical approach to the wedding. While his heart was with Camilla, she was already married to another man (Andrew Parker Bowles, whom she married in 1973) and deemed “unsuitable” by the royal family, so he decided to make the best of it and marry the woman the world wanted to see by his side. “The press longed for a fairy-tale ending, and Prince Charles was ready to give it to them,” says Koenig. “I believe deep down he knew they weren’t a great match, but he probably thought it would be OK in the end. He hoped she’d understand the position she had by his side, as the future queen, and that they could make it work together.”

While this sounds far from a romantic love story, Koenig claims that Charles did have feelings for Diana when they got married. Seward agrees, telling the Times, “Diana told me very shortly before she died that she wished people could see the love letters that she had from Charles. She really wanted people to know that … there was a period of great love between them.”

According to Koenig, Charles and Camilla were truly just friends when he said “yes” to Diana and only rekindled their relationship after Charles and Diana’s marriage was “already going downhill.” Camilla even attended Diana’s wedding, since her husband, Andrew Parker Bowles, was the commanding officer of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment at the time.

Were Charles and Diana ever happy?

Despite their marriage ending in drama and divorce, Koenig believes that Diana and Charles did have some happy moments together. “They seemed to do well early on and when they had their babies,” she says. “There are videos showing them with Prince Harry and Prince William when they were little, and they both look genuinely happy together.”

However, the honeymoon phase didn’t last long. “Diana and Charles looked perfect on paper, but they were very different personalities, and they hardly knew each other when they got married,” Koenig says. “Diana also had mental-health problems even before the wedding that Charles probably wasn’t aware of. In hindsight, this is a marriage that shouldn’t have happened in the first place. Unsurprisingly, it collapsed like a house of cards.”

About the expert Marlene Koenig is an internationally recognized royal expert and the author of Queen Victoria’s Descendants and Queen Victoria’s Descendants: A Companion Edition. She regularly shares her expertise with media outlets around the world.

Why trust us

At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experience where appropriate. For this piece on Princess Diana’s worst day, Astrid Hofer tapped her experience as a London-based journalist with more than 20 years of experience covering topics including the British royal family. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

Sources:

• Marlene Koenig, royal expert; Zoom interview, Sept. 13, 2024
• My Mother and I by Ingrid Seward
• Independent: “Princess Diana calls wedding to Prince Charles ‘worst day of my life’ in new tapes”
• Harper’s Bazaar: “The truth about Prince Charles’s and Princess Diana’s romances and affairs”
• Harper’s Bazaar: “King Charles III and Camilla Parker Bowels’s Royal Love Story: From the ’70s to today”
• The Times: “Diana ‘wanted the public to see her love letters from Charles'”
• Sky News: “The ‘unconventional’ love story of Charles and Camilla as they celebrate wedding anniversary”
• Guinness World Records: “Largest TV audience for a wedding”

October is a spooky month packed with Halloween thrills, treats and, of course, the timeless tradition of trick-or-treating! But even if Halloween isn’t on your radar this year, don’t worry—there are plenty of other October holidays to celebrate and enjoy!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time to show your support by wearing pink ribbons and encouraging family and friends to stay healthy and take regular health screenings. Plus, we’ve got World Mental Health Day to remind us all to take a breather, check in with ourselves and potentially share an inspirational quote to stay motivated and inspired. And let’s not forget the sweetest day of all—National Dessert Day—because every October needs a little extra sugar!

So, if you’re curious about all the fabulous holidays in October, keep reading below. Have a spooktastic month!

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What are the popular October holidays?

Halloween might be the most popular holiday in October with its trick-or-treating, spooky decorations and spine-chilling ghost stories that thrill both kids and adults. But there’s more to October than just ghosts and ghouls! It’s also Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness on breast health and don pink (along with Mean Girls Day on October 3). And let’s not forget some of the quirkier October holidays like International Music Day on October 1, where we can celebrate the universal language of sound, and World Teachers’ Day on October 5, honoring the educators who shape our future leaders.

Daily October holidays and observances in 2024

October 1

• International Coffee Day
• International Music Day
• National Black Dog Day
• National Hair Day
• National Homemade Cookie Day
• National Raccoon Day
• World Vegetarian Day

October 2

• International Day of Non-Violence
• International Walk to School Day
• National Custodian Day
• National Fried Scallops Day
• National Kale Day
• National Name Your Car Day
• National Pumpkin Seed Day
• Rosh Hashanah
• World Farm Animals Day

October 3

• “Mean Girls” Day
• National Boyfriend Day

October 4

• Improve Your Office Day
• Kids Music Day
• National Cinnamon Roll Day
• National Golf Lovers Day
• National Taco Day
• World Animal Day
• World Habitat Day
• World Smile Day

October 5

• Frugal Fun Day
• National Be Nice Day
• World Card Making Day
• World Meningitis Day
• World Teachers’ Day 

October 6

• Change A Light Day
• National Badger Day
• National Coaches Day
• National Noodle Day
• World Cerebral Palsy Day

October 7

• National Child Health Day
• World Architecture Day

October 8

• Ada Lovelace Day
• International Dyslexia Day
• National Face Your Fears Day
• National Fluffernutter Day
• National Heroes’ Day
• National Pierogi Day
• National Salmon Day
• World Octopus Day 

October 9

• International Beer and Pizza Day 
• Leif Erikson Day
• National Bring Your Teddy Bear to School Day
• National Stop Bullying Day

October 10

• National Angel Food Cake Day
• National Cake Decorating Day
• National Handbag Day
• World Homeless Day
• World Mental Health Day
• World Sight Day

October 11

• International Girl Child Day
• National Coming Out Day
• National Sausage Pizza Day
• National Spread Joy Day
• World Egg Day
• Yom Kippur (sunset on Oct. 11 to nightfall on Oct. 12)

October 12

• I Love Yarn Day
• International African Penguin Awareness Day
• National Chess Day
• National Farmers Day
• National Gumbo Day
• National Pulled Pork Day
• National Savings Day
• World Arthritis Day
• World Hospice and Palliative Care Day

October 13

• Breast Cancer Awareness Day
• National M&M Day

October 14

• Columbus Day
• Indigenous Peoples’ Day
• National Dessert Day
• National I Love You Day

October 15

• Global Handwashing Day
• National Cheese Curd Day
• National Esthetician Day
• National Lemon Bar Day
• National Mushroom Day
• National Pharmacy Technician Day
• National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day
• Sweetest Day
• World Students’ Day

October 16

• Dictionary Day
• Global Cat Day
• National Boss’s Day
• National Fossil Day
• National Sports Day
• National Take Your Parents To Lunch Day
• World Allergy Awareness Day
• World Food Day
• World Spine Day

October 17

• Black Poetry Day
• National Pasta Day
• Wear Something Gaudy Day

October 18

• National Chocolate Cupcake Day
• National Necktie Day
• National Mammography Day
• World Menopause Day

October 19

• International Sloth Day
• National New Friends Day
• National Seafood Bisque Day
• Sweetest Day
• World Humanitarian Action Day

October 20

• International Chef Day
• National Day on Writing
• World Osteoporosis Day

October 21

• Back to the Future Day
• National Apple Day
• National Pets for Veterans Day
• National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day
• National Reptile Awareness Day

October 22

• International Caps Lock Day
• International Stuttering Awareness Day
• National Color Day
• National Nut Day

October 23

• National Boston Cream Pie Day
• National Croc Day
• National iPod Day 
• National Medical Assistants Day
• National Paralegal Day

October 24

• National Food Day
• National Kangaroo Awareness Day
• United Nations Day
• World Polio Day

October 25

• International Artist Day
• National Bandana Day
• National Breadstick Day
• National Fine Art Appreciation Day
• National Frankenstein Friday
• National Greasy Foods Day
• National I Care About You Day
• World Lemur Day
• World Opera Day
• World Pasta Day

October 26

• National Chicken Fried Steak Day 
• National Day of the Deployed
• National Hug a Sheep Day
• National Make a Difference Day
• National Mule Day
• National Pitbull Awareness Day
• National Pumpkin Day

October 27

• National American Beer Day
• National Black Cat Day
• National Mentoring Day
• Navy Day

October 28

• International Animation Day
• National Chocolate Day
• National First Responders Day
• National Immigrants Day
• Plush Animal Lover’s Day

October 29

• National Cat Day
• National Hermit Day
• National Internet Day
• National Oatmeal Day
• World Psoriasis Day
• World Stroke Day

October 30

• National Candy Corn Day
• National Checklist Day
• National Treat Your Pet Day
• Mischief Night

October 31

• Diwali
• Girl Scout Founder’s Day
• Halloween
• National Caramel Apple Day
• National Doorbell Day
• National Knock Knock Joke Day
• National Magic Day

Weekly October holidays

• Animal Welfare Week (October 3 to 9)
• Bat Appreciation Week (October 24 to 31)
• Mental Illness Awareness Week, National Physician Assistants Week (October 6 to 12)
• National Friends of Libraries Week, Respiratory Care Week, Wolf Awareness Week (October 20 to 26)
• National Health Education Week (October 21 to 25)
• National Walk Your Dog Week (October 1 to 7)
• Red Ribbon Week (October 23 to 31)
• World Space Week (October 4 to 10)

Monthly October observances

• Adopt a Shelter Dog Month
• ADHD Awareness Month
• Bat Appreciation Month
• Blindness Awareness Month
• Breast Cancer Awareness Month
• Country Music Month
• Emotional Wellness Month
• Fair Trade Month
• Halloween Safety Month
• International Walk To School Month
• National Animal Safety and Protection Month
• National Apple Month
• National Book Month
• National Caramel Month
• National Chili Month
• National Cookbook Month
• National Cookie Month
• National Dessert Month
• National Pasta Month
• National Pet Wellness Month
• National Physical Therapy Month
• National Pizza Month
• National Pretzel Month
• World Animal Month
• World Bullying Prevention Month

Why trust us

At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experience where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing, and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.  

When it comes to my two furry friends, so many of my decisions are filtered around what’s best for them, such as my daily schedule, grocery store list and furniture purchasing. Hey, it’s their world, and I just live in it. But unlike making sure I get the right flavor pâté in the pet aisle, finding a couch that’s cat-proof took a lot of extra time and consideration. I’ve now officially found a purr-fectly constructed model that not only matches my aesthetic and comfort needs, but also keeps it from becoming my cats’ scratching post: the Pottery Barn York sofa.

I can confidently state that from my two months of testing, the Pottery Barn York sofa is a cat-proof option. I have two kitties: One tiny 9-pound Siamese runt-of-the-litter named Coco and, on the complete opposite end, a 20-pound gentle giant Maine Coon named Oliver. While the two are complete opposites in terms of size and personality, they’re both guilty of ruining previous furniture of mine with their claws in a matter of weeks. This couch’s strong performance fabric has stood up to even my Maine Coon’s large claws so far, is easy to clean and remove cat hair from. It also has the security of purchasing replaceable slipcovers in case a cat accident goes beyond the point of repair.

What is the Pottery Barn York sofa?

The Pottery Barn York sofa, from the brand’s York collection, brings a modern, European feel to my space while still being versatile enough to fit in with my slightly glam aesthetic. Its key design features—like its sloped arms, my selection of two seats and two back cushions and my selection of the white cream fabric—elevated my space instantly upon arrival. I was a bit worried before the movers uncovered it in my living room—a big online purchase can feel daunting—but I was pleasantly surprised. It’s also a fantastic investment for cat owners like me, as the slipcovers are both washable and replaceable.

Pottery Barn York sofa features

The Pottery Barn York sofa is available in five sizes ranging from 60 to 108 inches long. You can choose between bench, two-cushion and three-cushion styles and two cushion fill options. There are also hundreds of fabrics and colors for a truly personalized feel. But the shining feature is that it has removable, washable and replaceable slipcovers for easy cleaning and to keep your couch looking like new.

The couch has sloped arms, which give it a sophisticated look and are easy to rest your arms on. In juxtaposition with many other couches, most of the borders of the couch (aside from the arms) are straight lines, which just adds to its modernity. I selected the two back cushions and two seat cushions, which, in my opinion, give it an elevated feel while also being cozy. The cushions are thick and comfortable enough to sink into and sleep on, yet still supportive. Its slipcover also goes straight to the floor, which I also think makes it look extra expensive. Plus, the slipcovers are removable, so it’s easy to clean underneath the cat-proof couch. This is particularly important—not only because I have cats, but because I chose a white fabric.

How I tested it

I tested the Pottery Barn York sofa using the following four measures: ordering, delivery, human comfort and feline testing.

Ordering

I put a lot of pressure on myself to make the right selections when it came to this couch. After all, it’s a big investment. But on the same end, I knew I loved the look of the couch, and I had a fun time designing and picturing how it would feel in my space. I chose two back cushions instead of three because I thought it gave a more modern appeal to the couch. I chose the two seat cushions for the same reason. It’s worth noting that I didn’t choose the bench cushion style, either, because I knew that option could result in a middle indent since people tend to sit there the most. I selected the down-blend fill to help keep the Pottery Barn York sofa on the cheaper end, but there is a high-performance contract-grade fill option, too.

With over 140 fabric and color combination options, that was the section I spent the most time on. However, I was able to narrow down my fabric choices by knowing I wanted to choose a basketweave slub, as it works better for pets. Against the advice of pet furniture color recommendations, I chose ivory for a color because, well, I’m a neutral lover. Plus, since the fabric was expected to be easy to clean, I felt better about making that selection.

Delivery

One of my fatal flaws is that I’m not the most patient person in the world. So, when I finally did make the order, knowing it would take at least eight weeks to actually get to me was a little agonizing. However, knowing that in the end I was going to get a couch that would improve the look of my space, be cat-friendly and be comfortable, it was well worth the wait.

Aside from a delivery address hiccup on my end, everything came right on schedule. With the white-glove service that comes with purchasing the couch, I didn’t have to worry about setting it up. Pottery Barn connected my couch with a delivery service, and they reached out to set up a delivery date and time. I also connected my phone number, so I got updates and reminders via text message, which gave me the security of knowing that everything was still on track. The day of, they called me when they were about an hour out so I could be prepared. Once they arrived, the process was seamless. The couch was fully covered and protected, and getting it into my apartment was seamless—even through an elevator and my small door! All the delivery men had to do was unpack the couch and it was ready for use—no assembly required.

Human comfort

Testing the comfort of this couch was certainly something I was looking forward to. Since it arrived, I’ve gotten through several seasons of Love Island USA and Emily in Paris and spent many afternoons working from home while sinking into it. It’s also gotten to see a few Sunday afternoon naps and girls’ nights, too. The down-blend fill is comfortable enough to both sit and sleep on it for hours. That comfort doesn’t take away from its support, though. It feels high quality and like it’ll stand the test of time. The same goes for the fabric. It’s soft enough against the skin while also being incredibly durable. If I had one gripe, it’s that it’s not comfortable to rest your head against the armrest. You’ll probably need a pillow like I did for naps.

Feline testing

The point of this review was to test its cat-proofing abilities, so I didn’t use any couch covers or protectors like I normally would so I could see how it stood up to cat hair and scratching. I essentially let my two cats sleep, sit, play and do whatever they wanted on it for about two months. To be honest, my Maine Coon, Oliver, isn’t as much attracted to sitting on it, which is a major benefit for me (because less pet hair cleaning). However, he does like to scratch it on the side of each arm. Although this sofa is cat-friendly, it’s not bulletproof. So, sadly, when I look closely, I can see the effects. But he’s a big and playful cat, and that just comes along with it. I try to stop him as much as I can, but cats will be cats (and I can replace the slipcover eventually). My Siamese cat, on the other hand, Coco, loves to lie on it throughout the day for naps, and hair does eventually show from her time spent there. It’s easy to clean, though, in a minute or two with my cat hair lint roller.

Pros

• Removable, washable and replaceable slipcovers
• Large selection cat-friendly fabrics
• Over 100 color options
• Customizable length selection
• Three seat cushion options
• Two back cushion options
• Two couch fill options
• Elevated and elegant European feel
• Loose, removable cushions
• Durable rubber wooden legs
• No-sag steel build for long-lasting use
• White-glove service included

Cons

• Some options have longer delivery times

Why you should trust us

I’m a commerce writer in the home, fashion and beauty spaces, so I’ve covered a wide range of products. When testing a product, especially furniture, I take my time to assess it from start to finish, aka ordering to lounging. For this story, I spent two months testing the Pottery Barn York sofa—and my cats did, too. I aimed to share my honest experience to help make your own buying decision easier.

FAQ

Why is the Pottery Barn York sofa good for cat owners?

The main reason that the Pottery Barn York sofa is a safe bet for cat owners is its removable, washable and replaceable slipcovers. No matter what we do, cats are going to be cats. Pet owners don’t want to have to remove them or the couch, so Pottery Barn made sure this couch’s slipcovers are removable so we don’t have to do either. Plus, it comes in over 100 fabric and color options, so you can make sure to get one that’s more cat-friendly and longer-lasting.

Where is the Pottery Barn York sofa made?

According to Pottery Barn, the brand’s main hub for furniture-making is in a shop on Sutter Street in Hickory, North Carolina. Years ago, they selected this specific area because it has a deep-rooted history of quality furniture craftsmanship, with many experts that have generations of experience. However, Pottery Barn is also owned by parent company, Williams Sonoma, and like many other large corporations in the U.S., have several factories across the states.

It should be noted that other sources have claimed that some of their furniture or upholstery is out-sourced from places like China and India, assuming for things they don’t have the ability to make in the U.S. With several parts to the couch, it’s a good assumption that most of it is made in the U.S., and may sometimes have specific pieces shipped from other parts of the world.

How long does the Pottery Barn York sofa take to deliver?

How long it takes to get your Pottery Barn York sofa depends on your customization selections. If you pick the version that’s ready-made, it will take one to four weeks, according to the brand, to ship to your home. However, if you get a special order option, it will take eight to 10 weeks. I got the special order option, which aside from an address hiccup on my part, took about eight weeks to deliver.

How do you clean the Pottery Barn York sofa?

For everyday cat hair removal, I use the ChomChom Roller, which is a reusable lint roller. However, when I want to do a deep clean, I remove the seat and back cushion covers and throw them in the wash. I follow the brand’s instructions for slipcover washing machine use, which are to wash on a gentle cycle with cold water and mild liquid detergent. I personally use Tide pods to wash and they seem to do the job just fine. For drying, I tumble dry the covers on low heat. I also make sure that I’m home while doing this because it’s important to remove them from the dryer as soon as they’re done to prevent any wrinkling. I promptly put them back on the couch and the cushions when the drying is complete.

What other reviewers had to say

Pottery Barn, unfortunately, doesn’t allow shoppers to leave reviews, so to compare notes with other buyers, I had to rely on home bloggers. Interestingly enough, most of the reviews I read on the Pottery Barn York sofa had similar pros and cons lists, most of which I wholeheartedly agree with.

The Life on Virginia Street did an extensive review on their purchase. The blogger has a few cats and still, at the end of three years, had “zero regrets” about their purchase. Remington Avenue also did a review with a six-month update where they were “still loving these sofas.” We all agree on the sofa’s beautiful design, high comfort, performance fabric option, easy-to-clean abilities and option to purchase a single replaceable slipcover. Some reviewers didn’t like the long delivery wait time and the price.

Product comparison: Pottery Barn vs. Burrow sofas

Pottery Barn and Burrow both produce couches that pet owners are interested in. When deciding between the Pottery Barn York sofa and the Burrow Nomad sofa sectional, here’s what you should consider.

The Pottery Barn option features removable, washable and replaceable slipcovers in fabric options, like basketweave slub, which I chose, which are durable against cats. Burrow couches use a tightly woven, non-toxic synthetic fabric that the brand claims stands up to cat scratches and stains. While Pottery Barn has hundreds of fabric and color combinations, the Burrow is available in three fabric colors, six leg colors, three arm styles and six configurations.

Both the York and the Nomad offer customizable options. So, it really comes down to the type of fabric and configuration you’re going for. Each one claims to be pet-friendly, so it’s a matter of personal taste.

Final verdict

If I haven’t made it abundantly evident by now, I do love the Pottery Barn York sofa. It’s aesthetically pleasing and comfortable, and it gives me the security of knowing I can keep it looking as good as new—even with two cats. It’s a big investment upfront, as many couches are, but there’s a reason for it. Its quality construction makes me confident that it’ll last for years to come. It’s also well worth the weeks of waiting for it to arrive if you have the time. In the long run, I feel like it’ll end up saving me money since I won’t need to purchase a new couch or slipcovers from cat wear and tear. I would recommend it to any of my cat-owner friends.

Where to buy the Pottery Barn York sofa

Pottery Barn’s York collection starts at $929 for a couch. The one I tested came out to a little over $2,600, including shipping, processing and tax. And the price could go up depending on the size, fabric and fill options you choose. The only place to shop the Pottery Barn York sofa is directly on the brand’s website.

Nobody likes flies buzzing around or—blech!—landing on food. It’s disgusting, for sure, but is it harmful? A study on what happens when a fly lands on your food found it’s more than gross: It’s germy.

But does that mean you need to throw out your sandwich, or can you shoo the buzzing bugger away and keep chowing down? As a health reporter, I wanted to know exactly what happens when a fly lands on your food. So I went straight to a public health epidemiologist and an entomologist (aka an insect expert) to get the poop. And yes, there’s poop—and other bodily fluids—involved.

Keep reading for some weird facts about flies that’ll help you understand what these critters do when they land on your food, whether it can make you sick and how to react when a fly inevitably touches down on your dinner.

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What happens when a fly lands on your food?

You may have heard that when a fly lands on your food, it vomits. Surprise: This internet rumor is basically true.

“When a fly eats, it has to throw up digestive enzymes onto the meal,” says Brian Labus, PhD, assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics in the School of Public Health at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. “These enzymes also contain some remnants of whatever it last ate, and that might have been a meal full of pathogens. Flies eat some pretty disgusting things.”

But let’s back up: Before the fly vomits, it “uses its antennae to sample your food with taste sensors on its feet,” explains entomologist Julian Shepherd, PhD, professor of biological sciences at Binghamton University. If it likes what it tastes, it sticks down its tongue—its official name is the proboscis—and coats your food with saliva containing digestive enzymes (a form of puke).

Are you grossed out yet? This detail may do it: “The fly also poops liberally on your food,” Shepherd adds. Got to love amazing science facts. Some good news on the No. 2 front: “It’s such small amounts,” he says.

What kinds of diseases can flies spread?

Here’s something else that can happen when a fly lands on your food: It can spread salmonella, E. coli, parasites and dysentery. A 2023 study published in the journal Microorganisms found flies can pass along bacteria, including antibiotic-resistant strains. “House flies serve as a vector to move disease from one place to another,” explains Labus, who was not involved in the research. “Because we live together, they can spread many different pathogens between humans, animals and the environment.”

On the upside, a fly can share only a tiny number of germs. And fortunately, when it comes to food poisoning, the dose makes the poison, as the old saying goes.

So when should you worry and throw out your food?

Sometimes that pest on your pasta can spread enough germs to make you sick, but “often they just start a chain of events that makes it possible to become ill,” Labus explains. There might not be enough bacteria initially coming out of the fly to do harm, but if you let the food sit out at room temperature for a long time, those bacteria can multiply to the point where they become dangerous.

What happens when a fly lands on your food after it has been dumpster diving? That’s a red flag because a trash bin is an “obvious source of contamination,” Shepherd says. You should also steer clear of eating if the fly has touched down on raw meat or animal poop before visiting your dish.

Of course, knowing where a fly has been before setting foot on your food can be tough. So the best way to minimize this (icky) problem is to keep flies away.

How can you protect your food from flies?

Simple measures like using window screens and hanging nontoxic, sticky flypaper traps can prevent these pests from setting up shop in your kitchen. At picnics and barbecues, keep dishes covered as much as possible. Also key: “Make sure that foods are kept at the right temperature and don’t sit out too long, as that can turn a small problem into a big one,” Labus says.

What other insects should you worry about buzzing around you?

There are worse critters to find circling your plate because they could land on you and lead to big health problems. Mosquitoes can bite you and transmit West Nile Virus. What’s worse, they can give you malaria, yellow fever and dengue fever, which are “not of great concern in North America yet, but climate change will change that,” Shepherd warns.

And ticks are capable of transmitting many diseases beyond Lyme. “In many parts of the U.S., ticks can transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever, anaplasmosis and babesiosis, all life-threatening if untreated,” Shepherd says. That’s why he tells his students: “Hey, don’t worry about flies so much. Worry about mosquitoes and ticks.”

About the experts Brian Labus, PhD, MPH, is an assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics in the School of Public Health at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He is an infectious disease epidemiologist with more than 20 years of experience in the field of epidemiology, outbreak investigation and public health informatics. Julian Shepherd, PhD, is a professor of biological sciences at Binghamton University. He has sponsored research on growth and competition between native and invading exotic species of mosquitoes that carry viral diseases.

Why trust us

At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experience where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. For this piece on what happens when a fly lands on your food, Lisa Lombardi tapped her experience as a longtime health reporter and the author of What the Yuck?! The Freaky and Fabulous Truth About Your Body to ensure that all information is accurate and offers the best possible advice to readers. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

Sources:

• Brian Labus, PhD, MPH, assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics in the School of Public Health at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas; email interview, Sept. 12, 2024
• Julian Shepherd, PhD, professor of biological sciences at Binghamton University; phone interview, Sept. 12, 2024
• Microorganisms: “House Flies Are Underappreciated Yet Important Reservoirs and Vectors of Microbial Threats to Animal and Human Health”
• BMC Public Health: “A Systematic Review of Human Pathogens Carried by the Housefly (Musca domestica L.)”