As we begin Kind Community Week 2026 and celebrate our 11th year, I find myself reflecting not only on the events and activities that make this week so special, but on the incredible journey that has brought us here.
Eleven years.
It is incredible, intentional and truly humbling to think about what those 11 years represent: countless volunteers, partnerships, projects, conversations, acts of service, moments of connection and simple acts of kindness.
Most of all, they represent a community that continues to show up for one another.
Kind Community began with a simple belief: when people come together with a shared desire to uplift, encourage, empower and support one another, we can create something greater than any one of us could create alone.
Today, I have the privilege of seeing that belief reflected in the individuals, organizations, schools, businesses, nonprofits, volunteers, families, community leaders and partners who have made Kind Community their own.
Kind Community does not belong to one person or one organization.
Kindness belongs to everyone.
There is room for everyone in this work. There is room for different ideas, talents, abilities, experiences, organizations, generations and ways of serving. We do not all have to contribute in the same way.
What matters is recognizing that each of us has something to contribute toward creating a kinder, stronger and more connected community.
At the heart of this work has always been our youth.
Our young people deserve to know they are seen, valued, supported and connected. They deserve people in their corner who believe in them as they learn, grow, make mistakes, discover their strengths, find their voices and determine who they want to become.
To our youth, I hope you always know:
You matter here. Your voice matters. Your ideas matter. You belong here. And your community stands behind you.
That belief is woven directly into the mission of Kind Community:
“Becoming a part of Kind Community Collective is not a pledge towards perfection. Instead, it is a commitment to celebrate each of our diverse efforts to uphold and bolster a shared vision for creating programs and experiences that uplift, empower, energize and support our community’s youth and each other.”
I have always loved the reminder within our mission that kindness is not about perfection.
It is about intention.
Sometimes kindness is a community-wide project. Other times, it is a smile, an invitation, an encouraging word, listening when someone needs to be heard or simply noticing someone who may feel unseen. Individually, those moments may seem small, but together they create a ripple that strengthens relationships, creates belonging and reminds people they are not alone.
Our vision has always been bigger than one organization, one person, one project or even one week. Kind Community is about creating space where different people and organizations can bring their ideas, resources, relationships and passions together for the greater, kinder good of our community.
Kind Community Week gives us a special opportunity each year to bring that vision to life. Through our Celebration of Kindness, activities in our schools, Kind coloring books, Kind Kits, Kind Conversations, our Family Fun Kind Run, Kind Free Day at Zoo Idaho, Kind on Chrome, community partnerships and so many other acts of kindness, there are opportunities for people of all ages to participate.
But Kind Week has never been about kindness for only one week.
Kindness is year-round.
This week is an opportunity to celebrate the good already happening, recognize those making a difference and inspire each of us to consider how we can continue that spirit of kindness long after the week is over.
Our values remind us that we need to be the positivity we wish to see in our community. If we want lasting change, we have to model it and give our young people the tools, encouragement, opportunities and support to understand that they do not have to wait until adulthood to make a difference.
They can lead, serve, create and make a difference right now.
As a founding director, it is difficult to put into words what it means to look back over 11 years and see where we are today. What began as an idea has grown and evolved because people believed in it, brought their own ideas to it and were willing to give their time, talents, resources, creativity and hearts.
That is incredibly humbling.
So, as we begin our 11th Kind Community Week, more than anything, I simply want to say thank you.
To our board of directors, the Kind Ambassadors, our volunteers, the Kind Crewsaders, community partners, sponsors, schools, businesses, nonprofits, families, friends and every person who has been part of this journey: thank you.
Thank you to those who were there at the beginning, those who joined us along the way and those carrying this work forward today. Every person who has shown up, shared an idea, supported a project, encouraged a young person, offered a resource or simply chosen kindness has helped create what Kind Community is today.
Eleven years later, I am incredibly grateful for where we have been, humbled by where we are today, and inspired by what is still possible.
As we celebrate Kind Community Week 2026, I encourage each of us to carry one simple question with us, not just this week, but throughout the year:
How can I help someone feel seen, valued, connected, empowered and supported?
The answer will look different for each of us. And that is exactly the point.
Kindness belongs to everyone.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for 11 incredible years. Thank you for believing in this vision, for believing in one another and for continuing to show our young people that they matter.
And thank you for continuing to build a Kind Community — together.