Kindness to ourselves + Kindness to others = A kinder world

Project: Kindness aligns self-care and service opportunities with adults who want to contribute to making a kinder world - while NPowering people with developmental disabilities (DD) to put themselves on the giving end of service. 

 

How?

NPower Services has partnered with local libraries and other organizations including the Power of Joy to either contribute to existing service projects & programs or create new ones.

Recognizing that it’s often impossible to treat others with kindness when we don’t feel appreciated ourselves, Project: Kindness events include an activity that focuses on elevating participants’ own sense of self-worth along with a project that helps others. 

 

Why the DD Community?

Adults with developmental disabilities have often spent their entire lives receiving much-needed services. However, an unintended result of frequently accepting help may translate into a sense of learned helplessness that prevents them from thinking to help others. Many of these folks have beautiful talents and capabilities - and have the potential to make meaningful contributions. Yet, without a sufficient prompt, many don’t think to try.

Project: Kindness bridges the gap between new or existing programming that helps the community - while inviting adults with developmental disabilities to learn, play and work alongside their neurotypical counterparts. If we’re successful, we’ll be creating new patterns that trigger helpful, kindness responses both toward ourselves and others. 

 

Kindness to ourselves: What makes us all feel good? 

Any healthy, life-affirming activity has the potential to elevate ourselves. Here are a few that Project: Kindness is tapping into:

• Yoga
• Exercise
• Meditation
• Art
• Good nutrition
• Drum circles
• Nature appreciation
• Music
• Athletics

 

Kindness toward others: What helps the community? 

• Making something for someone
• Delivering food
• Volunteering
• Clearing park trails
• Walking dogs at the local shelter
• Distributing kindness cards
• Sorting donations 
• Teaching others about healthy habits
• Helping someone else try or learn a new sport or skill

 

Examples of Project: Kindness activities (so far!)

• Stress ball-making workshop: One to keep and one to give to a friend or first-responder
• Meditation for ourselves to be present for others
• African Ubuntu bracelet making - friendship bracelets to empower the community
• Blanket making for a women’s shelter
• Weeding local park trails of invasive plants during a scheduled walk
• Yoga for ourselves / Kindness cards for others
• Be kind to our bodies with good nutrition

 

2024 Project: Kindness Schedule

See the Events calendar for a complete lineup of all NPower Services' Project: Kindness events.