Prioritizing Kindness: Making a Difference for the Invisible
Kindness has the power to transform lives, especially when directed toward those who often go unnoticed. Research shows that acts of kindness not only improve the well-being of the recipient but also boost the mental health and happiness of the giver.
This month, we’re focusing on ways to help the invisible members of our community, those who may be struggling silently or overlooked. Even the smallest act of kindness can be uplifting to someone who feels invisible. Let’s make kindness a priority and take action together!
With gratitude,
—MiaLisa Millares, Executive Director
Assemble small care kits with essentials like toiletries, snacks, and water bottles. Keep them in your car to hand out when you see someone in need.
Low on time? Organize a Sock Drive. Socks are one of the most requested items at homeless shelters. Collect new socks from friends, family, and neighbors, and donate them to a local shelter. This is a low-cost way to help people in your community with basic needs.
Write uplifting notes or cards to people in nursing homes, hospitals, or shelters. A kind word can have more of an impact that you can imagine by brightening someone’s day, helping them to remember that they are important, and showing care.
Volunteer at a Soup Kitchen.
Spend time serving meals at a local soup kitchen or food pantry. By connecting with people in need and offering a helping hand you also have the opportunity to do good in a small way. Little gestures and simple volunteering can be a way to give back and make a tangible difference in your community.
Host a Blanket Drive.
Collect gently used or new blankets to donate to shelters or organizations that support the homeless. Or, if you prefer, make a no-sew fleece blanket with your family members. Warmth is a simple yet powerful gift.
Volunteer with Your Family.
Check out incredible volunteer listings to find opportunities to volunteer together with your family this month!
CONVERSATIONS
What does it mean to be kind to someone you don’t know?
Why do you think some people feel invisible in our community?
How would you feel if someone helped you when you needed it most?
What are some things you can do to make someone feel noticed and valued?
READ
Books are a wonderful way to spark empathy and understanding in children. Check out this book list on hunger poverty and homelessness from Doing Good Together to find age-appropriate stories that inspire understanding, empathy, kindness and action.
If you are looking for a great chapter book to spark important conversations, including those about homelessness and feeling invisible, check out our newest book list filled with favorite read-alouds for elementary students and beyond!
INSPIRATION
"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around."
—Leo Buscaglia