Whether it's a family member, friend, or complete stranger, making someone smile doesn't have to be hard and if you keep your eyes open you can quickly spot ways, big and small, to make someone happy.
Barrie and 400 Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM invite everyone to join them as they complete 500 acts of kindness throughout the month of June for their Caravan Care-A-Thon! On top of that, they are making donations to the Canadian Mental Health Association Simcoe County for every Dodge Caravan purchased in June! Be sure to share your acts of kindness on social media using the hashtag: #careathon.
The Canadian Mental Health Association Simcoe County provides a full care system for those with addictions and mental health issues, serving everyone from youth to adults to seniors. Their programs help individuals and families to lead lives filled with meaning and promise.
So, if you need some ideas, here are 10 random acts of kindness to brighten someone's day!
Return A Shopping Cart
With social distancing being so important, carrying someone's groceries to their car might be a step too far right now but that doesn't mean you can't do something nice at the grocery store. You would be surprised how the simple act of offering to return someone's cart can make their trip to the store even better.
Cover The Car Behind You
The next time you're lining up at your favourite place to grab a coffee, why not pick up the tab for the car behind you? Though, be sure to ask what their order is before you offer! Another way to do this is by throwing a small amount on a gift card and giving it to someone on your way out the door!
Review Your Favourite Restaurant
We all have our favourite places to grab a bite to eat but many of us have never thought about helping that place out with a positive review. You're already doing your part by supporting local so why not take it a step further and gush to everyone on the internet about how awesome it is!
Donate Blood
You might never know who's getting it, but you can be sure of the fact that someone needs it. Donating blood can literally change someone's life and each day blood is needed for surgeries, procedures, and treatments for people in need. Always remember, one donation can save up to three lives!
Bring Treats For Your Co-Workers
If you're one of the places that aren't working from home right now, bring some treats in for your co-workers! We all know that awesome feeling of walking into the break room and seeing a tray of cookies or a box of donuts sitting on the table. Bonus points if you're talented enough to bake them yourself!
Celebrate A Half Birthday
Getting someone a gift and celebrating a birthday is a nice thing to do, of course, but it isn't exactly random. If you have someone special in your life, figure out what their half birthday is and surprise them with a gift like flowers, treats, or maybe that small thing they've been looking to get but never got around to.
Create A Holiday For Someone
Instead of celebrating a birthday (or a half birthday), create a special holiday for someone you love that's just for them, an "-insert name here- day"! Come up with a tradition or something you can do for them every year on that day like watching their favourite movie (even though you hate it), making them their favourite dinner, or something as simple as free hugs whenever they want one. This one benefits from your creativity so get inventive with it!
Donate In Someone's Name
If someone has a favourite charity, making a donation in their name can mean a lot to them. If not, The Salvation Army in Barrie is part of a special contest where every donation (which helps support their meals program) gets them a ballot to win an additional $20,000 donation! Also, with isolation being so prevalent, mental health is more important than ever and a donation to the Canadian Mental Health Association Simcoe County would go a long way for those struggling with addiction and mental health issues!
Leave Encouraging Notes Everywhere
This one is super simple but can help put a smile on so many people's faces. Take a pad of post-it notes and write words of encouragement, compliments, artwork, or something more personal if it's for someone you know, and start sticking them all over the place! Your roommate's door, the money you just paid for your food with, on someone's windshield, or anywhere else you can think of to surprise someone with an uplifting note!
Adopt A Highway
Simcoe County's Adopt A Highway program is an amazing way for environmentally conscious people or groups to keep our community beautiful and free from litter. Commit to picking up a 2 to 5 km stretch of road at least two times a year and your group will get a complimentary sign indicating your involvement in the program! The county provides vests, safety signs, and even pick-up & disposal of collected litter so all you have to focus on is collecting garbage!
Featured image courtesy of freestocks.org via pexels.com
