Random Acts of Kindness has gained additional exposure these past few years. With social media giving people a platform to share their experiences on the receiving end of an act so kind, they are inclined to share with their friends! Pay it forward in a coffee drive through or a server being tipped well over the generally expected 20%, the community has found that by helping others, life gets a little sweeter for both parties. At CHROME Federal Credit Union, employees are encouraged and embrace opportunities to make someone’s day, whether it is a member, a fellow employee, or a stranger. We asked our team members to share their favorite Random Act of Kindness, and here is what they said:
#1 - The kindness of listening
I believe the act of just listening to someone and being kind, whether it is a smile or a wave, can brighten their day, as you never know what someone could be going through.
-Beth Dillard, CHROME Care Rep
I believe in active listening: paying attention to when someone is speaking or talking about something that concerns them, being a person that people can vent to and letting off some steam. I believe it has the power of being able to make someone's day a little lighter and easier to manage!
-Randy Dodson, Technology Process Support
Check-in with an elderly person. It can get lonely in the middle of winter.
-Bob Flanyak, President & Chief Executive Officer
#2 - The kindness of being a great customer
Buy an employee from your local grocery store a gift card to treat themselves or help them pay for their groceries. I know they work there so they can make ends meet and why not help someone that helps me each week.
-Anthony Zanolla, Loan Officer
Put together a small snack/thank you basket for the mail carrier! Ours is always so nice and makes a point to say hello to us everyday.
-Katie Hamilton, Team Lead at the Racetrack Branch
#3 - The kindness of being acknowledged
People want to feel acknowledge-use their name, smile and make eye contact. This small step shows you are engaged and present. It's the small things that make the biggest impact!
-Melissa McMurdy, Retail & Communications Support Lead
A very simple and easy way to make someone's day I believe is just smiling and saying "hello" to a stranger as you pass by them.
-Jim Naser, SVP, Chief Lending Officer
#4 - The kindness of helping a stranger
My husband and I put together brown paper bags full of various snacks, water, wipes, socks, $5-$10, and hand them out to the homeless … it's desperately needed especially with the influx of refugees. When we hand them out especially to moms and refugees they are almost in tears and share blessings and thank yous. It can change someone's day, life, or just put a smile on their face.
-Heather Kitchens, Staff Accountant
With inflation rising, it is making grocery shopping very difficult for many families. Paying it forward in the drive thru line is very common and works very well, it could have the same impact for someone in the grocery store. Can you imagine how exciting and relieved someone would be to have their groceries rung up and the cashier says that it is covered?!
-Vicki McNabb, CHROME Care Specialist
You can create little self-care bags, game bags, or bingo bags for the residents at the local senior care centers. Back when I was in college, I would create little nail day bags for the residents and deliver them to the local senior care center. Sometimes we would also do their nails for them with the materials in the bag. It’s important to remember our seniors.
-Paige Livingston, Marketing Assistant
I think the small things really do add up. Acts like giving someone your ALDI cart without taking their quarter, stopping to help when you see someone who has dropped something, or saying “Bless You” when someone near you sneezes, even if you don’t know the person, sometimes I think that makes it even more impactful.
-Jasmine Hughes, Director of Marketing
Join CHROME in spreading kindness through our communities by participating in Random Acts of Kindness week or by nominating a community member that shows kindness and makes an impact in your neighborhood at www.observer-reporter.com/chromeRAK. You can follow along to see more RAK stories on our Facebook page.
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