‘Kindness Warriors’ perform 1061 random acts to make Hamilton a happier place

A local Hamilton group put out a challenge on Facebook — perform 1000 random acts of kindness to help make this city a happier place.

Roots of Humanity founder Nicole Callander turned to social media in hopes of making even a small impact in her community. “Our goal was that one or two people would smile brighter because they would realize that they mattered and their needs mattered,” she said.

On November 13, World Kindness Day, residents were asked to go out and perform a random act of kindness and post it to the group’s Facebook page.

Hundreds of people posted pictures and sent messages detailing the acts they performed. “Every message motivated us further to keep doing what we were doing. Each message made us realize that spreading kindness and paying attention to people in our own neighbourhoods is so needed,” said the group’s founder.

Acts of kindness were performed across the city, often shocking the person on the receiving end. “People didn’t know how to handle that,” Callander said.

Pictures posted on Facebook show acts as simple as tying a strangers shoelace and putting away grocery carts that were left behind in a parking lot.

The group left notes on parked cards that read “Remember: You are special! You have the power to make someone else’s day a little better!”

Callander says some of the most touching moments came from telling people ‘the day you were born the world became a better place’. “No one had ever told them that before. No one has ever told them they mattered.”

The group walked the streets of the city handing out ‘kindness bags’ filled with personal hygiene products, granola bars and socks.

After receiving a bag, one man told Callander he wanted to give her something back to pay the kindness forward. “A man who had nothing wanted to give back because he was given two pairs of socks,” she said. “People without anything appreciate the most.”

In four short hours , 1061 random acts of kindness were performed.

Callander recounted the event saying, “We were all very emotional. It was very intense.”

Her most memorable act came after a conversation with a 10-year-old girl. “I showed her a ‘Roots’ sweater and asked her if she wanted it.” Callander said the little girl wasn’t familiar with the brand name ‘Roots’ so she asked her the question, if you could choose anything, what would you want. “She wanted a pillow. She had never owned her own pillow and when I gave her one she broke down in tears.”

Callander said this year’s event was incredibly humbling and has motivated the group to expand in 2017.

“People needed to see kindness to boost their morale! And with every boosted morale we gained motivation to keep planning future events.”