Kindness Ripple - MUFFIN STYLE!

One of the main concepts behind the Kindness Activist work is this: if people are willing to be open and TALK about kindness, they will inspire MORE KINDNESS. I like to call them kindness ripples. If you don’t keep your kindness “under a bushel”, if instead you let your kindness light shine, others will be inspired by it and go out into the world and spread kindness, too.

I strongly believe that premise, and every once in a while I am lucky enough to be reminded that kindness ripples are not only a concept, they are indeed FACT. A neighbor contacted me recently to share how she was inspired by Kindness Activist! Please see her story below. And, if the world is lucky, you will be inspired and go out into the world and be kind. And just like that, more kindness ripples will flow. 

“I want to share something that happened to me recently at Giant, a local grocery store. It was thanks to you because I remembered your post about a man who had stolen a doughnut or a burger when you were on a trip. I don’t remembe3r all of the details, expect that you made a gesture signaling “no” to him when he approached you for money or food. 

Anyways, this happened to me when I was grocery shopping last Friday: 

I was by the bakery section and a woman approached and asked if I could get her a muffin, just as she was reaching for it. I am assuming she was experiencing homelessness because of her appearance. The old me, prior to meeting you, would’ve said no. But I actually said YES! Your story came to mind when she asked me. 

My kids were impatient at the time and the grocery store was busy. I was going through the self-check out lane and was just about to swipe my card when I thought about offering to the woman that she could grab something else, too. I suggested a bottle of water since it has been so hot lately. The look on her face was priceless, and she rushed to get a bottle of iced tea. I could tell she was happy because of her big smile. 

She thanked me, and even the cashier working the self-check out who helped us ring the bakery item thanked me. It felt really good. Thank you for all of your project that continue to spread kindness. It has certainly reached me.” 

Thank you for sharing your story, neighbor! It gave me a big, big smile. If YOU have a story about kindness you have received, done, or witnessed, please tell me about it! Email me at: kindnessactivist@gmail.com .

PIE It Forward! Kindness Yard Sale 2020 Accounting Update

There’s a lot of negativity going around lately, what with Covid raging and the election almost a week away. So, I thought I should take a moment to update you on how I have used more of the money raised at the Kindness Yard Sale! Nothing like a bit of KINDNESS to take the edge off of a tense time. First off – PIES! “What??” you wonder. “Pies? What does PIE have to do with kindness?”. Well, I PIED IT FORWARD! More specifically, I went into our amazing local pie shop, Acme Pie, and left 2 cards (each with $40 in them) for the next 2 pie shoppers to come in. I figured the shoppers could get their pie with that money and use the left-over money to spring for some ice cream to put on top of the pie, a cheap bottle of wine to drink with it, or whatever else they wanted! I have no idea who came in after me to find that their pie had already been paid for, but I can only imagine it brought a smile to their face. 

Total spent: $80

Acme Pies in Arlington, VA are the BEST!

Next up – COFFEE! A neighbor is on furlough due to the pandemic, so has limited funds for groceries. The local grocery store had an amazing sale on bags of coffee, it was “buy 2, get 3 free”!!! PLUS we had a coupon! Well, I couldn’t pass that up! So we got lots and I left the bags of coffee on the neighbor’s doorknob. Boy was she happy. She said she would have enough coffee to last a good long time. 

Total spent: $16 

See this girl? Her name is Bella and she is 14 years old. Not only is she smart, she is also an entrepreneur. She has opened her own online business selling earrings that she creates from fun stuff!!! I donated $50 of the Kindness Yard Sale funds to help her buy more knick-knacks to create earrings. I wish her and her new earring shop well! If you are in the market for funky earrings, you can find her work here:  Bella's Earring Shop

Total spent: $50 

Bella and her dog

I am a sign language interpreter. Professionals in my field, like many others, have been hit hard by the pandemic. Many interpreters freelance – going to doctor appointments, therapy, business meetings, etc. And many of the settings where they normally work have been closed since March. This has meant no income. So, I used some of the yard sale money to donate to a fund started by RID (Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf). The money will be used to support interpreters in need. I am proud I am proud to say that as of tonight, 27 donors have raised over $6000 for the fund. If you would like to contribute to this fund, go here: https://secure.givelively.org/donate/registry-of-interpreters-for-the-deaf/covid-19-certified-interpreter-relief-fund Because interpreters are ESSENTIAL. 

Total spent: $50.40 

Image from the RID campaign

The other day I took myself out for breakfast at my favorite local coffee shop for the first time since Covid began. I sat at an outside table, but while I was inside waiting on my order I noticed a woman organizing school supplies by putting them into tote bags. She told me that her name was Anika and that she was starting a non-profit to help underserved youth in our community. She had run a Go Fund Me campaign, hoping to raise a lot of money to buy new school supplies for kids’ whose families could not afford them. Her Go Fund Me did not reach the goal she had hoped, but she was marching on anyway, making as many supply bags as she could. That sounded like just the kind of project that the kindness money was raised for, so I gave her $20 toward her cause. 

Total spent: $20 

Specially packed bags of brand new school supplies ready to be delivered

A woman in our county, Jaimee Wise, recently had a brain aneurism. Luckily, her young son noticed there was a problem and got help quickly. She is in a coma and the family will have a lot of medical bills, so $100 of the Kindness Yard Sale money went to a Go Fund Me for Jaimee. If you would like to help out, too, you can find the information here:  Go Fund Me for Jaimee Wise

Total spent: $100 

This is Tri. She lives in my community. She recently took a big step and sat for her lactation consultant exam. She, like me, is a nervous test taker. So BEFORE her test some Kindness money was used to get her a multi-amazonite bracelet (with the hopes the “woo woo energy” in it would help her be calm and take her test (the website says, If your nervous system tends to run away like wild horses over the hills, this Multi Amazonite Energy Bracelet is the ticket to temperance, hope and a happy can-do attitude. Amazonite is known as The Hope Stone, and this bracelet is comprised of specially selected stones that ebb and flow like sunlight on water and a thousand grains of sand on the shore.” Then, for AFTER her exam, I used a bit of money to get her a bottle of sparkling wine to celebrate. She doesn’t get her results until December, but I have a good feeling that she passed. 

Total spent: $23.99 

Tri, soon-to-be LACTATION CONSULTANT!

That’s it for now. More stories coming soon, including a re-telling of a recent Kindness Activist fundraiser – 2020 Sucks Bingo!! Until then, please keep spreading kindness. The world really needs it these days.  And if you know of someone that could use a little kindness, send me an email at:  kindnessactivist@gmail.com.  I am always looking for good ways to throw kindness around like glitter.