Executive Edit: Kind Catch-Up with Karin | Spring 2022
Hello, Kindness Family!
Before celebrating the accomplishments of KM365 participants, I pause to acknowledge the state of our world and humankind. We live in unimaginable times, and we wish for safety and peace. I can’t help but wonder, are we doing everything we can? Are we responding to situations around us as our best selves? Are we open to understanding different points of view and addressing what’s going on in the world today while also preparing ourselves and our kids to create a more peaceful future?
Our work affords an outlet to address these questions; as a team, our charge is to guide kids and teens to explore and discover how to care for themselves and our world. We learn from each other and grow together. Over the last quarter, here’s what KM365 skill building and community engagement looked like:
From January through March, our programs focused on Relationship Skills, Goal-Directed Behavior, and Personal Responsibility. Kids and teens embraced building and maintaining healthy connections, being good listeners, and valuing different perspectives, holding that everyone’s input matters. Participants explored how to negotiate conflict, offer or accept support, and resist negative social pressure. We also practiced setting goals and working toward them, contemplating what our responsibilities are (and are not) while being accountable for our decisions and actions.
Then, we put our Kindness into Action through service. Aid for Ukrainian refugees, book drives for literacy, cereal collections, LEGO drives, and cards for kids in hospitals were some of the fantastic projects in which the kids led or participated. And a mention of community engagement wouldn’t be complete without celebrating the tremendous impact of the KM365 Kindness Angels! This group of 300+ caring individuals serves the community in many ways, focusing on addressing food insecurity. Last quarter, they cooked delicious meals in support of Meals with Meaning at St. Gregory’s Church (Boca Raton), collected prom dresses for high school kids, and donated essential items for our homeless, such as sunscreen and blankets, cereal, canned goods, and other essentials.
As we assess and address current needs and solidify future growth, we continue achieving milestones as part of our 50-year plan. We evolve as we continue delving into our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging initiatives. We are training more Ambassador Leaders, and our programs continue to grow as we expand into other schools and areas.
Are we doing everything we can? Let’s keep growing to BE our best, and the answer will evolve into an absolute, resounding YES! This moment is an opportune time to embrace kindness—of thought, word, and action—toward ourselves and each other. Thank you for being a dedicated part of our Kindness Family.
With Gratitude,
Karin Gellen | Executive Director
