Impact 2022

June/July 2022

Dear Kindness Community,

It wasn’t long ago that things started to feel “normal” again for our kids. Children returned to in-person learning and resumed after-school activities and recreational sports. Our kids and Ambassador leaders were back on campus and able to connect in person. The 2021/22 school year was optimistic for KM365 children and teens. But it was evident they were affected by the trauma of isolation and lack of socialization, political unrest, and world conflict. Our work focused on supporting our kids as they navigated these issues by expanding their skillset so they could thrive. Your support last year was vital to our ability to provide the necessary resources to children and teens who needed KM365 the most.

Last year, our Ambassador Leaders guided kids’ development of valuable life skills so they could cope with their experiences. KM365 students practiced mindfulness techniques to manage stress and anxiety; dialogued about personal responsibility and optimistic thinking. Kids created positivity jars, encouragement boards, and school-wide PSAs. They put goals on paper and dove into self-awareness and self-support. Children and teens engaged in collections for essentials from canned goods and cereal to Lego, prom dresses, and animal shelter needs. They participated in Habitat for Humanity projects, animal rescue support, beach clean-ups, random acts of kindness at school and home, care for our active-duty military, and disaster relief efforts.

Together, we will build on KM365’s achievements and successes. But given the tumultuous state of our world, we must address new challenges this coming school year. How will we reach more kids, regardless of means? How will we support them to respond to situations as their best selves? To be open to understanding different points of view and address what’s going on in the world today while creating a more peaceful future? How will we overcome the after-effects of isolation and lack of socialization to work together in our community? Our work affords tools and skills to help kids explore how to address these questions. With your support, we can continue to guide children and teens to discover how to powerfully care for themselves, one another, and our world. Now is the time to make sure we are ready and able to prepare our children for what awaits.

Your tax-deductible gift will contribute to creating a kinder, safer, more inclusive world by putting our programming into the hands and hearts of children and teens of all ages, abilities, and demographics. No matter how great or small, every contribution makes a difference. Additionally, gifts made by midnight on 7.31.22 will be matched dollar-for-dollar.

We celebrate the tremendous achievements and progress we have made together. We also acknowledge that these times present significant opportunities to do more to support our children. With a new school year on the horizon, we are enthusiastic about what we will accomplish, with full hearts united by a commitment to support our children and create a better future. Thank you for being a dedicated part of our Kindness Family.

Your tax-deductible gift will contribute to creating a kinder, safer, more inclusive world by putting our programming into the hands and hearts of children and teens of all ages, abilities, and demographics. No matter how great or small, every contribution makes a difference. Additionally, gifts made by midnight on 7.31.22 will be matched dollar-for-dollar. To make a secure online donation via credit card visit kindnessmatters365.org/give22 or to pay by check or Venmo, download the following form at kindnessmatters365.org/give22form.

With Gratitude,

Laura W. Reiss, Founder