The Power of Kindness

Greetings Friends!

Over the coming months (and probably always) you will see me share a lot of content about kindness.

The Oxford Dictionary describes the meaning of kind·ness /ˈkīn(d)nəs/ as the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.

I want to talk to you about the power of kindness in one story with many ripple effects.

About two months ago my Father-In-Law, Bijay, came to visit from India. He always comes with something for my son and my husband, but since he didn’t know what to get me he gave me $100. He’s not a man of endless means, but he does have a big heart and it was important to him that I take the money because as he puts it “I’m his daughter.” (This was Kindness #1). Well I didn’t need the money and so I just carried it around (I don’t really use cash these days!). A couple of weeks later, Sunday Friends was invited by our friends at KeyPoint Credit Union and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (HCC) to table at their mixer so we could get the word out about our work. (Kindness #2).

At the event, HCC had a raffle to raise funds for the Chamber and I thought well I will use my $100 here and just buy all the tickets $100 buys (that was a good way to use the kindness my Father-in-law showed me; I could pay it forward - Kindness #3). I ended up winning several gifts from the raffle and I got my money back plus extra! I won a $25 gift card to Starbucks and a $100 Visa gift card (which incidentally was the gift our friends at Keypoint CU gave for the raffle); We asked one Sunday Friend member to come and helps us spread the word at this event about the impact Sunday Friends has had on them; 15 of our members showed up (Kindness #4), so I gave them raffle tickets (Kindness #5) and one of them won a gift too!

A couple of weeks after that, it was Andy’s (our team member) birthday and so I gave him the $25 Starbucks gift card (Kindness #6); THEN, last Friday one of our members, who has a small business selling items at the flea market came to our offices and DONATED ALL her toy inventory that had not sold to Sunday Friends for our upcoming Toy Shop in December. In spite of not having a lot herself, she was thinking of those who have even less and wanted to make kids happy (Kindness #7). She then asked if we by chance had a gift card to pay for gas, she made it clear she wasn’t trying to sell the toys to us, but if we could help her she would be really appreciative. And then I remembered!! I still have that $100 gift card I won from the chamber event! So I gave it to her (Kindness #8). She came to me with watery eyes and said “I’m really not trying to sell you my toys” and I let her know I completely understood and I just wanted to repay her kindness.

One act of kindness, rippled into 8 acts of kindness that touched the lives of multiple people and families. The thing that all the recipients of the kindness have in common is that they showed up when they didn’t have to and they did something nice for someone else.

November 1st marked the official start of the year-end giving season, so it is the perfect opportunity to help us get the word out about your support of Sunday Friends. Every gift you give helps provide a lasting impact for years to come.

We are committed more than ever to put Kindness into action! Please help get the word out and make this a Giving Season to remember! When you make a gift to Sunday Friends Foundation, you are also helping to pay it forward for generations to come!

Warmly,

Tatiana Colón Rivera,

MPA Executive Director