Last June, I joined Michael “Pinball” Clemons and his team at the Michael Pinball Clemons Foundation (MPCF) be part of his Just Give initiative to hold doors open for busy commuters at Union Station in Toronto. Just Give is a annual campaign sharing kindness in different ways all over the city inspired by the idea that receiving an act of kindness motivates people to pass it on.
I am so excited to be a part of Just Give again this year on June 8th for a full day of different acts of kindness all over the city of Toronto and Pinball and I are hoping that you’ll join us.
Anyone and everyone can sign up for Just Give, whether you’re doing it as an individual, a school or as a company. Something new this year is that Just Give is doing all the acts of kindness on one day – June 8 and I’ve got the whole run down for you:
8AM-9:30 AM: Doors Open at Union Station
Individuals, Just Givers and Kindraisers come together to hold doors open and give high 5’s at Union Station. I joined in last year for this action and it was awesome. You might be thinking. “Hannah, holding a door open may be nice, but it certainly doesn’t change the world.” My answer would be, “It’s a good start.” When we held doors open last June, we sent people off to work with smiles on their faces and feeling good. Many of them passed that on to their coworkers, friends, family and random strangers throughout the day. We started a ripple effect that is potentially endless.
1PM Meagan’s Hug at City Hall.
Everyone is encouraged to join us at Nathan Phillips Square on the Podium Roof to participate in one of the biggest acts of KINDNESS Toronto has ever seen. “Pinball” and Mayor John Tory will join arms with the public to show a little love and HUG CITY HALL. Literally, HUG all the way around the City Hall Building on the podium roof. “Pinball” is inviting everyone to show the world that Toronto IS the city with the biggest heart. The City Hall HUG has been renamed “Meagan’s Hug” and was inspired by Meagan’s Walk, an annual event to raise awareness and funds for pediatric brain tumour research.
2PM Sign the Wall of Hope
Following Meagan’s Hug the public will be encouraged to sign the 50 foot Wall of Hope in memory of Shyanne Charles, the 14 year-old girl killed in the Danzig shooting in July, 2012.
3PM Cram-A-Cruiser Weigh In
This is awesome. Schools and companies have been challenged to collect food for local foodbanks that is being picked up by Police Departments and Purolator trucks all over the Horseshoe Region of Ontario for the JUST GIVE Cram-A-Cruiser Food Drive. Throughout the day, on June 8th all of the police departments are working towards breaking the record for the largest food drive in Ontario history. They have asked their Police teams to see how much food they can collect from participating schools and all of the food will be delivered to their respective food banks before 3:00pm for the official weigh in.
Everyone is encouraged to get involved in the corporate Cram-A-Curbsider Food Drive by dropping off a food item or $5.00 at Nathan Phillips Square Podium Roof at 1:00pm. Purolator will deliver all donations to the Daily Bread Food Bank in time for the weigh in.
ALL DAY: Just Give YOUR Way.
The MPCF and I understand that Just Give takes place on a school day and work day, and that there are many people who want to join us in person for one or more of our planned actions, but can’t. There’s a plan for you too that “Pinball” calls JUST GIVE YOUR WAY and we have some ideas for you to join us virtually and socially:
- Hold doors open wherever you are – at school, at work, at the coffee shop.
- Do a Meagan’s Hug at your school or office building.
- Leave post-it notes for your classmates or co-workers.
- Be extra complimentary!
- Make a donation to your local foodbank.
- Pay it forward when you’re buying your coffee in the morning.
- Write a personal thank you note to your teacher or colleague.
And don’t forget to tag your actions on social media with #JustGive so that we can find each other. We’re in this together.
Just Give is all about inspiring people to do acts of kindness not just for or one day, but to keep doing it daily and make it a habit.
Now that’s what I call kindraising.
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