This week, February 9-15, 2025, is Random Acts of Kindness Week, and here at the Special Education Foundation, this is worth celebrating.
This week is a perfect reminder of how thoughtful gestures can spark joy, inspire change, and create lasting impact. Let's celebrate this week as a chance to embrace kindness as a daily habit and a way of life. In a recent blog post, the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation gave several reasons why embracing kindness as a daily habit and a way of life is so beneficial.
Kindness Builds Stronger Connection
For example, in schools, students and teachers who practice kindness create a more inclusive and supportive learning environment, boosting confidence and collaboration. This is particularly important for students with disabilities.
Kindness Improves Mental and Physical Well-Being
Did you know that kind individuals consistently have 23% less cortisol (the stress hormone) and age slower than the average population? A 2020 survey found that 63% of adults reported improved mental health when kindness was shown to them, and the same percentage experienced mental health benefits from being kind to others.
Kindness Creates a Ripple Effect
A simple but profound act of kindness—like offering a genuine compliment or helping someone in need—can inspire a chain reaction of giving and remind everyone involved that kindness is alive and well.
Kindness Breaks Down Barriers
Kindness transcends differences in culture, background, and beliefs. By making kindness the norm, we create an inclusive environment where everyone feels welcome and respected. Kindness bridges gaps, fosters understanding, and helps us see each other as humans first, opening the door to many possible opportunities.
Kindness Inspires Action
When kindness is the norm, people are more likely to step up. Whether helping a neighbor, supporting a cause, or standing up against injustice, kindness as a baseline encourages meaningful action. Kindness isn't passive—it's a choice that leads to tangible change. When normalized, we're more likely to create a better world together.
Making kindness the norm isn't just a lofty ideal—it's a practical, powerful way to improve our world. When we choose kindness as our default, we create an environment where everyone can thrive. It's not about waiting for the extraordinary; it's about recognizing that everyday acts have remarkable potential.
Philanthropy is considered an outstanding random act of kindness because it involves generously giving to others without expecting anything in return. Like a random act of kindness, philanthropy can impact someone's life positively while also providing the giver with a sense of fulfillment and positive emotional benefits, such as increased happiness and well-being.
For the first time, the Special Education Foundation is participating in Give-Education Day, a day of giving dedicated to supporting K-12 schools, districts, and education foundations.
Wednesday, March 5, 2025, is Give-Education Day, and you can make a Random Act of Kindness by donating to the SEF to support students with disabilities.
And you don't have to wait until March 5th to donate. You can make your contribution today!
Our focus for Give-Education Day is our new Autism Independence Project. In partnership with iSocial, SEF is dedicated to enhancing the independence of students with autism.
Approximately 16.8% of students served by the Special School District (SSD) have an autism diagnosis, highlighting the need for targeted support.
iSocial, developed by Dr. Janine Stichter and colleagues at the Thompson Center for Autism at the University of Missouri, is a remote group therapy program designed to improve social competence. Through this initiative, SEF aims to provide students with essential social skills that foster meaningful employment, friendships, and greater autonomy in their daily lives. Your support is crucial in making this life-changing program accessible to all.
But we need your help! For many families in St. Louis County, the hefty $3,200 price tag for the 16-week iSocial program is simply out of reach, making it impossible for many eligible students in the Special School District (SSD) to participate.
Yet, for these students, access to this life-changing program can mean the difference between isolation and connection, dependence and independence.
A donation of any size will help, and you can donate $5 or $10 monthly to help bring independence to a student on the autism spectrum. Every contribution, no matter how small, is a step towards a more inclusive and supportive community.
