Kindness is Free, powered by Boys & Girls Clubs, began as a local initiative in Southern California and was launched in 2020 through the Boys & Girls Clubs of West San Gabriel Valley & Eastside to instill the values of equal treatment, respect, and compassion into the next generation. The program resonated with individuals and youth organizations nationwide and quickly became a national movement.
We host pop-up events and activities that spread kindness within local communities to teach youth the importance of building meaningful relationships and being kind to one another. The Club has participated in national Boys & Girls Club conferences to bring awareness about the Kindness is Free program and inspire around the country to get involved and join the movement for a kinder, more considerate world.
The Kindness Carnival
The Boys & Girls Clubs of West San Gabriel Valley & Eastside hosts an annual kindness-themed carnival to teach, celebrate and inspire youth to be kind and build meaningful relationships. More than 400 local East LA youth attended the inaugural Kindness Carnival in 2022, and last year, the second annual carnival drew a crowd of more than 1,000 kids from across Southern California. This year’s third annual Kindness Carnival was bigger and better than ever with twice the fun and double the number of attendees!
Back(Pack) to School Giveaway
During the month of June 2024, the Kindness is Free team and Teen Kindness Ambassadors visited school campuses all over Southern California to lead students through the Kindness Pledge and gift them with brand new ‘Kindness is Free’ backpacks filled with school supplies. This initiative to give away 10,000 backpacks to ‘Kind’ students was generously sponsored by the Skylight Foundation. Click the button below to learn more.
Kindness Recognition Event
On September 8th, 2023, the Kindness Program kicked off its week-long ‘Kindness is Free’ back-to-school backpack drive at Webster Elementary in Malibu. The school was recognized as the first official School of Kindness, and every student, teacher and administrator took the Kindness Pledge. Principal Tedd Wakeman received a commemorative plaque showcasing the school’s commitment to spreading kindness. The students received kindness backpacks with essential school supplies, Kindness merch, and other giveaways.
The 2024 Rose Parade
For the first time in its storied legacy, the Boys & Girls Club had a float in the 2024 Rose Parade. Thanks to the sponsorship of a generous donor, the Kindness is Free float showcased why small acts of kindness are meaningful while inviting viewers to take the Kindness Pledge of respecting others, treating everyone as they wish to be treated, and being compassionate.
The iconic New Year’s Day tradition was broadcast live from Pasadena, California, and the 2024 Rose Parade float showcased how kindness has the power to change the world. The float depicted a kind, loving, whimsical elephant leading with his heart to show kindness to a sweet mouse needing shelter from the New Year’s Day sunshine. The kind duo made their way down the parade route as they shared the message of kindness with the world.
Professional Conferences
As a testament to the Kindness is Free program’s viability, the initiative was showcased at Boys & Girls Club regional conferences where hundreds of dedicated Club executives, board members and professional staff from across the region gather annually. Leaders who attend these conferences work to chart an inspiring path forward for the nation’s youth, sharing best practices and emerging strategies in youth development.
In 2023, the Kindness is Free program was introduced to Club leadership at the Boys & Girls Clubs Pacific Leadership Conference in Los Angeles, California and its Northeast Leadership Conference in Boston, Massachusetts. These regional conferences provided the perfect platform to share the impact of this initiative, invite attendees to take the Kindness Pledge, and encourage attendees to implement the Kindness is Free programming into their local Club organizations.
This year, our Kindness Team presented the Kindness is Free program through the lens of diversity, equity and inclusion during a Virtual DEI Practitioners Summit.
Local Kindness Events
Kindness pop-ups are hosted at K-12 schools, businesses, community groups, churches, and anywhere the message of kindness is welcomed. Our pop-ups are curated to promote and deliver greater Kindness awareness in your community. Pop-ups include the Kindness Pledge, Kindness is Free merchandise giveaways and other fun surprises!
Host Your Own
Join us in creating a kinder world by spreading the Kindness is Free mission in your community! Every small act of kindness is a ripple in the ocean of compassion.
There’s no limit to the variety of Kindness events you can host. Get creative! If you need inspiration, here are a few ideas: hold a walk/bike/run event, golf or pickleball competition, free lemonade stand, drop-in to deliver treats to first responders, teacher appreciation, pet parade, etc.
Share pictures of your Kindness event on social media using the hashtag #KindnessIsFree
