Kindness begets kindness. So, wanted to create a space to share and amplify stories of kindness with the hope that it inspires a chain reaction.

Amanda Comage-trower

Michelle, the owner of TLC Boarding, has played a pivotal role in supporting my business transition. She not only believed in my dream but also saw the potential in my vision, offering her farmhouse as a temporary home for our program on a donation basis until we generate income and can contribute financially. Our journey began a year ago when I opened a renovated section of my home, personally funded then expanded by a Vela Grant, to create the Healing House Micro Campus. Over time, Michelle and I developed a close friendship, and she graciously offered to help when we outgrew our space. Since then, she has been instrumental in our growth—helping us market the program and even organizing community volunteers and starting our beautiful, 4-H-inspired farm class for our members, along with equine-assisted activities she has discounted for anyone who is a member or client at Mental Heart Healing House. Read more>>

Olamide Giwa

Perhaps my parents did a great job protecting me from the harsh reality of life but I never felt like I lacked anything growing up. Even when my parents said no to something that I wanted to have and blatantly said “that was too expensive, and we couldn’t afford it”, yet somehow, it still didn’t make me feel less privileged. They did a great job teaching me how to be content. All that changed when I moved to the United States alone at 18 years of age. My parents were privileged enough to afford my school fees but struggled to afford other living expenses like housing, transportation, food, and so on. I am from Nigeria, and the average salary for a college graduate in 2012 was $4800/year (today, it’s reduced to $1200/year). My school fees were about $20,000/year and housing was about $6600/year; this was a huge financial burden on my parents so I felt extremely guilty asking them to pay for anything outside of my school fees.  Read more>>

Stephen Rutherford

When I was seventeen, I joined a Youth For Understanding family in Japan as a high school exchange student. YFU families are 100% volunteers who cover meals and the incidental increase in utilities that come from having an extra person in the home. They open their family to a young person from another country and treat them like their own child. It’s a relationship that lasts forever. I loved my Japanese parents and my three Japanese brothers, but I did not understand everything they did for me until I became a YFU parent. Forty years later I still think of them as my second family. They gave me a transformational experience that allowed me to grow in ways I never imagined. Read more>>

Hunter Strutton

I started as a biology major with an art minor at ETSU. When taking Introduction to Painting, my professor gave me a canvas and told me to drop my biology major and become a full-time art student because that is where I belong. Her honesty and encouragement were revolutionary to me. Although I continued as a Biology major, I added Fine Art as a second major, and it was the best decision I made—all thanks to Mira. Read more>>

Charity Moua

The kindest thing anyone has ever done for me is taking me out and later on surprising me for my birthday! I’ve had so many birthday surprises and parties that are just as amazing but nothing can truly beat this one. A little backstory as to why it was so special was because recently in the summer, we found out my dad had a very rare and aggressive cancer. It was so bad that he started from stage 1 going straight to stage 4 in a span of three months. Before that, I was planning so many ways to celebrate my 21st birthday. There was talks of traveling, a birthday party and spending time with family and friends. Due to my father’s condition, I didn’t really have the motivation to celebrate. I know that celebrating your 21st is a big thing but I just didn’t have the heart to.  Read more>>