1. About the Foundation
The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1995 with the mission to Make Kindness the Norm in schools, workplaces, and homes. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, the Foundation provides free, evidence-based resources that promote emotional well-being, inclusive community-building, and social-emotional learning for people of all ages.
Through global education programs, workplace initiatives, and public campaigns such as Random Acts of Kindness Day (February 17), the Foundation serves as a catalyst for positive change. Its work reaches over 29,816 schools and 144,917 educators across more than 193 countries, and its resources are available in multiple languages.
The Foundation is best known for its K–12 kindness curriculum, kindness workplace programs, and the RAKtivist™ movement—an international community of kindness ambassadors.
Materials are grounded in scientific research demonstrating the powerful impact kindness has on mental, emotional, and physical health.
For more information, visit www.randomactsofkindness.org.
2. Key Initiatives
Creating a Culture of Kindness, One System at a Time
At The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, kindness isn’t a one-off gesture—it’s a sustainable practice. Our key initiatives are designed to embed kindness into the fabric of everyday life in schools, workplaces, and communities. Through structured challenges and a thriving RAKtivisit network, we provide tools and recognition that help individuals and organizations turn good intentions into lasting impact.
Distinguished Kindness Schools Challenge
Since launching in September 2024, this initiative has drawn on The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation’s full suite of educational resources to help schools cultivate inclusive, emotionally safe environments through a kindness-centered framework. Schools that complete a checklist of kind actions earn official recognition as Distinguished Kindness Schools.
"We have had so much fun this week writing kind notes, playing kindness bingo, downloading the kindness bookmark toolkit for students to color and hide a kind bookmark in a library book. Whew! THANK YOU for all you do in your organization and for bringing light to so many easy ways for people across the U.S. to be kinder individuals. Your organization is truly so essential.”
—K. Trevino
Key Metrics: (last updated 07/29/2025)
- 275 distinguished schools across 36 U.S. states and 18 countries
- 24% of completed challenges are from schools outside the United States
- Engagement from 134,013 educators and students worldwide
Distinguished Kindness Workplaces Challenge
Introduced in January 2025, this program empowers businesses and organizations to cultivate healthier, more connected work environments. Through a series of kindness-focused actions, teams can earn official recognition as a Distinguished Kindness Workplace or Department.
“Thank you for being the inspiration for our entire kindness movement at Pace AND for providing such amazing resources!! 😊You are my favorite organization!!!”
—S. Maxam, Ed.D., (she/her/hers)
Key Metrics: (last updated 06/18/2025)
- 45 distinguished workplaces in a variety of different industries across 19 U.S. States and 5 countries
- 24% of completed challenges are from workplaces outside the United States
- Engagement from 1824 employees worldwide
Started in 2014 with the inspiration to create a community of like-minded kindness champions, RAKtivists (Random Acts of Kindness activists) are our global grassroots kindness ambassadors. This thriving community connects passionate individuals who share monthly kindness missions, stories, and ideas to keep the ripple effect going strong.
"Being a RAKtivist means more than doing kind things—it's about being part of a global community that believes kindness can shift the culture of our world. Every small act adds up, and together, we're proof that compassion is contagious. I don’t just spread kindness—I live it, and I know I’m not alone.”
—Sunny Goodwin
Key Metrics: (last updated 06/18/2025)
- 200,416 active RAKtivists across all 50 U.S. states and in 89 different countries
- Monthly missions downloaded: 687
3. Signature Events
Moments that Move the World
While our initiatives build long-term culture change, our signature events spark powerful, collective moments of action. These global celebrations invite people of all ages to pause, connect, and lead with kindness. Whether it’s one day, one week, or a worldwide observance, these events shine a spotlight on the positive difference even the smallest act of kindness can make.
Random Acts of Kindness Day® – February 17
Observed internationally since its inception in 1995, RAK Day is a celebration of the extraordinary power of small, intentional acts of kindness. Each year, millions of people around the world participate by performing spontaneous and planned acts of kindness—proving that even one kind gesture can spark a chain reaction of good. The Foundation provides turnkey resources to encourage participation across schools, workplaces, and social platforms.
“Random Acts of Kindness Day is a beautiful reminder that even the smallest unplanned gesture—whether a smile, a helping hand, or a kind word—can ripple out to brighten someone’s world.”
Key Metrics:
- RAK Day is celebrated in over 100 countries each year, with millions participating in acts of kindness both online and in their communities.
- In 2025, #RAKDay and related kindness hashtags generated millions of impressions across social media platforms—amplifying stories of compassion and inspiring ripple effects worldwide.
Random Acts of Kindness Week – February
RAK Week expands the energy of RAK Day into a week-long celebration filled with kindness challenges, curriculum tie-ins, workplace engagement strategies, and community activities. It is an opportunity for educators, leaders, and kindness champions to go deeper—amplifying kindness culture in classrooms, offices, and neighborhoods.
“RAK Week is where kindness goes from a spark to a movement. It’s a chance to go beyond the moment—engaging hearts, inspiring action, and weaving kindness into the fabric of our schools, workplaces, and communities.”
—The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation
World Kindness Day – November 13
In alignment with The World Kindness Movement, World Kindness Day recognizes the universal value of kindness and encourages individuals and institutions to take visible steps toward a kinder world. RAK foundation supports this international observance with free digital campaigns, kindness challenges, and educational content that highlight the human and societal benefits of compassion.
These initiatives are more than dates on the calendar—they are doorways to deeper connection, proof that kindness is not only contagious but essential. Through shared experiences and sustained engagement, we’re building a world where kindness is the norm, not the exception.
4. The Science of Kindness
Proof That Kindness Isn’t Just Nice—It’s Necessary
Kindness is more than a feel-good gesture—it’s a biological superpower. Grounded in decades of psychological and physiological research, the benefits of kindness ripple far beyond the moment.
Studies show that kind actions release a cascade of well-being chemicals, including oxytocin (the “love hormone”), dopamine (the “reward hormone”), and serotonin (the “calm and happy” chemical). These neurochemical boosts contribute to lower stress levels, reduced anxiety, improved heart health, and stronger immune function. In short: kindness heals.
But it doesn’t stop with the giver. Witnessing kindness—what scientists call “moral elevation”—can inspire observers to act more generously themselves, creating a contagious chain reaction of compassion. One kind act becomes a dozen, then a hundred, then a movement.
In classrooms, kindness is linked to better academic outcomes, improved peer relationships, and increased emotional resilience. In workplaces, cultures of kindness lead to stronger collaboration, lower turnover, and higher job satisfaction. Across communities, kindness strengthens connection, trust, and social cohesion.
At The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, our resources and programs are designed with this science in mind. We translate research into action—so every lesson plan, workplace toolkit, and kindness challenge supports not just emotional growth but whole-human flourishing.
Kindness isn't soft—it's science. And it changes everything.
“Kindness produces oxytocin, and oxytocin in turn causes the release of nitric oxide, which expands the blood vessels, reducing blood pressure. That’s how kindness literally keeps us—and our hearts—healthy.”
—Dr. David R. Hamilton (a former pharmaceutical chemist turned kindness researcher)
“Kindness stimulates the brain to release feel-good chemicals like serotonin and dopamine. It enhances neuroplasticity—our ability to learn and adapt.”
—Dr. Daniel Siegel (Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at UCLA & interpersonal neurobiology pioneer)
“Health isn’t just about genes and germs—it’s about kindness, connection, and community. Love is more powerful than any prescription.”
—Dr. Kelli Harding (Author of The Rabbit Effect)
5. Media Assets
VIDEO:
Science of Kindness
The Ripple Effects of Kindness: Pass It On
Meet Norm: How One Acts of Kindness Changed
PHOTO:
6. Contact Information
Media Inquiries:
Brooke Jones - Vice President
brooke@randomactsofkindness.org
303-406-3070
General Information:
Rachelle Stubby - Manager of Digital Strategy
rachelle@randomactsofkindness.org
303-808-3246
Contact us: info@randomactsofkindness.org
Social Media:
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