The Center for HumanKindness is on a mission to inspire acts of kindness and strengthen social connections in our community. Every kind act—big or small, seen or unseen—makes a positive difference for individuals and the broader community.
The Center for HumanKindness is a collaboration between The Columbus Foundation and the Walter Foundation.
In partnership with The Columbus Dispatch and Columbus Monthly, the annual Everyday Kindness Heroes program celebrates those who embody kindness through selfless acts. In December 2024, Everyday Kindness Heroes were recognized for their efforts to strengthen our communities, and donations were made in their honor to the nonprofits of their choice.
Programming & Initiatives
Kindness Close to Home
Born out of community conversations at The Big Table®, Kindness Close to Home seeks to bring neighbors together to build a friendlier, kinder community where everyone feels seen and known.
Everyday Kindness Heroes
With support from the Center for HumanKindness, The Columbus Dispatch, Columbus Monthly, and Columbus CEO regularly feature central Ohioans making a difference through acts of kindness. Click “learn more” to read some of the recent articles.
Gifts of Kindness Fund
The Gifts of Kindness Fund partners with local nonprofits to provide financial support to help neighbors weather the unexpected—such as a job loss or medical diagnosis.
The Big Table®
The Big Table® is a community-wide day of conversation. Through intentional dialogue and connection, participants are encouraged to imagine the next steps toward a kinder, more connected central Ohio region.
HumanKindness Prize
Created in 2022, the HumanKindness Prize recognizes nonprofits that exemplify unwavering and intentional human kindness in action. Click the button below to learn more about the latest honorees.
Resources for Educators
Explore programs designed to support educators in teaching about the transformative power of kindness and empowering youth to put acts of kindness into action.
The Ohio State University Research Partnership
Learn about the Center for HumanKindness’ collaboration with The Ohio State University’s Mood and Personality Studies Lab to support research on kindness and its effects on individual and collective well-being.
Kindness in Action
Kind acts, big or small, make a positive difference for our relationships and the community. Learn more about how kindness is transforming lives in central Ohio and beyond.
Spread Kindness
With well-documented benefits to the giver, recipient, and even bystanders, kindness has the power to transform mindsets, relationships, and even our health! Every kind act, big or small, matters.
Extend the ripples of kindness today by learning new ways to choose kindness in your daily lives, serving alongside your neighbors, and supporting the causes you care about.
Inspire your kindness journey by staying up to date on kindness research and exploring these resources for spreading kindness and growing in empathy.
Subscribe to our newsletter for regular resources and opportunities!
Kindness is a skill strengthened through practice. One of the simplest ways to demonstrate kindness is to be present for others. Serving others can be informal, like helping a neighbor, or it can be an organized, such as contributing to a mutual aid network or volunteering at a food pantry.
To get started, search for ways you can be of service to your favorite nonprofit or explore the opportunities available through Besa or Seeds of Caring.
Coming together in the spirit of solidarity and extending support to those most in need is an act of community kindness. It is a reminder that our well-being, health, and dignity are all bound up in each other—we are all in this together.
Explore The Columbus Foundation’s Giving Store to find a cause or organization you’d like to support in making a difference in central Ohio.