The $5 Kindness Challenge: Making change with a few dollars.

At the Kindness Summit, Sharon showed up again, this time offering every attendee a $5 challenge of their own. The money came with some rules. Be kind. Put it in your pocket for a few days and be alert for any opportunity to help. If nothing happens, make a plan for the following week. Give the money away with intention and human connection. Every cent matters. Everyone can make a difference.

At the k20 Kindness Summit, all of the attendees were giving $5 and asked to pay it forward. 

One of the k20 kindness's cofounders, Francesca Donlan, taught the first kindness class at Florida Gulf Coast University. Each semester she issued a $10 Kindness Challenge — made possible by the steady support of her "Kindness Patron," Sharon Arnold. And each semester, her students found extraordinary ways to spend it. 

A few people, including Sharon Arnold, donated their $5 plus to Janet Lee. She is working on a documentary about Arnie Stewart, a man who overcame low literacy to become a beacon of hope. 

Jenny Haase honored her mother with her $5. 

During the k20 Summit, Sally Stockreisser, an emotional empowerment coach, shared her Sophie cards with the audience. The $5 challenged Sally to buy 50 “Self‑Compassion Cards” (Sophie cards), for local school children. They’re small enough to fit in a pocket or under a pillow, a place for each child to write a kind, supportive thought they can revisit, helping them internalize kindness as their brain develops. It gives them a chance to experience calm, reassurance and compassion through their relationship with themselves, learning to become their own best source of emotional support. It’s a small step toward a future where internalized kindness and emotional empowerment are the norm. Where kindness becomes an effortless, subconscious part of each day. I'm starting with Sophie's school and am in conversation with others.

Linda Cohen took her $5 to Oregon. She saw a woman walking through her neighborhood collecting bottles and cans out of recycling bins. At the time, she was walking her dog and didn't have her $5 and wished she did. But later, she saw the woman again coming down her street. So, she ran down to her notebook and grabbed the exact $5 she got at the summit to give to her. Linda learned her name was Erica and both left feeling much better about their day and their community. 

Vicki Bowles took a flight from Fort Myers to Dallas shortly after the k20 Summit. She spent the week visiting family and friends in Dallas and Austin and was preparing to fly back to Fort Myers. She was sitting at the gate when she learned the Fort Myers flight had been moved from C1 to C4. That's when she noticed an older woman asking - in Spanish - about Fort Myers.

Vicki assumed she was asking if this was the gate for Fort Myers. Minutes later, Vicki learned the gate had changed to a second location. Vicki asked a woman who could speak Spanish to help her find the older woman and let her know Vicki would take her to the right gate.  Once the found the older woman - Maria - they realized she had issues walking. So, Vicki flagged down a man with a wheelchair, asked if he was available and explained the situation. 

He checked her boarding pass, got her seated and they headed toward C33. They didn't understand Spanish so they found another person to help translate. A very kind man helped explain to Maria what was going on and for her to stay with Vicki. They got her settled and both made their flight to Fort Myers with no more changes. Vicki used her $5 (and some more) to tip the man who pushed Maria in the wheelchair. 

Dayna Harpster loves to go thrifting. Like most shoppers, she's looking for a bargain. Shortly after the summit, she was at a thrift store and overheard a woman at the cash register deciding what she should keep and what she should leave behind because she was short a few dollars. Dayna realized she had her $5 in her purse and stepped forward to cover the difference. It made everyone smile including other shoppers.