Junior Kindness Activists (and much more)

I tried an interesting experiment recently.  I “hired” two Junior Kindness Activists.  This was a first!  I asked two neighbor kids, Kitcha and Sophie, if they would be willing to take on the task of being Kindness Activists.  I would fund their work via Kindness Activist – their job would be to decide how to use the $50 each that I gave them to spread kindness, and to write up the story on how they used it.

Junior Kindness Activists!

They are really smart kids.  I love having conversations with them and was eager to see how they would decide to spread kindness.   In conversations with their mother, I learned that they were having a difficult time deciding what to do to have the most impact.  WELCOME TO MY WORLD, KIDS!  It is one thing know that you have funds to spread kindness, it is quite another deciding the best way to responsibly use the money!! 

In the end they chose to work together.  Here are the stories of what they each did with the $100. 

Kitcha's Kindness

Sophie's Kindness - the back of the page said
"happy with my choice".

The organization they chose is:  https://www.heifer.org/  Please check it out, maybe you will want to donate, too!

And if YOU have a child who would like to be a Junior Kindness Activist and is willing to accept my challenge - $50 for them to use to spread kindness and they must write a story of what they did with it – please let me know!  It is inspiring sharing the concepts of kindness with children. 

Total spent:  $100

 

Acts of KINDNESS don’t have to be big.  No need to be flashy.  Really, any kindness given is always so appreciated.

We were grocery shopping this week, checking out in the self-check area.  I saw near us a woman was checking out her items – a bunch of bottles of Similac baby formula, a pack of strawberries, and a bag of ice.  As she finished ringing the items I stepped over and said, “I would like to get those for you please,” as I put my credit card in the card reader.  I could sense her huge smile under her mask.  “Oh my goodness!  Thank you!  It is food for my baby!  And strawberries for my son, who was home crying that he needed strawberries, so I came out to get them.  And ice for me…”.  I paid, she thanked me and said she was on the verge of tears.  See the thing is, it was not a huge deal.  She obviously had the money to pay for the items or she wouldn’t have been in line with them.  But she deserved some kindness.  We all do.  And her smile made me smile. 

We met up again in the parking lot – turns out we had parked right next to each other.  We chatted a little bit, then went on our ways.  But I like to think that her weekend just a little bit brighter – and a little bit better – after that interaction.

Total spent:  $44.22

I had a fun time surprising another shopper, too, this time in Trader Joe’s.  If you shop at TJ’s, you know that they have limited time products each season, and the winter holidays are when all of the exciting things come in!!!  Special cookies and chocolates and candles and toiletries are stocked for a limited time only.  Well, last year I got myself a Beauty Advent Calendar and had a great time with it.  You open one little door a day for 12 days and find a little beauty treat inside.  I was excited to see them at our local Trader Joe’s recently and got one for myself.  Then I had an idea and rushed back to grab one for a stranger.  But who to choose?

A woman was in line wearing scrubs and comfortable clogs – I figured she was a doctor, physician’s assistant, or nurse.  I decided she was the lucky target!  When it was her turn and she got to a register, I walked up and said, “I would like to give you an early Christmas gift!  This is already paid for.  Enjoy!” and showed the receipt to her cashier. 

I was greeted with another big smile (under a mask) and a THANK YOU!  I hope she has as much fun opening those little doors as I know I will.

Total spent:  $21.19

 

Kindness Activist supplied the neighborhood with PUMPKINS!  We made a pumpkin patch under the Little Yellow Free Pantry and encouraged passersby to take a pumpkin or gourd.  We have had a really warm Autumn here in Northern Virginia, and the orange of the pumpkins mixed with the red and gold leaves – all shining in the sun – was beautiful.  I lost count of how many pumpkins and gourds were given away, but safe to say it was a LOT! 

One of the spooky cookie haunted houses in the contest!

Pumpkins, pumpkins, and more pumpkins!

We also hosted a pumpkin decorating contest and a haunted house cookie building contest (Kindness Activist supplied the cookie kits and pumpkins).  It was so fun seeing what kids came up with!  In the end, the judges had a hard time deciding…  I mean, how do you CHOOSE?  So, each entry got a ribbon (specially made by a neighbor!) and $2.

Two girls who became fast friends at the Fall Photo Event!

I also decided to celebrate Autumn by inviting people over to have their photos taken.  I asked local photographer Alex Sakes if he would do the honors, and then set up a little area in our yard for the photos.  We had a great time!!  Many people showed up and not only got their photos taken, but kids painted pumpkins, made bracelets, painted pictures, ate snacks, and played on the teeter-totter.  I heard many raves about how the photos came out, and I know that several families are going to use the pictures as their holiday cards!!  I hadn’t even recovered from hosting this event yet before people started reaching out and asking if there would be a winter photo session, too!  We shall see…

Our picture from the event

P.S. - Donations were accepted at the photo event, and people were very generous!  $884.79 was donated that day – so the Autumn celebration events paid for themselves (and then some for the Kindness Activist fund!).

Total spent on pumpkins (and more pumpkins!), mums, gourds, cookie kits, ribbons, prize money, and the photographer: $722.68

 

And finally for this report, I was moved when I saw this post today in my local Buy Nothing group:  “In Search Of women’s warm clothes in L/XL (sweaters, fall jackets etc). I’ve put on some post baby weight, plus meds for postpartum depression, and not much fits anymore. Thought I’d check here before purchasing. Thanks for considering.”

What an amazingly vulnerable ask to the community.  Depression, and mental illness in general, is not talked about enough in our society.  Postpartum depression is REAL, it is serious, and many, many women experience it.  I was very impressed that this neighbor opened up about her experience and I know that her willingness to do so likely helped other women who saw the post who are experiencing the same thing. 

Now, in our community, used clothes are passed around from neighbor to neighbor and cherished.  Heck, I am wearing a skirt and pair of boots I got from a neighbor right now!  But I really thought that the woman who posted deserved something NEW, too.  When children are young, most of the focus is on them and not the mom.  So, because of Kindness Activist funds, this new mom will be able to treat herself to some new clothes at one of her favorite stores, Uniqlo. 

Total spent:  $100

 

There you have it!  That’s today’s report on how some of the Kindness Activist funds are making their way back out into the world.  They are becoming kindness ripples – spreading a bit more kindness with each drop.