Blooper Reel for Returning the Favor.
Mike and the crew head south to San Antonio, Texas to meet up with Alice "Ma" Harper at Ma Harper's Creole Kitchen. For the last 25 years, Ma has been serving up award winning gumbo to the locals as well as second chances to the formerly incarcerated, who otherwise would have nowhere else to turn for employment and guidance.
Mike and the team speed into Indianapolis, Indiana to meet up with Mary Stumpp and The Can Lady Project, a recycling initiative that donates field trips and supplies to teachers in local Indianapolis schools - all funded by, you guessed it, cans! Since its inception the project has generated over $60K in donations.
Mike and the team find themselves a stone's throw from New York City, in the suburbs of New Jersey to surprise Megan McDowell, the founder of Heartworks - an organization of female Do-Gooder's helping local families to heal in times of grief, illness or injury. This incredible initiative was born out of the kindness shown to her family after losing a loved one in the attacks that took place on September 11, 2001.
Mike and the team (bathing) suit up to meet Pin-Up for Vets founder Gina Elise, who created a non-profit organization that empowers female veterans through makeovers and photoshoots. The organization then uses those photos to create a calendar which helps Gina raise funds for VA hospitals nationwide.
The Returning the Favor Effect Page comes to life when Mike and the team find themselves in the Heart of Dixie to meet MSgt. Rob Dinsmore, a 30-year retired Air Force Veteran who was inspired to help local Alabama vets suffering from PTSD after watching the premiere episode of Returning the Favor: Operation Combat Bikesaver.
Mike Rowe and the Returning the Favor crew surprise Letitia Hanke and the Next Gen Trades Academy in Santa Rosa, CA. Letitia deferred her musical dreams and started a program to educate and train young women and men find gainful employment in the trades fields while also providing a workforce for local contractors.
This #GivingTuesday2020, the crew heads to Mike’s hometown of Baltimore, MD to give back to Dawod Thomas. Honoring the legacy of his dad, Dawod created My Fathers Plan, a youth-focused community cleanup program dedicated to cultivating change in the inner-city through community activism, tutoring and mentoring.
Mike Rowe and his producers attempt to return a favor remotely amidst the Coronavirus pandemic. With only a few hiccups along the way, the team rewards a NJ distillery owner who pivoted his bourbon production to create hand sanitizer for his community.
Mike Rowe and team sync up to surprise Charity Haygood, an inspiring school principal in Newark, NJ who is providing her students with the resources they need to keep up with their studies while learning at home.
It’s a family affair this week on Returning the Favor: Covid Edition as Mike checks in on his Mother Peggy, before attempting to Return the Favor to an amazing 7-year old boy from Maryland who cashed in his life savings to create care packages for at-risk Seniors in his community.
Still sequestered in their homes, Mike and his Producers return the favor to Angela Brannon-Baptiste, a woman who runs a food pantry in San Diego that has stepped up to feed thousands of people needing extra help during this time.
Mike and the team keep on truckin' and surprise Brittnie Transtrum, a woman in Idaho who is providing truck drivers, like her husband, with snacks as they work overtime to deliver the goods we all need.
Mike and the team call upon the assistance of a mythological creature to help surprise Jenna Arcidiacono, a local restaurant owner in Alpine Township, Michigan who is delivering nutritious meals to workers on the front lines.
This week's favor brings Mike Rowe to Alaska to surprise Toshua Parker, owner of the only grocery store in the remote town of Gustavus who makes weekly 14-hour boat trips to continue feeding his community.
This week Mike Rowe and team zoom to Charlotte, NC to meet Charles Robinson, a minister dedicated to helping feed his community who has started building a community garden that brings everyone together.
Mike Rowe and the team return the favor to Bud Frazier, an ICU nurse in Utah striving to honor and empower the Navajo Nation by delivering much needed supplies to the vast region, which has been devastated by COVID-19.
Mike and the team head to Pigeon Falls, Wisconsin to surprise Jackie Goplin and Beth Stay who started Curds for Kids, a program that connects struggling dairy farmers and hungry kids in their community.
Mike and the team journey to New York City to surprise Jen Baquial and the Sirens Motorcycle Club - a conscientious group of female bikers who are working with the New York Milk Bank to deliver life-saving breast milk to premature babies all over the Tri-State area. See less
With the 4th of July in their rearview, Mike and the crew make a patriotic delivery to Paula Miritello, founder of My Brother Vinny: an organization that distributes furniture, housewares and clothing to formerly homeless veterans in Westchester County, New York.
Mike and the team grab their virtual sunscreen and head to the Island of Puerto Rico to surprise Isak Romero and Héctor Ibáñez, two recent college graduates who started A Comer Puerto Rico - a network of young people who deliver much needed supplies to struggling seniors and families across the island. See less
Mike and the team head to The Big Easy to meet up with Max Steitz and Franziska Trautmann, who after a bottle of wine one night, found themselves frustrated by New Orleans' lack of glass recycling. One thing led to another, and Glass Half Full was born; A grassroots glass recycling program that turns glass bottles into sand and cullet for disaster relief and prevention.
Mike and the team celebrate the first 100 do-gooders featured on Returning the Favor and Mike shares his personal journey and lessons he's learned as host of the series.