The Kindness Patrol is a yearly event designed to encourage kids to deliver random acts of kindness to members of the community.
Whether handing out a pretty flower, visiting seniors at a home, organizing garbage duty at local beaches or simply giving a passerby a huge smile, even the smallest gestures can have a huge positive impact on the giver and the recipient.
And who better to lead that charge of goodness for goodness’ sake than kids?!
The most recent Kindness Patrols have seen 1000+ kids deliver flowers and cookies to random strangers, read to seniors at a seniors residence, host a Kindness Cafe for school volunteers, deliver books to an inner city school, along with a bunch of other amazing kind deeds! For the first time, kids in three other provinces, five states across the US and two schools in Australia also joined us helping kids to change the world one kind act at a time.
In 2023, we’re looking for the Kindness Patrol to continue to grow across the globe in a new virtual/in person hybrid format. We cordially invite you to bring the Kindness Patrol to your community or at your school this November 13th. We’ll help you!
Click here to learn how.
The Kindness Patrol is a community initiative started by the #TheDrFs, two Vancouver-based clinical psychologists whose work as therapists inspired them to spread more joy. They founded the KINDNESS PATROL in 2015.
Dr. Carla Fry and Dr. Lisa Ferrari are directors of the Vancouver Psychology Centre, avid proponents of positive psychology, and the authors of the book Gratitude and Kindness: A Modern Parents Guide to raising Children in an Era of Entitlement
“We began The Kindness Patrol because we really wanted youth to have an opportunity to live and feel the emotions underlying the giving of kindness and to see and feel the reaction of the recipients of the kind deeds. ‘Big-picture’ we’re looking to feed this next generation’s belief in the value of doing good, and we’re seeking to jump-start every generation’s belief in the power of kindness.”
With the Kindness Patrol, there’s no over-arching goal, no fundraising and no competition beyond inspiring joy and goodwill! #TheDrFs encourage everyone and anyone to get involved by launching a Kindness Patrol in their own backyard.
In our inaugural year 2015, our Kindness Patrol Kids created personalized handmade “Thank You” cards adorned with art, bling, and love. They gave them out to unsuspecting spreaders of good to reward them for their kindness.
This included recognizing those who opened doors for strangers, those doing charity work, and anyone who simply gave a happy smile to some they passed by.
The reactions – surprise, caution, pleasure and then joy – resulted in chain reactions: Those who were awarded by the Kindness Patrol Kids vowed to continue the Patrol and pay it forward.
In 2016, we took to the streets and beaches of West Vancouver to spread the joy.
Patrol Kids put on a mini concert at a senior’s residence; delivered freshly-baked cookies to the first responders at the West Vancouver Police Department and West Vancouver Fire & Rescue; created some kindness graffiti (the washable kind!) on the sidewalks; delivered cat food to the rescued cats and kittens of the BC SPCA; and conducted a cleanup of Ambleside beach.
The result? A sea of smiles and goodwill that lasted well beyond the afternoon.
For more, see below in living colour!
We would like to thank our sponsors who have helped make our annual event possible.
Clinically Happy has successfully helped kids to deliver kind deeds to hundreds of individuals in different communities. We have perfected the ‘how to’s and as part of our commitment to giving back and to spreading kindness across the globe, we’re offering to share what we know with you (yes – of course for free!!)
If you'd like to join us to deliver your own Kindness Patrol in your school or community, please Sign Up below.
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