2020 Shine the Light recipient: The Kindness Matters 365 Foundation
SHINE THE LIGHT - Who would have thought SOMETHING BIG YOGA we would be one of the largest free New Year's Day Community Events of it's kind any where in the United States. That's right...just a local small business with a mission to serve, we will be hosting thousands of people on New Years for free yoga, music and connection. That's the power of community and that's BIG! SOMETHING BIG YOGA has it's roots in Leslie Glickman's vision to give back and elevate the world by making yoga accessible to all... So as we bust the doors off the amphitheater for a one of a kind New Year's Day celebration , WE GO BIGGER!!! The best way to do that is with purpose...We urge EVERYONE to TAKE ACTION AS A COMMUNITY and use the positive energy we've created to SHINE THE LIGHT on one of the many organizations doing incredible work out in the world. In 2019 SOMETHING BIG YOGA raised over $6000 to benefit CONNECTED WARRIORS and the incredible work they do for veterans and their families. For 2020 we are shining a light on The Kindness Matters 365 Foundation. Read a message below from Laura Reiss the Founder and Executive Director and learn all about her mission to bring kindness to the world!
My name is Laura Reiss and I am the Founder and Executive Director of the Kindness Matters 365 Foundation.
Back in 2007, I conceived the program upon which The Kindness Matters (KM365) Foundation was built. My passion to “give back” and inspire others to do the same was seeded by my kind parents, and fueled by my commitment to raise my three young children with the values of compassion, gratitude, and kindness.
In 2008 I started a Kindness program at Sunrise Park Elementary in Boca Raton, FL where my children were going to school. It started out as a free, after-school club with 35 children. Every time we got together, I spoke with the children about gratitude, being truly happy for who they were and what they had, and simply giving back where we could. We talked about saving the environment, the many ways to give back, respecting yourself and others, showing kindness to yourself, and about being kind in the home, school, community, and the world…and feeling really good about all of it!
We talked about a day when everyone is simply kind to each other; we talked about a new generation of kind-minded humans; we talked about being able to create that world through our own kind actions and inspiring others to do the same 365 days a year… “KindnessMatters365”.
This beautiful concept and the results of KindnessMatters365 were so profound that we quickly developed a monthly program with an interactive, inspirational, effective format. Each month, a speaker from different philanthropic organizations came and shared who they were and how they found their ways to contribute to our world. We engaged in experiential learning - service based hands-on projects and school-wide drives to give back to the speakers’ organizations….dog toys for the Humane Society, thank you letters to our Forgotten Soldiers, get-well art for sick children in hospitals, kindness care packages for foster kids and so much more.
The intention was for all participants to listen, learn, interact and do something to give back at each meeting, and it worked! The combination of teaching, experiential learning, and the personal satisfaction that participants gain from taking care of themselves and others makes our programs so effective. Beyond that, KindnessMatters365 meetings were always heart-warming, moving, inspiring and educational. I can’t tell you how many times I cried in these meetings, not only because of the amazing speakers sharing their stories but from watching the kids’ reactions. I hold so many beautiful memories and stories in my heart.
I began to put structure around our program and train volunteer “Ambassadors of Kindness” who could run additional kindness clubs in this same format. Our invaluable Ambassadors invigorated KindnessMatters365 with new energy and created KindnessMatters365 clubs in new grades, new schools, and new communities. At this time, I collaborated with local organizations and authorities (police and fire departments) to become involved, get support, and provide speakers. I enrolled and organized children in clubs; managed fundraising drives; collected, sorted and delivered items at all events; furthered parent and school administration involvement; and so much more. It was time to share, train and give it away so that others could implement their own kindness clubs and spread the kindness in their communities.
In 2014, after seeing the transformation of every child that went through the Kindnessmatters365 program and considering the overwhelming positive response from our community, I decided to create the KindnessMatters365 Foundation, committed to a kindness conversation in every school and community in the world.
As more and more people heard about KindnessMatters365, they wanted to be a part of it. Our Foundation responded by modifying our program to include everyone from younger children to teenagers, and by introducing our clubs to all school levels, in schools as an after school club or part of the in classroom curriculum, summer camps, community centers and more.
To date (October 2019), as part of our community based service-learning projects, our programs have reached some amazing goals. We have
collected and distributed over $1,500,00 in goods
Support an average of 60 non profits in each community
Raised $3.5 million in disaster relief
Supported over 47,900 individuals, and
Reported over 660,000 community service hours.
We have trained over 500 Ambassadors in leadership roles for KindnessMatters365, and we have impacted the lives of tens of thousands of people of all ages, religion, color, political beliefs, gender and socio-economic backgrounds. Our staff, Executive Board, community, Ambassadors, volunteers and members devote countless hours to our mission of spreading global kindness.
We are committed to: preventing bullying, suicide, anxiety, depression, school shootings AND reducing test anxiety, Improving the ability to non-violently resolve conflicts, improving our sense of community (in and beyond school), improving classroom behavior, increasing ability to manage stress and depression, enable better attitudes about themselves and others and even improve academic performance
We are committed to leaving this world better for having been here. We created and have developed what I believe is a strong formula to empower people. Our commitment is that our children, their children and all future generations are raising their families in a better world.
This is possible, this is happening, and we are the change.
www.KindnessMatters365.org