Bye Bye 2020, Hello RAKs Random Acts of Kindness

Let's send 2020 out in style. Here are our top 10 random acts of kindness ideas to set 2021 up to be our best and kindest year yet.

1. Send someone a thank you note. 

Put a smile on someone’s face. A thank you note is a simple gesture to show someone that you appreciate them. Whether you are thanking a family member for helping you move or a friend, just for being a great friend, it’s sure to brighten their day! And who doesn’t love getting something in the mail that isn’t a bill!?

2. Buy coffee for the person in line behind you. 

The holiday season is so busy for so many of us. A little surprise like this can make a stranger’s day! It’s a random act of kindness that can keep on giving because oftentimes, it will encourage them to pass it on, creating a chain reaction of kindness. Talk about RAK-ing the planet! 

3. Call an old friend or family member you haven’t spoken to in a while. 

Sometimes we all get so caught up in our day to day life that we forget to reach out to our loved ones. The holiday season is a perfect time to reconnect with someone you love but who you might not have spoken to in a while. 

4. Donate food to a food pantry. 

Due to so many factors, including the current pandemic, it is expected that over 50 million Americans are facing food insecurity in 2020. Find a food pantry in your area to help these families. Food pantries are typically looking for foods like whole grain pasta & rice, canned vegetables, canned soup, canned fish, and peanut butter. 

5. Compliment a stranger. 

If you think something positive about a stranger, share it! Some compliments you can give to a stranger are:

• “You’re smile is contagious!”
• “That color looks really great on you!”
• “I’ve learned so much from speaking with you!”

6. Put coins in an expiring parking meter. 

We’ve all been there. We forget to top up the meter and get back to our cars to find a ticket on the windshield. Look out for a stranger and put some coins into a parking meter to help them avoid this fate. 

7. Tip a little extra!

It’s been a strange year for businesses and bars and restaurants have suffered a lot! Whether you are getting take-out or safely dining in, bump up that tip percentage and show appreciation for your server or bartender who has surely seen a decline in their income this year.  

8. Find a pen pal at a nursing home

Any other year, we’d encourage you to visit a nursing home, but 2020 is not just any year. A safe way to connect with a senior citizen this year is to become pen pals. Plenty of nursing homes are encouraging people to send letters to their residents and making it so you can find someone you share interests with! 

9. Donate blood

If you’re not squeamish around needles,  this is a great random act of kindness gifts. The need is always great and you are truly making a difference in someone’s life. 

10. Scrape ice off a neighbors car

Imagine how you would feel if you came out to your car on your way to work and saw the ice was already scraped off of your car’s windshield. It would feel good right? You can give that feeling to your neighbor with this kind gesture. 

Bonus Idea: 

1. Sign up to be an Anonymous RAK donor or nominate someone they know to receive a RAK.