NKPR has decided to go year-round with its 26 Hours of Kindness initiative and has turned it into 26 Acts of Kindness.
Instead of exchanging gifts with clients over the holiday season, NKPR developed a spread the warmth and kindness program last Nov. 26 that spanned 26 consecutive hours in Toronto and New York City, where the agency has offices. It included cooking dinners, delivering care packages for night workers at local hospitals and caroling for commuters at Union Station in Toronto.
“We had so much success with our 26 Hours of Kindness,” says NKPR president Natasha Koifman. “I felt let’s do more of that. I think the world needs a little bit of kindness, so we’ve extended on that.”
Koifman adds that last year’s initiative was fun and worthwhile, but it was hard to do something every hour on the hour. “This just gives us the opportunity to really sink our teeth into more tangible and substantial initiatives and programs with various causes. We are really stoked about it.”
Some of this year’s initiatives will include the development of a scholarship fund to support and promote education in the public relations field, food drives for Second Harvest, creation of a mentorship program for start-up businesses, activations for Mother’s Day, World Water Day and Global Wellness Day and #randomactsofkindness on social media.
NKPR employees can also support causes of their choosing and the agency will offer flex hours to staffers to accommodate organizations’ needs.
Koifman says 26 is her lucky number, with several memorable events having happened on that date, including the birth of her son. She even has a tattoo on her right wrist that says “gratitude to the power of 26.”
“It’s a constant reminder to always be grateful. I feel that giving back gives you that ability and opportunity to experience gratitude,” she says. “It’s about doing something kind and good for someone else without expecting anything in return at all. And in return what you actually do feel is joy.”
This year’s program, which was launched on International Happiness Day on March 20, can be followed through the hashtag #NKPR26.
