Back To School Time - Kindness Fund Update

It is almost the end of summer, and you know what that means…

BACK TO SCHOOL TIME!

In 2022, my partner David and I went to WalMart and used Kindness Activist funds to buy school supplies for LOTS of families.  It was so fun! 

Well, we were at WalMart the other day, and saw several families, lists of required supplies in hand, scouring the school supply aisle. 

But guess what?  We didn’t approach any of them and ask if Kindness Activist could treat them with an act of kindness…

That probably sounds strange.  But here’s the thing:  offering acts of kindness to strangers can be really tricky.  There are so many factors to consider:

-         You don’t want to scare them (after all, you are someone they have never met approaching them with an offer that sounds too good to be true…)

-         Sometimes you do not share a common language, so how will you explain this situation

-         How do you choose who you will treat when there are multiple families shopping for supplies?

-         And, to us, most importantly – how can you offer to buy their school supplies without making them feel like you think they need your charity, that they are poor, that they are “lesser than”?

So honestly, it is a hard thing to do.  You have to be feeling quite brave, open, vulnerable, and willing to be told no (multiple times) to successfully navigate this one.  And this time we failed.  We just couldn’t get the right combination of courage, heart, and determination. 

It is a bit like double dutch jump roping!  If you have ever tried that before you know it is really tricky and timing is everything.  You have to stand outside the ropes as your friends twirl them.  One, two, three…  One, two, three…  You might try jumping in and get the pattern wrong.  You might get your feet tangled in the ropes.  But it’s ok.  You just get yourself together and make another attempt. 

So, we have not treated anyone to impromptu school supplies yet this year, but we DO have other Kindness Activist activities/expenditures to share!

A neighbor posted online about a young woman that she mentors through the AHC (Affordable Homes and Communities) College and Careers Readiness Program. The woman was preparing to go off to college – the first person in her family to accomplish this amazing feat.  Her mentor had set up an Amazon wish list with items that the teen’s program, the Virginia Tech Marine Cadet Program, required new students to have for their dorm room. 

Well, because of the generosity of Kindness Activist supporters, we were able to give the soon-to-be Cadet MANY things from her wish list!  We donated these things she needed:

-         2 spray-on bottles of sun screen

-         2 travel size sun screens

-         2 sun screen lip balms

-         2 USB C adapters

-         Benadryl

-         USB flash drive

-         Moleskin

-         Markers

-         And an umbrella 

For information on the AHC College Readiness Program and to find out how YOU can be a mentor, see this link:  AHC College Readiness Program

Kindness Activist funds spent - $99.55

Wish for the college bound student – OOHORAH!  You go girl!

I saw a mamma post on Facebook looking for the book “How To Talk So Little Kids Will Listen”.  She has 3 little boys (one is an infant), so really has her hands full.  That was an easy wish to grant.  I just hope she can find enough quiet time to sit down and read it!

Kindness Activist funds spent - $12.14

 

A teacher was hunting for Magnatiles of animals.  She has an autistic student who loves them and knew that they would be a great reward. 

I had never heard of Magnatiles until a child asked for some a couple of years ago in his letter to Santa.  Santa bought them, I saw them, and was an immediate fan.  Those things are great!  Educational, artistic, and FUN!  They are everything a toy should be (in my humble opinion).  Kindness Activist was happy to shop for and donate these!

Kindness Activist funds spent - $42.39

 

And finally for this update – a teacher posted that they would like bean bag chairs for their classroom.  They were not fussy, said any color would do.  They were posting in a group (Buy Nothing) where people give away used things. 

But here’s the deal: teachers in America are over worked and under paid.  They often use their own money to buy supplies for their classrooms, which is unfair in my opinion.  Do doctors have to buy the examination tables for their offices?  Do bankers have to buy the filing cabinets for their documents?  Do car sales people have to buy the chairs that their customers sit on? 

No.  Yet teachers are expected to outfit their own classrooms.  Heck, I have seen teachers ask for coffee makers for the breakroom (and Kindness Activist has kitted out a couple of school breakrooms…).  It just isn’t fair.

So, this teacher was basically asking for used bean bag chairs for his students to sit on.  I did some snooping on his Facebook profile and found his Amazon wish list for his classroom from last year.  It had a bean bag listed, but also had some really cool stools…

I reached out to him and confessed I had peeked at his profile.  I explained a bit about Kindness Activist and asked if he still wanted the stools this year.  He DID still want them, but seemed a bit embarrassed or shy about asking for them.  They were more expensive than the bean bag chair, he explained.

Sir, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.  You deserve the stools, all the stools.  And the set of posters you had on last year’s list to help make your classroom look amazing.  And a Starbucks gift card (just in case your teacher’s lounge coffee maker is broken…).

I love the colors!

Kindness Activist funds spent:  $144.15

Amount of money I wish we could spend on helping teachers have a great start to the school year:  $5,000,000

You can see the story of how we treated back-to-school shoppers at WalMart in 2022 here:  Back To School Kindness

The Giver Gets, Too

We often think that the receiver of an act of kindness gets the most out of it. 

But here is a little secret, shhhh.  Often, the giver of the act of kindness gets an equal (if not more) amount of wonderfulness out of the interaction.  Here is a hypothesis I would like you to consider:  in terms of joy and magic received, the act of GIVING kindness is equal to or greater than the act of RECEIVING kindness. 

Don’t believe me??  Try the theory out yourself.  It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture – just carry someone’s groceries for them.  Or tell a stranger how cool their necklace is. Or buy the person standing outside of McDonald’s asking for money a Big Mac.  Those simple acts of kindness will make you feel good – I guarantee it!  (And if they don’t, what the heck, I will give you your money back!!)

I was reminded of this concept this week when I saw a neighbor post about the neat trick-or-treat bags she just made for people.  You see, this neighbor experienced a traumatic loss a few months ago, and has been having a horrible time dealing with grief.  She spends her days working, and outside of that, crying.  She hasn’t been eating right.  She hasn’t been going out much.  She stopped doing the crafty things she always loved to do.  This woman has been drowning in a pool of grief.  Which is understandable - losing someone you love is horrible, and it takes a very long time to process.    

But then I saw her post in a local group that she wanted to make trick-or-treat bags for people…  I thought happily, “Ah, a hint of her old self!”.  Last night she sent me photos of the completed bags and they are adorable!  I know that the receivers will be so happy with them. 

And I also know that the maker, the GIVER of the act of kindness, felt a little bit better after giving them away.  Did that act of kindness make her grief disappear?  No, no.  The grief is still there and will be for a long time.  But did that act of kindness, the making of the bags, the reveal of how cute they are, the giving them away, did that bring a spark of shine to her life?  I bet my paycheck it did.  And maybe that experience of giving kindness will be like a little lifeline for her.  Maybe the next time she is feeling lonely and blue she will remember how giving kindness felt, and she will dig deep and do it again.  And little by little, perhaps kindness will help to build a little ladder that she can use to crawl out of the overwhelming sadness. 

Thanks for being a Kindness Activist, neighbor.  I have a Kind Is Cool shirt for you – may you wear it in good health.

 

Here’s an accounting update on how some Kindness Yard Sale funds have been used recently:

A neighbor was looking for headsets for her classroom.  She wrote: “I hate to ask but ….. headphones. We need them badly for our 3rd grade room. So many students cannot buy them, and I have a special student who is triggered by noise. He loses it every time we need to work on iPads and his seat mates don’t have headphones and need to have volume up to work on apps. This teacher is stressing!”.

These are the exact situations that Kindness Yard Sale money is perfect for!  A friend found a great deal on headsets and we ordered 12 for the classroom.  But I wasn’t the only one who heeded to call for help!  Other neighbors also pitched in!  This week the teacher who asked for the headphones shared a thank you: “Take a look, my dear community. This is you in action! This is kindness! This is consideration! This is thoughtfulness in action! When I asked for help with headphones I only asked for a few. I never thought I could ask for the class set I needed but nevertheless you came through. I was overwhelmed with your generosity over and above. From the Kindness fund to each and every neighbor who contributed or offered to help… I and my forty-five sweet 3rd graders want to send our deepest gratitude!”.

Isn’t that perfect??  And she has a great system for storing them, too.

Headsets for all!

I love helping out teachers.  They have such important jobs and are deserving of our respect (and a lot bigger paychecks than they receive).

 

Kindness Activist funds spent:  $139.80

 

Made another small purchase with Kindness Activist funds.  This one was for Depends, the adult size undergarments/diapers that some people need.  Someone wanted to see if they would be a good fit for their elderly mother, and there again, it seemed like a great use of the money raised at the yard sale.  So I ordered a pack and sent them directly to the household that needed them. 

Haven’t heard yet if they are a good solution for the situation, but I am thankful to have the Kindness money to help the family give them a try. 

Kindness Activist funds spent:  $12.88 (again proving that acts of kindness don’t need to be fancy or cost a lot, simple, small acts go a very long way) 

 

Who likes to have a tea party??  Everybody does, that’s who!!  Including a 3 year old neighbor boy.  Turns out, he has gotten into tea parties lately, so I hooked him up with a really cute tea set and some fancy schmancy cookies (macaroons) to go with it. 

Lucky for me, he came with his mom to pick it all up, so I got to try it out, too!!  Let me just tell you, tea tastes even BETTER when it is served in a fancy pot and fancy cups (even if the “tea” in question is water). 

Ahhh, a little tea on the front porch.  Delicious!

His mom later reported that he tried a bit of actual tea at home, too.  Little friend – may your tea parties always be fancy and may simple joys continue to delight you as your grow up. 

You go kid!  Even a fancy tablecloth!  Now THAT'S a tea party!

Kindness Activist funds spent:  $45.84

And finally for this report – spices.  A family from Bolivia moved to our community to start over.  They came with practically nothing, so a kind neighbor put out a call for needed items.  One thing on the list was SPICES, so I chose that. 

I have learned from traveling to other countries and hosting international guests at our home that each culture has their own spices that they like to use.  Not every country is the same in the kitchen!   I asked what spices would be good, got them together, and the woman came and picked it all up to give to the family.

I hope that the spices help them cook food that feels comfortable to them, is tasty, and reminds them of home as they begin their new lives in America.

Kindness Activist funds spent:  $113.02

 

 

 

 

Back To School Kindness

Hot date Saturday night here!  We went to Walmart for some BACK-TO-SCHOOL SHOPPING!! 

But not for us, for strangers.  School in this area starts on Monday.  Would there be any last-minute shoppers???  You bet there were! 

We started the adventure by strolling around the school supplies aisle to see if there was anyone we could treat.  The parameters were simple:  the student should be present, and the recipients should be diverse.   I fished my wish!!  There were lots of shoppers and they were indeed diverse.  We treated people who were Hispanic, African American, Nepalese, white, and Jamaican.

Anyone need a new backpack?

We ended up with 8 separate orders at the cash registers, but most orders were for multiple students.  We had:  an adorable kindergarten girl with beautiful braids, brothers who looked like twins but weren’t going into 1^st and 2^nd grades, a girl going into her senior year, a little girl going into 1^st grade who talked so quietly I could barely hear her, a 2^nd grade teacher, a girl going into 9^th grade, and more!  It was so fun!

Here are some stats of what was purchased:

-         9 boxes of crayons in various forms

-         6 backpacks

-         52 composition books

-         10 packs of filler paper

And lunch boxes and water bottles and pencils (oh looooads of pencils!) and erasers and highlighters and scissors and Kleenex and Clorox wipes and rules and staples and pencil cases (including several kids who picked my favorite one with pop-its on it!) and pens and mechanical pencils and Elmer’s glue and glue sticks (including the shy girl who picked the scented glue sticks that I recommended, cuz, duh, SCENTED!!!), and 3 ring binder and plastic folders and spiral notebooks and markers (including the girl who got a great pack of Sharpies that I secretly coveted) and post-it notes and dividers and a badge holder and dry erase markers and more and more and more until our eyes were popping out of our heads!!  It was brilliantly fun!

I have always loved school supplies.  They are so shiny and bright when they are brand new.  They practically scream new possibilities!  So, it was an honor to be able to treat so many kids to what they need to start the year off right. 

Sometimes when we do a Kindness Activist act, people are hesitant to accept the gift and say no.  But on this adventure not a single person rejected the gift of school supplies!  The parents were soooo appreciative, too.  One mother had been struggling to make ends meet due to a shoulder injury keeping her off work.  One dad had just had Covid and relocated his family.  Two moms cried at the check-out.  One mom’s eyes got so big when I said, “OK, those are the supplies on the list.  Now, does he need a backpack?  A lunch bag??”.  Mom gently nodded her head yes, and off her son and I went to choose the ones he wanted.

As I was ringing up one woman’s cart (the only person who did not have a child with them), I asked what grade her child would be in.  She said, “Oh, my kids are in college…  But I am a 2^nd grade teacher…”.  Well then, kids who show up to that classroom without the needed supplies will have a stash to choose from!

All in all, we rang out 8 separate orders (but served many more than 8 students as most orders were for more than one child).  We spent an average of $121.09 on each order.  School supplies are not cheap!  We were thanked repeatedly, God blessed often, given handshakes, and even hugs.  One delighted recipient asked hopefully, “Will you be here again next year??”.

No ma’am, we probably won’t be in this same store for back-to-school shopping next year.  But I can promise you that we will be somewhere, spreading kindness and then sharing the stories of it.  So be on the look-out! 

School shopping is exhausting!

Total Kindness Activist funds spent -  $1089.79

P.S. – also purchased for students on this shopping trip but not directly school supply related:  two packs of underwear and one small Anna from Frozen doll 😊

Tear-Off Kindness

A while back I wrote a piece called COMPLIMENT KINDNESS, which you can see here.

It was about a project I did where I hung tear off strips of compliments in my neighborhood, which went over really well.

Today I am sad yet again at the state of our country.  More gun deaths – this time in Minneapolis and Baton Rouge.  It seems never ending, and it is hard to feel hope of things ever getting better.  I applaud people who are standing up and speaking out.

In the spirit of maybe making society a teeny tiny bit better, I have hung out a new sheet of tear off strips.  This one is called “Make the World a Better Place” and it has 19 little tear off strips that passersby are encouraged to choose from and then act upon.  The sheet looks like this:

  

Quick ways YOU (yes you) can make the world a better place.  Take 1 and USE IT.

Call your mom or dad and tell them you love them

Carry a stranger’s groceries to their car

Send someone a real card or letter, not an email

Give a flower from your garden to a neighbor

Pay for the person behind you at the coffee shop

Give someone a genuine compliment

Pick up trash that someone else left

Smile at people as you ride the escalator

Leave a quarter in the “have a penny take a penny” jar

Tell a kid how great he or she is (and mean it)

Let someone ahead of you in line

Bring cookies to work for sharing

Share produce from your garden

Post something NICE on Facebook or Instagram

Stop by the fire station and say THANKS  

 Buy stuff at a garage sale and say “Keep the change”

Send a letter to a former teacher thanking them

Give a granola bar to a homeless person

Take back someone else’s grocery cart for them

Look, I know that these simple little things that I am hoping to inspire people to do are not going to change the world.  They are not going to protect innocent lives.  They are not going to make it safer for black men in America. 

But I hope that they DO make people think.  And I hope they make people ACT.  And if we all could stop, think, and ACT kinder and nicer to everyone, well, then wouldn’t the world be at least a smidgen better? 

Would you hang one of these signs in your neighborhood, too?  If you would like the template to print one, comment below or email me at kindnessactivist@gmail.com .  Maybe these tiny reminders of how simple little gestures can improve the world are one itty bitty way to make a dent in negative state of our country. 

As for my sign, 3 strips have already been taken.  I am hoping that someone has “sent a real card or letter” to someone, given someone a “genuine compliment” and “picked up trash that someone else left”.  Bit by bit, piece by piece, I hope someway we can improve the world