Good Deeds

Oprah to Salute PEOPLE's 'Heroes in Hard Times'

Originally posted Thursday May 14, 2009 03:35 PM EDT

Oprah Winfrey Photo by: George Burns / Harpo Productions Inc.

While Americans are struggling in these tough economic times, there are some individuals who have risen up in the face of hard times – and reached out to help their neighbors.

One such person is Hal Colston of Burlington, Vt., who rehabbed used cars and sold these used, low-cost autos to people whose broken-down vehicles hindered their job searches. "When you help someone move to a different place in their lives," Colston says, "oh man, there's nothing like it."

Colston and other everyday heroes are PEOPLE's Heroes in Hard Times – and now their stories will be told on the Oprah Winfrey Show.

The special, which is devoted entirely to these heroes and their amazing acts of kindness, was a no-brainer for the talk show host, who says: "These heroes inspired us to come up with ideas that are right at our fingertips – to see what the need is and to reach out and respond."

The one-hour episode airs May 19 on The Oprah Winfrey Show.