A weekly celebration of kindness.
The WindsorEssex Community Foundation (WECF) is bringing Random Acts of Kindness Week to Windsor-Essex from February 14 to February 20.
The message is simple: kindness matters. This week is an opportunity for individuals to reflect on what makes the community special, and how to show kindness and compassion toward one another.
Throughout the week, residents are encouraged to perform a kind gesture for someone else - asking nothing in return, except that the act be paid forward through another act of kindness.
Stephanie Marshall, Director of Impact at WECF, says this movement was launched by Random Acts of Kindness Foundation.
"A number of community foundations across the country from coast, to coast, to coast, have taken up this initiative to spread kindness in our community. So, we've been doing this here in Windsor and Essex County for the past 16 years, and we're very, very excited to be doing it again this year. It's a great initiative, we always have great engagement from our community."
She says the acts of kindness can be very simple.
"Sharing a kind word with someone who you appreciate, holding a door open for somebody, you can volunteer, you can do more elaborate things like preparing, and delivering, and serving meals to those in need. Kindness comes in so many different forms, and shapes, and sizes."
Marshall says it's important to spread kindness all year long.
"Now more than ever it's important for our community to remind each other to be kind, to be caring, and to be empathetic. And so that's really the message that we want to share with RAK Week, and to remind each other why we love our community."
The WECF is once again partnering with VON to deliver more than 250 cookies through their Meals on Wheels program, will be hosting their annual colouring contest at the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board and the Greater Essex County District School Board, among other initiatives taking place.
Random Acts of Kindness Day is a nationwide celebration that promotes kindness and a "pay it forward" movement within communities.
-with files from AM800's The Shift with Patty Handysides