November 13 is World Kindness Day. Today is an opportunity to celebrate, promote and commit to doing good deeds around our community and the world. This global holiday was created in 1998 by the World Kindness Movement, an organization dedicated to making the world a better place.
While people all around the world are pledging to do good deeds today, Arlington is also doing its part to spread goodwill. In 2017, Mayor Jeff Williams announced the Kindness Initiative. Through this initiative, people are encouraged to report acts of kindness on the City’s Ask Arlington mobile app. The community can also showcase good deeds on social media by using #ArlingtonKindness.
One way the Chamber is recognizing World Kindness Day is by hosting our annual toy drive in partnership with the Arlington Professional Firefighters Association. Donating a toy is a great way to spread kindness while making a child’s holiday season special. Last year, the Chamber received an abundance of toys that helped families in the greater Arlington area have a merry Christmas.
This year, the Chamber and the Arlington Professional Firefighters are hosting the toy drive from November 12 to December 10. The Chamber is collecting toys and donations that can be dropped off in our main lobby. On December 14, there will be an event at Legal Draft Beer Co. to celebrate the end of the toy drive.
It is important to remember that spreading kindness does not have to be limited to one day. Giving someone a compliment, letting a person merge into your driving lane, or buying someone a cup of coffee are small ways to make someone’s day a little brighter.