Thanksgiving is a wonderful reminder to reflect, give thanks, and share acts of kindness, whether by donating meals, giving clothing, or helping someone in need. What if we could read about those acts of kindness and feel encouraged to do the same year-round?

We can, through Ripples of Kindness (ROK), founded by Kevin Smith in November 2023 after “a stranger returned his lost wallet to him moments after he realized it was gone.”

Smith told Nice News. “When we choose to ‘Be the Good,’ we inspire others to pay it forward, creating a positive feedback loop that can spread from one person to another, one community at a time, and ultimately change the world.”

ROK invites users to log and track their deeds, with the HOPE of creating a public record of kindness around the world.

One user in Australia wrote that he had an opportunity to be kind to his wife after having been unkind to her. In Ireland, a user shares that they visited a friend with a broken leg. How often do we put off visiting a friend in need or sending a card through snail mail? I know I’m guilty.

Acts like these remind us that what may seem small to one person can mean so much to the person receiving it.

Read about the many Ripples of Kindness and be encouraged to do the same year-round.

© 2026 Dianne Marie Andre. All rights reserved. No part may be copied, republished, or used to train or develop AI systems without prior written permission.