With a worldwide pandemic going on, it can be hard to focus on the positive. News outlets are flooding our feeds with negative stories and frightening statistics. I have found myself falling into a fit of anxiety and fear more than once. So, I decided to find some recent stories about incredible acts of kindness that are happening around the world right now. I hope they make you smile!
Related: How a Worldwide Pandemic is Bringing Family Closer Together
Supportive Head Shaving
First up, we have an amazing junior in high school named Ben. Ben realized that his local Louisville, Kentucky healthcare workers needed some support. So, he created an online fundraising campaign called “Cut it for COVID!”
Ben shaved his head in exchange for donations. The donations will go straight to the Norton Healthcare Foundation COVID-19 Response Fund. This foundation honors healthcare workers and makes sure that everyone has what they need during this time.
“In times of need, the best thing that we can do as a community is to come together in support of those who need it,” Ben said. “This is our chance to do something special and make an impact on our city.”
Encouraging Yard Signs
Next up, we have a photographer from Indiana. Her name is Connie and she wanted to make sure that the high school seniors in her area got the recognition they deserve right now.
Connie has been making signs to put in the front yards of seniors. The signs feature pictures of the kids and are a huge hit. Even with overwhelming demand, she is working as hard as possible to help make this year finish on a positive note.
Connie said, “Just giving them a picture, a memory, something they can keep, something their parents can keep, because right now, everything is unknown, they don’t know if they’ll have their graduation parties, they don’t know if they’ll see their friends again before they head off to college, so just being able to plaster this stuff over social media is so important.”
Saving a Stranded Student
A young, Italian college student named Giada was studying this semester in Spain when she was forced to quarantine due to COVID-19. She was unable to travel home to Italy and was left stranded away from home. All she wanted was to be with family during this terrifying time.
A friend stepped in to help. A taxi driver was contacted and he was more than willing to offer assistance. This taxi driver, Kepa, drove over 1,800 miles round-trip to get Giada home to her family. The best part? He did it completely for free.
“It’s something I will never forget, I was a complete stranger to this young man,” Giada said, “I think this pandemic can bring out the best in people.”
Leaving a Big Tip
It’s no secret that restaurants have been struggling due to the lockdown orders. However, the world is slowly beginning to reopen and one Texas restaurant welcomed customers back on the first weekend of May.
One family wanted to support their favorite local restaurant, Frog & The Bull, by giving a ginormous tip on reopening night. They left $300 for their server and $1,000 “for the house.” Their generosity is so inspiring!
“I didn’t really know what to say,” the owner told CNN. “It was extremely generous and I was just so wowed by it.”
Making Others Laugh
Up next, I want to feature a six-year-old named Callaghan. He lives in British Columbia and he has been busy during the lockdown as he focuses on making others smile. When summer begins, he usually does a lemonade stand. However, this year is a bit different.
Callaghan has decided to do a joke stand this year! He sits outside every morning and afternoon for just under an hour and tells jokes to anyone that stops by. Laughter is contagious and I think this idea is the cutest.
His mom said, “It does bring a smile to people’s faces. It kind of reminds them of pre-pandemic times and kind of doing something fun.”
Taking Care of the Homeless
In Houston, the homeless population has been struggling even more with the roads being quieter than usual. However, one woman wanted to make sure these people are still being shown some love. Her name is Dominick.
Dominick is actually living in her car right now but isn’t letting that stop her from showing random acts of kindness. She has been handing out meals to those she finds on the streets to brighten their day. On each bag, she writes, “God Bless. Jesus Loves You. I love you!”
“I started serving meals to the homeless because I understand what it’s like not to know where your next meal is going to come from and that’s the least that I feel like we can do for our community is to give back,” said Dominick.
Dogs Play Their Part
Next, I have to tell you about this incredible pet. A news station in Florida has its weatherman working from home right now and his dog made a hilarious cameo. I think this dog showed a fantastic act of kindness by blessing our screens.
The weatherman is named Paul and the golden retriever is named Brody. Enjoy the amazing video!
Celebrities Pitch In
Celebrities are making sure to do random acts of kindness, too! Tom Hanks recently mailed a letter to a young boy in Australia named Corona. Because his name resembles the name of the virus, this eight-year-old has been bullied and Hanks refused to stand idly by.
Corona reached out to Hanks when he heard that the actor had been diagnosed with the virus. Hanks responded with a heartfelt letter and also mailed him a typewriter! These two have formed quite the friendship.
“Your letter made my wife and I feel so wonderful,” Hanks wrote. “Thank you for being such a good friend. Friends make their friends feel good when they are down.”
Rent Gets Cancelled
Next, let me tell you about a landlord that is blessing lives. Mario owns 18 apartment buildings in New York and knew that many of his tenants had lost their jobs and would struggle to pay rent.
Because of this, he told his tenants that he was waiving rent for the entire month of April. He decided to put others’ needs before his own and it’s extremely inspiring. He is forgoing thousands of dollars of rent in order to alleviate stress for his tenants.
Mario said, “My concern is everyone’s health. I told them just to look out for your neighbor and make sure that everyone has food on their table.”
Quarantine Clapping
Lastly, I want to highlight another New York story. However, this phenomenon has been happening around the world. Every night at 7 in a Brooklyn neighborhood, a single person starts clapping. Soon, the entire city is erupting with noise to support their local doctors, nurses, mail carriers, and any other essential workers.
Other neighborhoods in Italy, England, India, and Spain have done the same thing. I have seen videos of this all over my feed! It always makes me smile.
Science Agrees
Before I go, I have to mention that the Mental Health Foundation wrote an article about the benefits of random acts of kindness during this time. It actually reduces your stress levels and makes you feel better about yourself!
So, if you’re looking for a way to get out of that funk right now, try being kind to others. There are so many ways to do it! I hope this list gave you some inspiration. It sure inspired me!
Related: Why Kids Are Happier During the COVID-19 Lockdown (Thanks, Science!)
What acts of kindness are you doing during the COVID-19 lockdown? We’d love to hear your suggestions in the comments below!
