Kindness strengthens community bonds

By Chris Kelley

This November, Dallas will transform into a living canvas of compassion as the city unites for Dallas Kindness Week November 9–15. This celebration is anchored by World Kindness Day on Thursday, Nov. 13 with a New York Times columnist keynote speaker and culminates in a public Kindness Festival in the Dallas Arts District on November 15. The week is designed to make kindness visible, actionable and unforgettable. With the theme “One City. One Week. Infinite Good,” the initiative will bring together schools, faith communities, civic leaders, businesses and neighbors in a shared commitment to kindness.

The Thanks-Giving Foundation, with a strong desire to promote inclusion in the DFW area, hosts the initiative. Local faith institutions, businesses, city officials, public servants and students will carry out Kindness Week and include 240 schools in the Dallas Independent School District. The Thanks-Giving Foundation is the owner and operator of Thanks-Giving Square in downtown Dallas.

“In an increasingly divided world, kindness serves as the common ground that unites people across faiths, cultures, and neighborhoods,” said Kyle Ogden, president and CEO of Thanks-Giving Foundation, which is sponsoring Kindness Week. “Acts of kindness ripple outward — turning small gestures into cultural change. Our goal is to position Dallas as a national leader in compassion and inclusion.”

Ogden said more than one million buttons and stickers will be distributed citywide, turning every Dallasite into a walking billboard for kindness. Residents may receive a button or sticker in a drive-through restaurant, at their workplace or throughout the community. 

“We will have a 365-Day Kindness Pledge you can commit to by scanning the QR code,” said Ogden. “This will allow individuals to commit to daily acts of kindness in a personal way.” 

Dallas Kindness Week is more than an event — it’s a movement. From classrooms to crosswalks, boardrooms to backyards, Dallas is proving that kindness still matters.

“Kindness is not a luxury — it’s civic infrastructure,” Ogden said. “It lowers stress, strengthens bonds, reduces polarization and builds a healthier, more resilient city.” This Kindness campaign will strengthen Dallas’s civic reputation and public identity, positioning the city as a national leader in compassion and inclusion. For more information, to sign the pledge, or to get involved, visit Thanksgiving.org or search #DallasKindnessWeek and #BeKindDallas.