10 Random Acts of Kindness Examples for February 17

With the dawn of this new decade comes resolutions, change, and hope for a fresh start. Today, February 17, is Random Acts of Kindness Day and to celebrate, we're recounting some of the best examples of random acts of kindness that have happened already this year. Here are 10 heartwarming random acts of kindness examples to celebrate this special day.


10 Act of Kindness Examples



1. An 8-year-old boy paid off the lunch debt for his entire school by selling key chains.

Keoni Ching of Washington State wanted to help out his elementary school in a real way - by paying off all of his classmates' lunch debts. This little business mogul had the brilliant idea of making backpack keychains and selling them for $5 apiece to raise funds. Once word got out about what Keoni was trying to accomplish, people from all over the U.S. were ordering keychains. Keoni raised $4,015 total and is using a portion of the funds to not only cover his school's debt, but the debt of six nearby schools as well.


2. Ellen DeGeneres surprises teen told to cut dreadlocks with $20K scholarship.

It is no secret that Ellen DeGeneres is, well, extremely generous (pun intended). The TV host is known for lavish acts of generosity, knee-slapping humor, and sage wisdom. This year she is again a prime example of acts of kindness. DeAndre Arnold, a high school senior from Texas, was told by his school administration that his dreadlocks were in violation of the school dress code and if he did not cut them, he would not be allowed to walk at graduation. Ellen got wind of this story and thought it was completely unfair, so in classic Ellen fashion, she invited DeAndre on the show. She then awarded him a $20,000 scholarship to help him become a vet.


3. Firefighters free a puppy that got its head stuck in a spare tire.

It wouldn't be a list of heartwarming acts of kindness examples without a few animal stories. This January, a cute little Australian cattle dog got a bit too curious and ended up getting its head stuck in a wheel. After a few different attempts to free the puppy, firefighters had to ultimately take her to the vet for sedation before sawing the wheel to remove her. The puppy was completely unaffected by the situation and was happy as a clam after she was freed. All the feels!


4. A FedEx driver delivered more than a customer's package - he shoveled snow off their stoop.

We already know that FedEx drivers are basically like an everyday Santa Claus, but FedEx driver Melvin J. Marlett from Michigan brought the giving spirit of the holidays over into the new year. This 23-year FedEx veteran was delivering a package at a kindergarten teacher's home and saw that her pathway was covered in snow. Immediately, he found a shovel and began clearing the path. The teacher got an alert that someone was at her home and was able to see the whole ordeal take place through her front door camera. She couldn't believe this FedEx driver would do such a wonderful act of kindness, so she showed the video to everyone she knew. 

5. Brewery puts faces of shelter dogs on beer cans.

There are thousands of dogs in the United States that are in shelters and awaiting adoption. A Florida brewery saw this very real need and decided to do something about it. Motorworks Brewing made customized labels for one of their brews featuring local shelter dogs who were up for adoption. They sold over 150 four-packs of the special cans and 2 of the dogs found their forever homes through the campaign. The brewery also has given a chunk of the proceeds from the beer to a local animal shelter.


6. Waitress' faith restored after a group of young boys helps clean her table.

Working in the service industry can be extremely challenging at times as you often deal with rude customers, long hours, and bad tips. A Michigan waitress was working at her restaurant job when a group of young boys sat down at one of her tables. If you've ever been a server, you know that young people can often make less-than-ideal patrons. But this waitress was pleasantly surprised when she waited on this polite group of 7 boys who left the table spotless, making her job a bit easier. Their example of an act of kindness left the waitress extremely moved and restored her hope in the younger generation.


7. Waitress receives 3,184% tip on a slow night.

Speaking of the service industry, this heartwarming act of kindness example is almost unbelievable. Jennifer Navaria was working at her job as a server on a super slow night and was met with an unforgettable tip. A wealthy business owner from the area was dining at Navaria's place of work and left her a $5,000 tip. The waitress was beyond grateful and blown away by the businessman's act of generosity. This is just another example of wealthy people using their wealth for good and a ridiculously heartwarming moment this year.


8. After raising money for a year, church pays off $5.2 million in medical debt for low-income families.

Medical debt is one of the most common, and most financially debilitating, types of debt that millions of Americans deal with. A church in California saw how their community was impacted by crushing medical debt and decided to do something about it. Christian Assembly Church in Eagle Rock raised money throughout an entire year without telling their congregation what the money was going towards. They raised a total of $50,000 which went directly to a nonprofit focused on buying out peoples' medical debt. The result was the complete payment of over $5.2 million in debt for a total of 5,555 low-income families in the Los Angeles area. 



9. Students work together to replace beloved teacher's stolen shoes.

Working as a teacher is often a thankless job, but Trey Payne of Nebraska was impacted by the incredible kindness of his middle school class. The teacher had the misfortune of having his expensive sneakers stolen from his office earlier this year and when his students got wind of what happened, they hatched a plan to buy him a new pair. With the help of their friends, they were able to get together enough money to buy Mr. Payne a new pair of shoes. When they gave their beloved teacher his brand new shoes, he immediately broke down in tears, thankful for their random kindness.


10. Chiefs player pays fees for all dogs at Kansas City shelter to celebrate Super Bowl win.

In the wake of an epic Super Bowl win, Kansas City defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi decided to celebrate with something other than just going to Disneyland. Nnadi has long partnered with KC Pet Project of Missouri and ended his football season by paying for all of the shelters' adoption fees for all available pets at the shelter. This will enable anyone who is seeking to adopt a furry friend to do so completely free.


The year is already off to an incredible start with dozens of heartwarming examples of people's selflessness, kindness, and generosity. As we continue through the rest of the new year, we are looking forward to the many more heartwarming examples of kindness to come! If you're feeling extra kind, check out our partnered charities and consider making a donation.