As we look around the world, it’s easy to see vitriol and division. However each one of us- through small acts of generosity – can change our society and change our world. It starts with you. Just one act of kindness a day can not only reduce your stress and anxiety, it can improve the well-being of the person you were kind to and inspire everyone who witnessed the act of kindness. This GivingTuesday is a great day to commit to giving kindness!
1. Volunteer to foster or walk dogs at your local animal shelter.
2. Beautify your neighborhood by planting flowers or organizing a cleanup effort.
3. Pay for the coffee or meal of the person behind you in line at a cafe or restaurant.
4. Shovel snow for a senior or someone who needs assistance.
5. Make extra food (like chili or soup) and offer some to a neighbor.
6. Visit a new neighborhood and strike up a conversation with someone different from you. Find common ground.
7. Plan a neighborhood block party to help everyone get to know each other.
8. Bring popsicles to a park on a hot day and share with families or children.
9. Donate an old cellphone to someone experiencing homelessness—having a phone can be a vital resource.
10. Give your old laptop or computer to a STEM school or a nonprofit organization.
11. Organize a school supply drive to support a local low-income school.
12. Pay off someone’s library fees to give them a fresh start.
13. Cover outstanding lunch fees at a local school to support children in need.
14. Donate unused books to a literacy program, library, or school.
15. Become a mentor by joining a program like Big Brothers Big Sisters.
16. Drop off books at a Little Free Library in your community to share with others.
17. Donate extra groceries from Costco to a community fridge or Little Free Pantry.
18. Organize a Free Store where neighbors can share and exchange items.
19. Start a community garden to bring people together and grow fresh produce.
20. Shop from underrepresented business owners to support diversity and inclusion.
21. Ask for donations instead of gifts for your birthday or a special occasion.
22. Organize a neighborhood cleanup with friends to pick up trash.
23. Reconnect with someone by writing a thoughtful letter or message.
24. Offer free babysitting to a parent who could use a break.
25. Thank sanitation workers and delivery drivers by leaving a note or small gift.
26. Paint rocks with kind messages and leave them around town for others to find.
27. Deliver a meal to a family with a newborn or someone going through a difficult time.
28. Leave a basket of essentials on the doorstep of someone who could use some support.
29. Write kind notes and leave them around the neighborhood to brighten people’s days.
30. Make care bags with hygiene products, socks, and essentials to hand out to people in need.
31. Keep snacks and water in your car to give to anyone who needs them.
32. Make sack lunches and distribute them to people who are hungry.
33. Sign up for bystander intervention training to learn how to safely help others.
34. Publicly recognize someone’s accomplishments to help them feel appreciated.
35. Write a positive review for a small business on Yelp or Google.
36. Write a LinkedIn recommendation for a colleague or professional connection.
37. Fulfill a stranger’s Amazon wish list by visiting subreddits like r/charity.
38. Leave quarters at a laundromat to make someone’s day easier.
39. Hide a $10 bill in a box of diapers at a baby changing station for a surprise find.
40. Tape bus fare to a bus stop to help someone pay for their ride.
41. Offer to pick up groceries for a neighbor who might need help.
42. Write a handwritten letter to someone who has made a difference in your life.
43. Give flowers to someone you love—or even a stranger—for no particular reason.
44. Leave snacks in a hospital waiting room to help families waiting for loved ones.
45. Give a generous tip to a service worker to show your appreciation.
46. Buy groceries for the person in front of you at the checkout line.
47. Organize a baby supply drive for a local women’s shelter.
48. Buy out a street vendor’s inventory and donate the food to a fire station or shelter.
49. Send 10 people a compliment via text to spread kindness.
50. Buy a gift card at a coffee shop and give it to a stranger on your way out.
