One Hundred and One Random Acts of Human Kindness
th
(taken from Footprints 50 Anniversary Treasury)
1. Say something special to everyone you meet
during the next 12 hours
17. Strike up a conversation with a neighbour or
classmate or person you do not know very well
18. Be a friend to a newcomer
2. Offer a hot / cold drink or a piece of fruit to a
delivery person
19. Offer your professional expertise to
someone who is just starting out in the business
3. Send someone a small gift anonymously
4. Write a poem or song for someone
20. Thank a parent, even if your parents are no
longer alive
5, Compliment somone on their job
performance or their positive attitude
21. Lend a hand to someone struggling with
heavy bags
6. Prevent a possible accident . (e.g. pick up a
banana peel on the ground so no one slips on it;
let someone know their lace is untied)
22. Donate gently used toys or household items
to a shelter
7. Change your seat on a plane, train or bus so
that friends or family members can sit together
8. Give up your seat on a bus for someone – not
just an older person
9. Cut your neighbour’s hedge or mow their
lawn
23. Eat lunch with a newcomer at work or
school and share your dessert
24. Help shovel your neighbour’s snow or clean
their windshield or sweep their sidewalk
25 Share magazines when you finish reading
them
10. Help someone move or decorate
26. Tell friends or family how much you
appreciate something they did
11. Include other people –especially those who
are shy – in talks and discussions
27. Begin to volunteer for an organization that
needs help
12. If you’re an employer, let your staff go
home early one day
28. Give someone the benefit of the doubt
29. Offer to walk a neighbour’s dog
13. Visit a grandparent
14. Keep an extra pair of gloves in your pocket
and offer them to a gloveless stranger on a cold
day
15. Pick up some litter and deposit it according
to local recycling and waste practices
16. Surprise a neighbour with a bouquet of
flowers or a basket of fresh fruit or vegetables
30. Buy an inspirational book for a friend and
write a personal inscription inside it
31. Help an elderly neighbour carry out the
garbage or return the garbage cans / bins
32. If you play a musical instrument, offer to
give a recital or lead music at a seniors’ centre
or hospital.
One Hundred and One Random Acts of Human Kindness
th
(taken from Footprints 50 Anniversary Treasury)
33. Forgive someone (and remember to forgive
yourself)
50. Give someone your full attention when they
speak
34. Offer to fill in for a caregiver, allowing
him/her some respite
51. Invite someone who lives alone to dinner
35. Send a valentine on the 14th day of the
month, even if it’s June, not February
36. Tell your co-workers or your employees or
boss how much you appreciate them
37. A little appreciation goes a long way.
Provide Vitamin E for Encouragement
38. Organize a potluck to mark a special event
or for no special reason
52. Thank your brother or sister or cousin for a
past kindness.
53. Attend an event that’s important to a friend
or relative.
54. Come to work or a meeting early and make
coffee for your co-workers / group members
55. Help someone from out-of-town. Be an
ambassador for your city
56. Make your family’s favourite dinner
39. Leave a thank-you note for your letter
carrier or newspaper delivery person
57. Offer someone a ride to an appointment or
a store
40. Suggest a job idea to someone looking for a
position
58. Open the door for another person
41. Treat a friend to the movies , for no reason
59. Paint a picture for someone
42. Call a lonely person
60. Pay for the dessert of an older couple in a
restaurant
43. Make someone happy
44. If you hear a compliment about someone,
pass it along
45. Let your parents know why you love them
46. Volunteer your time and skills for an
extended period of time
61. Prepare a favourite meal or dish for a
relative or friend
62. Put some coins into someone else’s parking
meter
63. Send someone a handwritten note of thanks
64. Teach someone a new skill
47. Congratulate or console a team member,
depending on the outcome of the game.
48. Donate any gently used clothes or books to
an organization.
49. Don’t underestimate the power of a hug!
Hug a friend!
65. Thank a bus driver
66. Visit a grandchild (yours or someone else’s)
67. Bring homemade muffins or other treats to
work or a meeting
68. Call, email or write a note to a long-lost
friend or relative
One Hundred and One Random Acts of Human Kindness
th
(taken from Footprints 50 Anniversary Treasury)
69. Encourage others to talk about themselves
and share
87. Compliment someone on their clothing,
their hair or their smile
70. Give an extra-big tip to someone
88. Help someone with an application or
resume
71. Help your neighbour rake leaves or do yard
work
89. Leave your neighbour a note saying how
much you enjoy their garden
72. Make a card at home and send it to a friend
73. Offer to share your umbrella on a rainy day
74. Say something nice about someone
75. Send a personal thank-you note to someone
who once helped you out
76. Share a special memory with a friend or
relative
90. Let a former teacher, coach or instructor
know how important he or she has been to you
91. Let your friends and family know that you
are always grateful. Have a ‘ Thanksgiving’
dinner in March or April
92. Make a point of welcoming someone to
your school or neighbourhood
77. Visit a shut-in or friend
93. Offer to look after a friend’s or neighbour’s
pet
78. Welcome a newcomer to a group
94. Reconnect with a cousin or other relative
79. Write a note of appreciation
95. Send a note to a role model, describing how
he or she changed your life
80. Write something nice about your waiter or
waitress on the back of the bill or comment
card
81. Tell your children why you love them
82. Be kind to yourself as well as to others
83. Spend time with an elderly person. Find out
some of his or her happiest memories
84. Dedicate a song to someone
85. Send a note of commendation to the boss or
employer of a salesperson, waiter or waitress,
clerk or receptionist who has been pleasant and
helpful
86. Hold the door of the elevator for someone
trying to catch it
96. Send an old photograph to a friend and
explain what it means to you
97. Send or bring flowers to a friend or
neighbour
98. Share your smile. You’ll discover that smiling
is contagious
99. Take an older relative for a drive in the
country
100. Tell a co-worker or neighbour how much
you appreciate their style or attitude
101. Think about someone you know who may
be lonely – and bring some cheer his or her way
One Hundred and One Random Acts of Human Kindness
th
(taken from Footprints 50 Anniversary Treasury)