Random Acts of Kindness Week

Friendship Cards by Current CatalogThis year Random Acts of Kindness week is February 12-18, with Random Acts of Kindness Day falling on Thursday, February 17th. Random Acts of Kindness is a non-profit foundation that believes in spreading kindness throughout schools, communities, and homes. They believe in the power of kindness to change the way people see and experience the world, and encourage everyone to join the movement and help pass on kindness in their communities.

Similarly, the Pay It Forward Foundation was established in September of 2000 by Catherine Ryan Hyde, author of the 1999 novel Pay It Forward that was made into a movie of the same name starring Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt, and Haley Joel Osment. In the book, a social studies teacher challenges his students to “Change the world”. Although only 12 years old, one student takes the challenge to heart by showing kindness to a stranger, and continuing to seek out opportunities to “pay it forward”.

Friendship-CardsIn line with the Random Acts of Kindness foundation, the philosophy of Pay It Forward is that through acts of kindness among strangers, we all foster a more caring society. The foundation was established as a catalyst to inspire growth for the Pay It Forward philosophy, acts of kindness among strangers, generating a ripple effect from one person to the next, one community to the next. The main thrust of their work today is providing copies of the Pay It Forward Young Readers Edition for use by teachers and other educators, at no cost. They also offer Pay It Forward bracelets, hats, buttons and tee shirts printed with “Make America Kind Again” for sale on their website.

Love U Hedgehog by Current CatalogBoth organizations share a common goal of helping turn the world a little bit kinder, one random act of kindness at a time. A chain of kindness is built one link at a time and starts with just one person making a decision to do something kind for someone else. These acts can be carried out by each of us toward friends, family members, or strangers. They can be something as simple as picking up the tab for someone at a restaurant, surprising a loved one with a small gift, paying for the coffee of the person in line behind you at the drive-through window, handing out food coupons to a homeless person, helping a neighbor carry in their groceries, or donating used towels, blankets, or pet beds to an animal shelter.

As one child stated so poetically, “Without kindness, the world is just sad.” Why not take up the challenge this year and participate in paying it forward during Random Acts of Kindness Week? You just might be the person whose behavior starts a ripple effect that spreads kindness across your community and beyond. You might be that person who changes the world.