HOW RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS WEEK CAME ABOUT

Back in 1982, a visionary named Ann Herbert penned a very special phrase: "Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty." For several years, this heartening message traveled across the United States, passing from friend to friend, family to family, stranger to stranger. Then in 1991, during the Gulf War, when people were feeling pessimistic and disconnected over the growing violence in the world, Conari Press decided to make a difference. They collected inspiring stories of random acts of kindness from people like you - stories that demonstrated the magical, transformational power of simple kindness to our fellow humankind. Realizing that random acts of kindness was a way to counteract random acts of violence, readers rallied, and the random acts of kindness movement was born. The first random acts of kindness week took place in February 1995. Since then, the non-profit random acts of kindness Foundation has been formed, working hard to help the movement grow and orchestrating an annual awareness campaign each February.

PARTICIPATING…
THERE ARE MANY APPROACHES

There are so many ways to participate in random acts of kindness week! Available time, energy and interest level should be your guides. Some people prefer to honor the week with individual acts of kindness; others activate groups - such as clubs, churches, organizations or workplaces. Many seek a leadership role and form committees that work together to activate their neighborhoods, towns or cities, counties or state.