Taking Actions Day 2016 - October 15
The third annual "Taking Actions Day" was on October 15, 2016. On that day, me and my friends, Jakub and Hale, hit once again the streets of Washington, DC, to help as many people as possible in 12 hours, as we celebrated Taking Actions' 6th year anniversary. We passed around our "Taking Action Day Card" to those we interacted with for them to pay it forward by passing on the card, along with a good deed to someone else.
Agenda for Taking Actions Day 2016:
10:10 am – Drop off at Silver Spring Metro Stop 10:16 am – Metro to Columbia Heights Metro Stop 10:30 am – Columbia Heights 11:45 am – Metro to Gallery Place Chinatown Stop 12:00 pm – Gallery Place/Chinatown 01:45 pm – Metro to Smithsonian Metro Stop 02:00 pm – Walk on the National Mall to Wash. Monument 06:00 pm – Metro to Dupont Circle 06:30 pm – Dupont Circle 08:30 pm – Metro to Silver Spring Metro Stop 09:00 pm – Silver Spring |
It was a beautiful day in Washington, DC! We did 41 acts of kindness to more than 900 people. For the detailed list of all of the acts of kindness with specific times and locations click HERE. During the 12 hours of this event we interacted with about 1,100 people. These are the acts of kindness we did:
- Bring take-out food for a friend (1)
- Buy a gift for a stranger (1) - Clean metro carts - Feed homeless people (15) - Give $ to local artist/street performers (2) - Give $ to people in need (5) - Give $ to random taxi drivers (2) - Give ~150 Taking Actions wristbands during free hugs - Give a cigarette to a stranger (3) - Give a generous tip to a waiter (1) - Give a Taking Actions tattoo to a child during free hugs (1) - Give compliments to strangers (5) - Give directions to a stranger (1) - Give flowers to strangers (3) - Give free hugs to strangers in about 2 hours (153) - Give high-fives to strangers in about 2 hours (143) - Give "50 Acts of Kindness," "Green Tips/Facts" and "50 Ways to Tolerance" cards to a teacher (1) - Give lollipops to children (14) - Give Taking Actions buttons to people (6) - Greet and hold door open to strangers in 25 mins (202) |
- Help a family to call for their child (1)
- Help a lady to bring a stroller up an escalator (1) - Help someone with dropped items (1) - Leave encouraging/inspirational notes in cars (72) - Let people get on the bus first (4) - Let people get on/off the train first (18) - Let people go first on an escalator (19) - Let someone go first through metro gate (1) - Make donation to a random non-profit - Make people smile and honk for peace & love (140) - Offer flowers to a lady (1) - Pay for a friend’s metro card (1) - Pay for someone’s meal (3) - Pay for someone’s movie ticket (2) - Recycle newspapers from metro carts - Say hello to strangers throughout the day (~60) - Support a local vendor (3) - Support another activist who also promotes love (1) - Take pictures for someone else (12) - Talk to people about being kind to one another (9) - Thank fire department with goods |
Here are some of the pictures we took to document that awesome day:
Throughout the event we interacted with people from different paths of life, and we had a great time helping others. Many people were surprised as of why we were doing this, but they were inspired and motivated to pay it forward.
One of the the acts of kindness that we did during this event was making a donation to a random non-profit. By 8pm, we asked a stranger to pick a number between the nominated organizations (see list below), and #8 Lake Cares Food Pantry was selected as the winner. The donation was submitted on 10/16/16 (receipt on right).
As part of our "Taking Actions Day," we encouraged our supporters to participate in our 31-Day Kindness event by doing something nice for someone else. We added $1 to our fundraising for every act of kindness shared on social media (using hashtag: #TakingActionsDay) in October 2016. We doubled it and added $2 instead for each good deed shared on the actual Taking Actions Day 2016. By October 31, 2016, 35 supporters had shared 395 good deeds on social media, including 44 done on Taking Actions Day (10/15/16), for a total of $446. We rounded it up to $450, and instead of one, we chose two winner organizations ($150 for each). |
On November 1, 2016, by 8:30pm, we randomly selected the 3 non-profits from the 31 nominated organizations, and #1 Black Lives Matter, #5 Alzheimer's Association and #17 Center for Nonviolent Communication were selected as the recipients of our annual 31-Day Kindness fundraising (receipts below).
We also asked our supporters on social media to pick 3 numbers between the 35 supporters who shared their good deeds during our annual 31-Day Kindness event, and the chosen winners were: Jo Marie Gardner, Crystal Boehrns and Ann-Drea Friemuth. We sent them a gift of appreciation (Taking Actions goodies) for inspiring and motivating others to pay it forward.
Check out our Taking Actions Day 2016 Facebook Event.
Check out our Taking Actions Day 2016 Facebook Event.
Here is the list of all the organizations that were nominated during this event, and all the different act of kindness that were shared by our supporters on social media, in October 2016.
Nominated Organizations, Causes, Foundations and/or Charities
1. Black Lives Matter by Celeste A.
We are an ideological and political intervention in a world where Black lives are systematically and intentionally targeted for demise. It is an affirmation of Black folks’ contributions to this society, our humanity, and our resilience in the face of deadly oppression. 2. Miss Pat’s Cats by Michele H-R We help neglected cats, both feral and domestic by employing proven management tactics through TNR, pet owner hardship, including veterinary care. We have been rescuing, feeding, spaying and neutering stray cats in the East Orange and Newark, New Jersey area for years. 3. WALK a MILE in MY SHOES~~~on the Path to PEACE!!! by DonnaChristine P. We are a SHOEString global outreach 'Ministry’ designed to advocate and facilitate individual empowerment through the 'simplicity' of sharing a single pair of 'gently-loved' shoes with folks having no shoes at all. 4. Kulturecity by several supporters Our mission to create a world where all individuals with autism and their families are accepted and treated equally. We provide tangible help, fulfilling the here and now needs for these children and their families. We created programs aimed at serving these children directly, for instance our art and music camps. 5. Alzheimer's Association by Dawne B. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. 6. San Antonio Aids Foundation (SAAF) by Amy G-B We provide compassionate medical care and social services to people with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), and we help prevent the spread of HIV through education, counseling and testing. 7. Operation Addy (Sioux Falls Charity Group) by Crystal B. We help people in Sioux Falls, SD, and the surrounding communities, providing diapers, wipes, clothes, formula, kitchen items, and more. This group was founded by Tony Tripp; he sets up his donation bus in different parts of town a few times a month, and all you need is an ID. 8. Lake Cares Food Pantry by Joyce K-V We are a need-based organization whose goal is to feed the body, educate the mind and lift the spirit of all individuals. We accomplish this with a dynamic group of volunteers who source donations, package nutritious food to stretch a family’s food supply and distribute that food to qualifying residents in the City of Mount Dora, FL, and surrounding communities. 9. Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) by Theresa N. We strive to be part of the solution to issues challenging families today. We use our resources to help families gain access to health care services during critical points in their children’s lives. With a network of Ronald McDonald House Charities Chapters in 60 countries and regions around the world, we help children and their families through Ronald McDonald Houses, Ronald McDonald Family Rooms, Ronald McDonald Care Mobiles, and Grants and other programs and services. 10. Ebenezer Ministries-Stone of Help by Amy B. We provide Christian summer camps for the children in a mostly Hindu country. We work with the street children and homeless, the widows and the women trapped in the sex trade and do so with very little resources. 11. CURE Childhood Cancer Association by Ann-Drea F. We are a nationally recognized innovator in peer to peer support for families with children diagnosed with cancer and blood disorders. Since 1976, CURE has been the forerunner in developing the concept of parent advocacy, long-term educational assistance and peer-to-peer support. We encourage and assist children, young adults and their families in Rochester and the surrounding region to realistically face diagnosis and treatment cope with their fears and believe in the possibility of life after cancer. 12. Nathaniel’s Hope by Jo Marie G. We are dedicated to sharing "the Hope" with kids with special needs (VIP kids) and their families, including: providing practical assistance by offering free respite care for VIP kids, educating the community on how to be a Buddy to VIP kids and their families, equipping the community, especially churches, with opportunities, tools, training, and resources to reach out to VIP kids and their families, extending hope to VIP kids overseas, and sharing hope with grieving families. 13. The Peace House by Denise V. We are a vehicle to transform individual lives and communities for those working for positive social change and a world free from oppression. We foster learning and activist excellence through the People’s Library and Research Center, which assists and/or facilitates various individual, community, and world betterment projects. 14. Cystic Fibrosis Foundation by Timber H. We are an organization dedicated to attacking cystic fibrosis from every angle. Our focus is to support the development of new drugs to fight the disease, improve the quality of life for those with CF, and ultimately to find a cure. 15. Mercy for Animals by Timber H. We are dedicated to preventing cruelty to farmed animals and promoting compassionate food choices and policies. We work to create a society where all animals are treated with the compassion and respect they so rightfully deserve. We serve as a voice for animals through proactive consumer education initiatives, cruelty investigations, corporate outreach, and legal advocacy. 16. Prison Library Project by AJ We are printing and distributing a limited paperback edition of Buddhist Boot Camp to inmates in correctional facilities across the globe. |
17. Center for Nonviolent Communication by Jamar F.
We are a global organization that supports the learning and sharing of Nonviolent Communication (NVC), and helps people peacefully and effectively resolve conflicts in personal, organizational, and political settings. 18. 4People by Robert L. We provide fast, quick, lists of resources and services in each county, for the state of Washington, with printable lists to hand out to those in need. We provide the multi-agency case management system as a low cost alternative to all organizations in Washington State. Up until now only large organizations could afford a comprehensive online database. We encourage communities to put together comprehensive housing lists, medical and dental provider lists, etc, and we post these on the county website for free. 19. Sioux Falls Two-Spirit and Allies by Ryan G. We are non-profit organization and it is our mission to strive to restore and revitalize the traditional role of Two Spirited persons. We provide support for and education about Two-Spirit/LGBTQ individuals and culture. We support groups, social events and educational programs. 20. Habitat for Humanity by Lisa S-S Our mission is to put God’s love into action by bringing people together to build homes, communities and hope. As a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian ministry that builds with people in need regardless of race or religion, we welcome volunteers and supporters from all backgrounds. We have more than 1,400 local affiliates in the United States and more than 70 national organizations around the world. Together, we have helped 6.8 million people improve their living conditions since our founding in 1976. 21. Taking It To The Streets-Ministry To The Homeless by Teresa Ann M-W Our mission is to be an oasis in the Spiritual desert of Bremerton, distributing physical blessings (food, clothing, etc. as well as Spiritual blessings) to the homeless & others in need. 22. US Autism & Asperger Association by Jessica C. We are a non-profit organization which boasts a proud network of world-renowned professionals with expertise in Autism, Asperger Syndrome, and other related disorders. We host a compendious world conference in the United States each year, establish standards for Autism and Asperger Syndrome training, and align with local community resources to offer support for the entire Autism and Asperger communities. 23. Rock & Rawhide by Linda W. We aim to increase adoptions and quality of life for dogs and cats in shelters, by providing distraction therapy and noise/stress reduction through the donations of toys, tough chew items, Kongs, Nylabones, bones, rawhides, blankets and more. In turn, dogs and cats can pass their evaluations at shelters, and show more of their personality, making them more adoptable. 24. Polk Senior Games by Julie P. We provide an annual event of competitive athletic and recreational events for men and women 50 years and over. The Games promote an active, healthy lifestyle, an interest in sports, and volunteerism. The Games offer something for everyone – the serious competitor, the fun at heart, the seasoned athlete, and the physically challenged. 25. Volunteer Humane Society by Antonina H. We have been helping cats in the Lancaster MA area for 35 years. We house up to 20-25 cats at our shelter and 25-30 kittens. We have kittens, adults and senior cats. Our kitties reside in a home-like open environment (no cages) and have lots of socialization and play time every day with our many wonderful VHS volunteers. 26. The Operation Grace White Foundation by Cherie R-B Our mission is to effectively fund research for Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), a type of brain tumor that primarily affects children, with most diagnoses occurring between 5 and 7 years of age. We promote awareness and support both the families and those afflicted by DIPG. 27. Make-A-Wish by Sarah M-F We grant the wish of a child diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition in the United States and its territories to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. We believe that a wish experience can be a game-changer. This one belief guides us. It inspires us to grant wishes that change the lives of the kids we serve. 28. 4RKids by Alana W. Our mission is to promote community awareness of special needs individuals, and to provide vocational, educational, and social/recreational opportunities for special needs children and adults. 29. Help For Our Community by Roni J. We are a group of committed citizens, in Fitchburg – Leominster area in Massachusetts, that want to pay it forward and help others. We service all in need, elderly, veterans, homeless, and anyone in need of clothing, household items, and resources for other need they may have. 30. Muscular Dystrophy Association by Roni J. We are leading the fight to free individuals — and the families who love them — from the harm of muscular dystrophy, ALS and related muscle-debilitating diseases that take away physical strength, independence and life. We use our collective strength to help kids and adults live longer and grow stronger by finding research breakthroughs across diseases, caring for individuals from day one and empowering families with services and support in hometowns across America. 31. Ananda Marga Universal Relief Team by Ophelia S. Our mission is to help improve the quality of life for the poor and disadvantaged people of the world, and those affected by calamity and conflict. We encourage and enable individuals and communities to harness their own resources for securing the basic necessities of life and for gaining greater economic, social and spiritual fulfillment, while honoring their customs, language, and religious beliefs. |
Acts of Kindness Shared by our Supporters on Social Media
Coming Soon!
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