I am beyond thrilled today to announce the 3rd annual wit & whimsy Kindness Campaign designed to Spread Kindness & Joy for the month of December (aka #SpreadKindnessSpreadJoy.) The past two years of this campaign have truly been highlights of the year for me and I cannot wait to see what we all do this year together! In fact, we could all really use some cheering up couldn’t we?

Two years ago this idea was born out of the realization that during this time of year so much of the world (and especially the world of blogging) is focused on commercialism and buying. So I wanted something that would have a different focus and would give back.

The Third Annual Kindness Campaign

What is the wit & whimsy Kindness Campaign?

Between now and the end of the month I’m hoping you will join me in spreading kindness and joy throughout your community through small actions. Below I’ve compiled a bunch of thought-starters to get you thinking. But it can really be any act of kindness and joy. Small! Large! Whatever it is it counts! It can also involve monetary donations or acts or things that cost only time. And I know money can be tight this year more than ever so the Kindness Campaign is not just about donating funds. I did re-imagine my ideas this year however to account for the pandemic and staying safe while we give back.

You can spread so much kindness and joy through your actions, your time and the ways you show up in your community. 

My hope is that this continues to grow every year and creates a ripple effect in every community where you – a wit & whimsy reader – resides. And that all of our acts together go far and wide in spreading positivity this holiday season.

I know this is such a busy time of year but I’m hoping we can all carve out a moment or two for an act! Last year I was so filled with joy seeing the comments come in and the tags on social as people did their acts. In fact, my heart grew ten sizes in the month of December last year I am quite sure.

How it Works:

1. Complete your good deed! Need inspiration? See below!
2. Come back to this post and share it in the Comments section below. (I will pin this post to the slider on the home page just under the wit & whimsy logo so you can easily find it!) Why share your act? 1. I want to celebrate you and the good you’re spreading! but 2. because I will be once again making charitable donations of $500 to causes important to several randomly selected participants. (This year I’ll be doing 5 at $100 each vs. one $500 like the last two years). More acts = more entries!
3. Optional: Share your act on Instagram to spread the word and inspire others! And tag me @meghandono + use the hashtag #SpreadKindnessSpreadJoy so I can see what you guys are out there in the world doing. So why tag me? I’ll be sharing some of mine + some of yours on my Stories so we can all be in this together! (*Just be sure to also note your act in the Comments section of this blog post so I can include it as an entry if you’re interested in potentially having your favorite charity get a donation!)

Last Year’s Winner:

The “winner” of the 2019 campaign, Rory G. asked that I give the $500 to a food-related cause that helps families who are in need. During the COVID-19 pandemic more families than ever are in need of food to feed their families. Through the wit & whimsy Kindness Campaign we were able to provide 5,000 meals for families in need this year via the donation to Feeding America.

#SpreadKindnessSpreadJoy Thought Starters:

1. Run an errand for a friend, neighbor or loved one.
2. Send handwritten notes to a nursing home to uplift seniors who haven’t been able to receive visitors much of this year.
3. Babysit a friend or loved one’s children for a few hours if you are able to safely so that they can accomplish something on their to do list.
4. Give a stranger a compliment.
5. Send some snail mail to loved ones.
6. Help a child’s Christmas wish come true via MakeAWish.
7. Buy several Starbucks cards with $10-$15 on them each and hand them out during the month as you see someone who may benefit from a little pick me up.
8. Frame and gift a photo for a friend or loved one.
9. Help feed America’s hungry by supporting your local food banks via Feeding America.
10. Clean out your closets and then donate the items you’re parting with.
11. Sign up for a volunteer opportunity you can do virtually.
12. Visit GoFundMe and donate to a cause or two that touches your heart.
13. Pick up the tab on a stranger’s coffee order.
14. Research a new charity tied to something that’s affected you or a loved one’s life this year & make a donation. 
15. Help teachers out with donations via Donor’sChoose.
16. Surprise your mailman/FedEx delivery person/doorman/garbageman/etc with a baked good or Amazon gift card.
17. Send a care package to an unsuspecting someone in your life.
18. Leave a more than 20% tip for great service.
19. Shop small and support small businesses as much as possible.
20. Buy a small gift for a friend just because. Include a card that notes their best attributes.
21. Give a homeless child a gift via Covenant House.
22. Leave sticky notes on a windshield or door with kind words for an unsuspecting someone.
23. Give a gift card to someone in need.
24. Host your friends for a virtual night of togetherness and ask everyone to donate $20 to a favorite charity instead of doing a white elephant gift exchange.
25. Surprise a friend by donating to a charity they like in their name.
26. Send supplies and gifts to St. Jude’s to distribute to those in their community in need.
27. Donate books to your local library.
28. Buy and donate toys.
29. Support your favorite indie bookstore. Send a book to a friend!
30. Send a thank you note to a former mentor or colleague. Tell them what their impact was.

A Few Causes to Support

I also wanted to spotlight a few causes that are important to both me and that wit & whimsy readers shared are of importance to them should you care to support any of these this month. (Thank you to those of you who took time to share causes close to your heart!)

• World Central Kitchen
• Angel Tree
• Black Lives Matter
• JDRF
• The Trevor Project
• American Heart Association
• Cradles to Crayons
• ASPCA
• NRDC
• Equal Justice Initiative
• Sierra Club
• Big Brothers. Big Sisters.
• National Domestic Violence Hotline
• Planned Parenthood
• International Justice Mission
• Seattle Children’s Hospital
• Meals on Wheels
• The Conscious Kid
• National Headache Foundation
• Broadway Cares
• CASA
• Prostate Cancer Foundation
• The Nature Conservancy
• ACLU
• Urban Justice Center
• Heifer International
• Starlight Children’s Foundation
• Sundara Fund
• NPR
• The Femap Foundation
• Prevent Cancer Foundation*
• RAICES
• Pancreatic Cancer Action Network
• 350.org

*I am a paid ambassador for the Prevent Cancer Foundation

So what do you guys say…will you join me in spreading kindness and joy this month?

This community gives so much to me every day and I hope to be able to make an impact on each of your communities by this little movement throughout this month.  And, if you’re up for it, email this post to your friends + family so we can keep the kindness and joy spreading.

I can’t wait to see what we all do together!

. . .

Custom Embroidered Sweatshirt // Jeans // Sneakers // Coat (c/o) // Scarf // Hat from a store in Montreal

p.s. check out all my gift guides and the best holiday pajamas.

[Pret a Provost Photography]