Donating Kindness

As I mentioned in a recent entry called "Cashier Kindness", I sort of have a thing for Trader Joe’s.  Last year I reviewed one TJ’s product every single day and went to TJ’s everywhere I feasibly could (I ended up visiting 24 TJ’s stores in 11 states (plus one District J ) (and I am going to Palm Springs soon and have “visit Trader Joe’s on my list of things to do there, of course!).  You can find all of my reviews (and fun photos) at Trader Joe's 365.  Anyway, in many of the stores I have been in, I noticed big signs about Trader Joe’s donating in their communities. 

New York City has a Trader Joe's JUST FILLED WITH WINE, lucky ducks

Trader Joe's Indianapolis

Trader Joe's Columbus, Ohio, I am here to visit you!

I always assumed when I saw the donation signs that they meant the stores donated things like bananas about to go off, or dinged up cans of corn.  But I decided that maybe I should go talk to someone at a Trader Joe’s store to get the details about what all this DONATING they do really is.  

If I had paid attention and really READ this sign when I saw it in Ohio I would have
understood more about Trader Joe's donations!!

Check it out - this is the donation sign at the store on U Street in Washington DC!  20,000 MEALS, folks!!

I started my questioning at the location we usually go to at Bailey’s Crossroads (Northern Virginia) but the guy working at the customer service stand was totally not into it.  He was bored, a bit stand off-ish, and really just didn’t have that whole Trader Joe’s vibe goin’ on…  He basically told me they donate because it is a corporate initiative and they give things that are non-sellable (approaching the sell by date, cracked, or open). 

Well, I wasn’t gonna let that one duddy employee spoil my view of TJ’s donating.  I knew there had to be more to the story, so I kept hunting.  This time I went to the Clarendon, Virginia store and talked with KIM, who was fabulous.  Kim GETS IT and was more than happy to talk with me about all the good that Trader Joe’s does in the communities where they are located!

Oh sure, parking is sort of weird at the Clarendon Trader Joe's, but once you get in they are WELCOMING!  :)

First off, check out this number:  in 2014 TJ’s Clarendon donated $412,748 worth of goods!  That is a LOT!  And Kim is really very hopeful that when the 2015 numbers are all tallied they will come in even higher.  Trader Joe’s corporate has a term for this donating, they call it NEIGHBORS SHARE.  And TJ’s Clarendon shares A TON!!  Basically they give away anything you see at the store – flowers, items like meat that are almost at their sell by date (which is different than “use by” dates some other stores have), dented cans, bananas that are still perfectly good but have a couple spots on them, fresh bread like baguettes at the end of the day, bags of things that might have gotten ripped (which they re-wrap to close but cannot sell), and the thing I found most interesting; EGGS!!  At TJ’s they are super careful about checking your eggs.  When they ring up your items they open your egg carton and make sure none are cracked.  If an egg is cracked, they ring a bell and someone rushes up a new carton of eggs for you.  But I never stopped to wonder, “Gee, what are you going to do with the carton that now has 11 good eggs and 1 cracked one?”.  Turns out what they do is DONATE that carton!  Because when you think about it, minus your one cracked one, that is 11 perfectly good eggs! 

A SERIOUSLY KIND STORE - Trader Joe's Clarendon (Northern Virginia)

So, all of these perfectly good but unsellable items are boxed up.  Things that need to be cold are placed in special refrigerators.  It is all really organized.  Then, twice EVERY DAY, an organization called Celestial Manna comes and picks up everything.  I had never heard of Celestial Manna, but check out their website, they look amazing!! Celestial Manna Website    They then take everything back to their main location, where they go through and sort it!  They then donate the items to several charities that help people like Veterans, victims of human trafficking, homeless shelters, a battered women’s shelter, and senior citizens.  So by the Clarendon Trader Joe’s giving everything to one centralized clearing house, it actually reaches many, many different organizations and helps loads of people!!!! 

Kim explained that each TJ’s location chooses who they will Neighbor Share with and that she is really happy with the arrangement her store has with Celestial Manna.  She said that they are great about coming in to pick everything up and are doing so much good in the community. 

Celestial Manna is a terrific partner - getting food and other donations where can best help people who need them

So THAT is the type of donating I always thought Trader Joe’s must do.  But Kim explained that there is actually even MORE. 

They also give things to non-profits and charities on request.  Groups like churches, schools, and others send in letters to their local TJ’s and explain what they are looking for.  Kim said her store has given pumpkins to schools, things for the usher recognition at the Kennedy Center, items to churches, and even things for the Folklife Festival (which is a huge event in our area).  She said they often make up bags or baskets of items to give to organizations.  For example, let’s say your child’s PTA is having a silent auction.  Contact your local TJ’s and ask if they can help out!  Their donation coordinator will most likely give you a smile and a gift bag to auction off!  Kim said each store varies in how many donation requests they get, but she and her teammates work hard to fill them! 

A sweet thank you note from someone who received a donation

Some groups who receive donations are so thankful that they send in original artwork as a thank you!!  :)

So I always knew Trader Joe’s was cool.  I knew they have good products at cheap prices and are friendly and make me feel at “home” in their stores.  But I didn’t know they were so KIND.  Now that I learned how much they give back to the communities they are in through their Neighbor Share program, I am even happier to give them my grocery shopping dollars. 

The "Gives Back to the Community" board at the Clarendon store

Thanks for being a corporate Kindness Activist, Trader Joe’s.  What you give back to the world is appreciated.

Do you know a Kindness Activist, be it a person or a company, that I should feature??  Please tell me about them!  Send me an email at:  kindnessactivist@gmail.com .  And while you are at it, “like” Kindness Activist on Facebook, would ya?  J

(Little Free) Library Kindness

Have you ever been taking a walk and come across a tiny wooden LIBRARY in a neighbor’s yard??  I have, and boy was I was intrigued!  I went up and checked it out and learned that they are called “Little Free Libraries”.  They are an amazingly kind trend that has spread all across the country, actually, around the WORLD!!  As of January 2016 there were over 36,000 registered Little Free Library book exchanges – some in every single state in the USA and also in 70 other countries!!!

“Just what ARE Little Free Libraries (LFLs)??” you ask.  Well, first off they look like this:

Classic, simple, elegant

Or this:

Color, wild, and zany

And one of the ones in my neighborhood looks like THIS:

BEAUTIFUL and matches the house!

They are small (usually) wooden repositories for BOOKS of all kinds.  The LFL librarians (also known as stewards) keep them stocked.  And here is the best part – the books are not to LEND, they are to TAKE!  So it is neighbors sharing books with neighbors!!  Isn’t that fabulous??  They function on the honor system – so if you take a book today, it sure would be nice if you brought back a book (or 2 or 3) the next time you are in the neighborhood.  J

Ever since I saw a LFL a couple of years ago I have thought it would be awesome to have one.  We live in an area with a lot of walking traffic and I think if we put up a LFL it would have a lot of users!  Alas, real LFLs do not come cheap…  The most inexpensive one on the website is $149, and if you spend any amount of time perusing the choices of LFLs you will undoubtedly decided you “need” one of the fancier models.  I mean, just LOOK at the “Modern Two Story”!!  

Isn't this a cool design??

The official website explains that it is understood that not everyone can afford to purchase a “real” LFL and makes some great suggestions about repurposing other items and turning them into free libraries.  I may do that someday.

But in the meantime, I am lucky to have a few LFLs within walking distance of my home, so I decided to contact Michael Rhode, a LFL “librarian”,  to learn about why he has a LFL in his yard.  Here is what he told me:

Michael's LFL in the snow!

“First, one has to be a booklover. That leads one down all kinds of paths.  I had read about them (LFLs) in the Washington Post, and thought they were interesting. A few months later, I needed an idea for Christmas so I bought one for a family gift for Christmas 2013. The family may not have completely agreed with the thoughtfulness of the gift. My daughter and I painted it and opened it up in February 2014.  Now that it is up and running I do most of the upkeep and swapping out of the books when something is just not moving. My wife arranges the books so people can actually tell what's in the library.”

Michael and his daughter painting their LFL

When I asked him how having the LFL makes him feel, he told me, “Well, selfishly, it's a way to see new books that other people put in, and to move on books that I don't want. Also, everybody knows it as an Alcova Heights (Arlington, VA) landmark now. In the end though, I love books, and love sharing them, and can't bear to see unwanted books, so it's a feeling of satisfaction.”   

I was curious if users of the LFL left him thank you notes, and he said that they do not, but that many people thank him in person.  And when I asked him to speculate on how his library makes the people who benefit from it feel, he said, “Most people seem to think it’s right neighborly”.  J  I say, if you are lucky enough have a LFL that you frequent in your neck of the woods, take a moment to write or draw a little thank you and put it in the library! 

I wondered how much WORK it would take to run a LFL, and he assured me that once you build one and get it all in the ground, there is not a lot involved.  He explained that the things you have to focus on most are “overflow” – i.e. having TOO MANY books for your library, and having books get “stale”.  He gives stale books to our local county library for their annual sale.

Rain, snow, or sun - the LFL is a good addition to the neighborhood

Of course, since he is so involved in the library, I had to ask him what his favorite book is, right?  He told me, “I read so much that I don't have a favorite book anymore I'm afraid. I'd recommend “The Art of Richard Thompson” of which I'm an editor. As a teen, my favorite was Roger Zelazny's five-volume fantasy story “The Chronicles of Amber”, and that still has a place in my heart.”

I think purchasing, putting together, installing, and RUNNING a LFL for your community is an act of kindness.  It shares not only books, but joy with the neighborhood, free of charge!  But Michael doesn’t look at his library as a kindness.  He said, “Well, I don't really consider it kindness, but it's fun and it makes people happy. Anyone who likes to have a nice chat about reading with someone new on a sunny day should consider putting a LFL up. I love to find a new one, and will often go out of my way to stop by and check them out.”

Thanks for helping the neighborhood have things to read, Michael!  And maybe you have inspired some others to put up a LFL in their yard!!  If you want to learn more about LFLs or see where you can find one near you, visit:  Little Free Library website

Michael, thanks for making Arlington a better place.  You might not look at your LFL as an act of kindness, but I sure do.  I say you are a Kindness Activist!!  Thanks for having a positive impact on our community.

Flat Tire Kindness

This is my dad. 

Dad on the beach on Sanibel Island, FL

He showed me one of the earliest examples of kindness that I can remember.

When I was growing up, our Christmas tradition was to celebrate Christmas EVE at my paternal grandparents’ house, Christmas MORNING at our house, and Christmas AFTERNOON at my maternal grandparents’ house.  We all lived in the same town, Omaha, so it was possible to celebrate 3 Christmases over the course of a 24 hour period.

Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa Thompson's house circa the early 1970s

One year my dad and I were out rushing about late in the afternoon on December 24.  I am not sure what we were doing, I can’t recall, but if I had to guess I bet we were getting a last minute gift from him to give to my mom.  J  I remember going with him when I was little to a store called Younkers at Center Mall and he would tell a sales clerk Mom’s favorite color (pink) and size and she would pull together an entire outfit – pants, sweater, jacket, scarf – and put it in a big box with pretty tissue paper for Christmas.  So I am guessing that this December 24^th outing with just the 2 of us was one of those secret gift getting expeditions.

Dad at our house for Christmas, 1970 (see the little rocking chair in the background?  I still have that!)

What I DO remember about the outing was us in the car on the way home and coming across someone with a flat tire.  It had already turned dark, which meant that we were actually due at Grandma and Grandpa Thompson’s house to eat dinner and open gifts.  Other cars were rushing by the car stranded on the side of the road with the flat tire, but my dad PULLED OVER.  I remember thinking that we did not have TIME to help, but Dad said that indeed we did, that in fact we NEEDED to help this person.  They were probably trying to rush to some holiday event, too, and needed assistance.

So we stopped.  And he got out and helped them change their tire.  And we were late for the Christmas Eve celebration, but the world did not stop turning because of it.

In fact, the world got just a tiny bit better.  Because I learned the lesson from my dad that sometimes you need to sacrifice a bit, put yourself out some, to be kind and help someone else.  And that being kind mattered more than sitting down in time for dinner or opening a pile of gifts. 

Dad holding me - 1966.  He had great hair then, didn't he?

It sounds corny, but that lesson was a great Christmas present.  I don’t think I ever thanked him for teaching me by example that night, and I doubt he even remembers it, but I sure do.  THANKS DAD.  I think of you changing that flat tire often when I see someone who needs help and for a fleeting second I wonder if I should be the one to pause my life and offer assistance. 

My wedding day - hug from Dad

At Dad's birthday party

Thanks for the lesson, Dad.  I love you.

Old time Christmas with my mom and dad.  That outfit was probably the one he gave her the Christmas before!!
This is exactly the type of outfit I remember him getting for her.

One last Dad photo - with a huge halibut he caught in Alaska!!

Blooming Kindness

I escaped to the United States Botanic Garden this afternoon.  If you are ever in Washington DC on a cold winter day, THIS is a perfect escape.  It is warm and full of bright, blooming, beautiful flowers and amazing plants.  I happened to show up at just the right time of year, too, it is ORCHID SEASON at the Botanic Garden!  Nothing could be prettier.

Don't you agree that being surrounded by flowers like these makes for a great place to sit and write?

I

Nature has some lovely colors in her pallette

I brought my laptop with the plan of sitting among the flowers and writing up a piece or two for this Kindness project.  Little did I know I would witness a Kindness Activist in action!!  As I was sitting and writing, a volunteer walked by.  I looked up and made eye contact with Susan (who has the same name as me!), who had picked up an orchid bloom that had fallen off the plant.  She showed it to me and it was absolutely gorgeous. Then she GAVE IT TO ME!  What luck! 

I could sit and stare at orchids all day long...

That action, plus her smile, and the fact that her name tag told me she was a VOLUNTEER and not an employee, made me realize that I might have just met a Kindness Activist!!  So of course I asked if I could talk with her about this project.

Susan told me that she has volunteered at the Botanic Garden for 5 – 7 years.  She comes in once a week and talks with visitors.  Usually she is in charge of talking about cacao (which is an amazing tree!) but now because it is orchid time, orchids are her subject.  

This is the cacao tree, Susan's normal subject to explain to visitors

As we were talking a woman and her son (who looked to be about 11 or 12 years old) came up and Susan talked with them about the banana tree (which she taught them is not a tree at all – it is an HERB!  What looks like the trunk is actually LEAVES and if you were to cut a banana tree trunk, you would not see “rings” like you would with trees).  She explained that banana plant so well and made it so interesting that even the pre-teen boy was totally engaged!  J  She also visited with some other people about the garden in general and orchids.  And then she took time to talk about kola nuts to a visitor.  She is a very welcoming person and a great ambassador for the Botanic Garden!

This is the banana "tree" Susan explained about.  Isn't it so exotic looking???

When I asked her why she chose to volunteer at this particular place, she explained that she used to live in Baton Rouge and was a Master Gardener there.  She was going to do the Master Gardener program in DC when she moved here, but decided to take the training to volunteer at the Garden instead.  She ALSO is a volunteer docent at the Kreeger, a DC Art Museum (her background is in Art History).  And there is one MORE – she also works with children who are behind on their grade level reading at Garfield Elementary School in DC!  She goes to the school and helps them read.

You heard that right, she volunteers at THREE different places.  We sat and calculated the number of hours that she spends each month volunteering, and we tallied around 26 hours.  Isn’t that amazing generosity?  She said the secret to her volunteering is that she LOVES everything she volunteers for – plants, art, and reading.  Her passion for the subjects mean the volunteering is fun!

Susan talking to a visitor about the Botanic Garden.

When you think about it, we ALL have knowledge or a passion about SOMETHING that we could share with others.  And really, we all have TIME.  Granted, some of us have stressful, time consuming jobs or children/elders to take care of, but if we really examined our lives, I bet we ALL HAVE SOME TIME available that we could use to volunteer.  Maybe we couldn’t volunteer as much as Susan, but she could definitely be an inspiration to the rest of us.  What about volunteering an hour every month?  One hour every month giving back to the community.  Maybe serving food at a homeless shelter.  Maybe helping at a local library.  Or maybe, like Susan, being a docent at an Art Museum.  The point is just to be an active part of the community we live in and give back.

Another gorgeous orchid

P.S. – as we sat and talked more, when Susan mentioned that she gives an hour long tour of the Botanic Garden every week, I realized that I recognized her!!  I have been on her tour before!  And I learned a lot.  Thanks for talking with me today, Susan, and thanks for the tour a couple years ago.  You are a terrific Kindness Activist.  I promise I will be back to the Botanic Garden and I will bring visitors with me.  J

Do you know a Kindness Activist I can feature?  Tell me about them.  Email me at:  kindnessactivist@gmail.com .  

To learn more about the US Botanic Garden see here

To learn more about the Kreeger Museum where Susan is a docent, see here

BONUS PHOTO!!!

I LOVE FLOWERS :)

Ikea Kindness

As I look over the stories so far in this blog, I see that many of them are big, grand gestures of kindness.  And I want to make sure that people reading are reminded that KINDNESS comes in small bits, too.  J  Kindness can be simple, quick, and easy!!

So let’s quickly look at one example of kindness that anyone could do.  I will call it IKEA KINDNESS, but it could just as easily be called Safeway Kindness, or WalMart Kindness, or Publix Kindness.

TADA - Ikea!

David and I were shopping at Ikea.  We had, maybe, 7 items to purchase.  As usual, the lines were super long.  There is never a “quick” line at Ikea.  While waiting in line, I noticed the guy behind us only had a couple of things.  So when we got to the front, I gestured that he could go ahead of us.  He was surprised and happy.

Then we let the NEXT person go ahead of us.  They, too, were excited to receive this tiny gesture of kindness and be able to get through the line a tiny bit quicker to get on with their day (which likely involved hours of putting together Ikea furniture…).

My point in telling you this story is this:  it wasn’t a huge sacrifice on our part.  Letting two people get ahead of us in line didn’t change the world.  But it DID help make those people’s days a little brighter.  It showed them that there are kind people around.  It didn’t “put us out” – it probably added 4 minutes onto our wait time, which we used to stand around and tell jokes. 

Sometimes, if you look around, there are simple acts of kindness you can do that make other people’s lives a little better.  Let them ahead of you in line.  Offer to take their empty shopping cart back to the store as you walk in.  Make space for them in traffic to get into your lane when they are signaling. 

These are all teeny, tiny acts in the grand scheme of things.  But teeny tiny things add up.  And I believe that in the end, they make the world a better place.

Now get out there and BE KIND.

And tell me your stories of kindness!  Email me at kindnessactivist@gmail.com

Gardening Kindness

I think I first heard of the Thomas Jefferson (TJ) Community Garden when I saw an invite for a free outdoor showing of the movie “It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown” happening there.  I mean, I had HEARD of the garden, which is only a couple of blocks from my house, but I guess it had never really caught my attention until the possibility of sitting in it while eating popcorn and watching a Charlie Brown classic film came my way.

Always a good one to watch in the autumn

Now that I know some more about the garden, I realize it is good for MUCH MORE than showing movies.  J  It is quite amazing, really!!

TJ Middle School Community Garden

Our neighbor Keturah (Kitty) is a Girl Scout.  We have known her ever since she was teeny tiny and didn’t know how to give us proper change for the lemonade we bought at her stands.  But now she is a senior in high school and her Girl Scout Troop, number 557, were the FOUNDING FARMERS of the Thomas Jefferson Middle School Community Garden.  It was their Silver Award Project, and what a fine project it was/is!

The Girl Scouts were in 6^th grade when their idea of a community garden was born.  They were inspired by Michelle Obama’s White House Garden and Alice Waters’ Edible Schoolyard (see the end of this piece for more information about those inspirations).  They chose it as their Silver Award Project for many reasons; to try and improve school lunches, to connect to the environment, because it was a great community activity, and, as Troop member Hayley put it, “Planting new plants will help the air become cleaner and better for the earth.”

The White House Garden, one of Troop 557's inspirations for their garden

The project not only helped the Girl Scouts learn about nature and gardening, it also required them to polish their presentation skills since they needed to present to the PTA, the neighborhood community association, and the City Council.

They got the approvals they needed, painted some lovely signs, and got donated wood to make the fence and raised beds.  Then they were OFF – prepping a barren plot of land behind the local middle school.  Of course, starting a big garden from scratch is not EASY, and Girl Scout Emely explained some of the challenges they faced, “…bad soil, access to water, and discouragement”.

Working on their lettuce crop

But by Spring of 2011 they were ready to put in seedlings!  Arlington, VA has an amazing program called the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) (a community based non-profit that provides supplemental groceries to people in need), and AFAC has a Plot Against Hunger program.  Ms. Puwen Lee, the Plot Against Hunger coordinator, brought the Scouts seedlings to get the garden started. 

Their garden produces a LOT of healthy, organic veggies!!

And get started they did!!  They planted their first crop in 2011 and other members of the community pitched in, too.  Students from TJ helped in the garden.  Portions of their harvests were donated to AFAC and in that very first season they donated over 400 lbs of fresh vegetables!!!  Isn’t that amazing??  Talk about making a difference in their community!  They have donated thousands of pounds of healthy produce since then.  Other members of the community help out in the garden, too.  It provides instruction, inspiration, and needed volunteer hours for groups around Arlington.

Have to get rid of the weeds!

It doesn't have to be ALL hard work, volunteers can have some FUN, too!

The troop and some TJ students were even lucky enough to get a tour of the White House garden, which had inspired them.  They say it is beautiful, but their garden is actually much BIGGER J. 

A tiny bit of the garden's bumper crop - isn't it beautiful?

I say Troop 557 and their leaders definitely qualify as Kindness Activists.  They put their heart, hands, and sweat into the garden and have donated so much healthy food to neighbors in need through AFAC.  THANK YOU for your work, Girl Scouts!  Your community appreciates it.

AFAC food donation receipt - one of many!

Another donation to AFAC!  The garden keeps on giving!

Now how about YOU?  Is there a lesson you can learn from these young girls?  Maybe you do not have a big yard to dig up and plant seeds…  Maybe you live in an apartment and do not have any land of your own.  But is there SOMETHING you can give back to your community?  Let these girls’ big actions be an inspiration to you. 

Gardening is hard work, but very rewarding

Troop 557 consists of:

Keturah Adair

Kathryn Carlson

Bryn Edwards

Deniz Gurler

Ali Michalowski

Hayley Roy

Emely Sanchez

Rebecca Wroblewski

With co-leaders Patty Adair and Marney Michalowski

To learn about the beginnings of the White House garden, which inspired Troop 557, see here  

To learn about Alice Waters’ Edible Schoolyard in Berkeley, CA (another inspiration for the girls), see here

To learn more about AFAC, see here

Do you know of a Kindness Activist?  Tell me about them - send me an email at kindnessactivist@gmail.com 

Knit Kindness

Because of this Kindness Activist project, I am constantly on the look-out for KINDNESS.  Well, luckily on Valentine’s Day I came across a great post on Facebook.  It was written by a friend in Omaha named Mary, and it said:

“My fellow knitters, if you have yarn left over from projects, consider knitting a cozy for the kitties at The Nebraska Humane Society.  The cozy should be 14x18 inches. Use 4 strands of yarn and large needles....14-16 size. Doing this makes the cozy plush and warm for the kitties.  My Mom gave me a whole lot of yarn, some of which I used for the 4 cozies you see here.  You can also drop off yarn at The Humane Society for knitters to pick up.”

Here is what Mary's Kitty Cozies look like, aren't they sweet??

Well, I am not a knitter and am very impressed by people who can make anything out of a ball of yarn!!  When I was a kid I tried to crochet for a while and all I ended up making were really LONG, extremely SKINNY belts…  Yes, they were just a single crocheted stitch on and on and on and on…  Not all that functional, nor fashionable… 

But Mary can knit things like SCARVES.  And KITTY COZIES!  Talk about adorable!  I can only imagine those tiny kitties snuggled up on one of Mary’s cozies!  Too much cuteness, I am sure!

This cat does NOT have a cozy.  Instead, it has a yellow box.  I met it last month at Crumbs and Whiskers,
a "cat cafe" in Washington DC.  I think it would be even cuter if it was sitting on a cozy.  

I asked Mary about this kind act she was doing.  It turns out, she is a very busy woman.  I knew she is a proud Grandma, but didn’t know that she is also a NURSE at an endoscopy center.  She told me, “As I was taking care of a patient last fall, she mentioned knitting the cozies with yarn she would have left-over from projects or pick up at garage sales. I was helping my Mom clean out her closets a couple of years ago, and she gave me oodles and oodles of red yarn. I combined the red yarn with other colors and have made scarves for the homeless and me latest project has been the cozies.”

Ummm, did you catch that?  Not only does she make COZIES FOR KITTIES, she makes SCARVES FOR HOMELESS PEOPLE.  Mary, you are a gem.  Using your knitting to help others is amazingly kind.

Mary and her sweetheart.  What a kind woman!  If I ever need an endoscopy while I am in Omaha, I know who to call.  :)

So the rest of you knitters, yes YOU, with balls and balls (is it officially called skeins and skeins??) of yarn that you are not using.  BE LIKE MARY!  Make these sweet kitty cozies to help kittens in your local Humane Society have a kinder life. 

I Googled “kitty cozies” to see if there was info online about them and found a lot about the Arizona Humane Society wanting people to help make cozies!  They are doing theirs out of fleece.  You can read about it here.

Cats in Michigan want to be comfy, too!  The Michigan Humane Society put this out.

But really, I imagine that cats EVERYWHERE would love a soft little piece to call their own.  Thanks for the inspiration, Mary.  Now if only I could learn how to knit…

This is Louie, my nephew Jordan's cat.  He lives in Omaha.  Louie, do you want a cat cozy???

Have YOU done something kind?  Are you a KINDNESS ACTIVIST?  Or maybe you were the recipient of kindness, or have seen something awesomely kind.  Tell me about it!  Just send me a quick email to kindnessactivist@gmail.com.  And while you are at it, “like” Kindness Activist on Facebook!