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Laura Reiss didn't know how good her timing was when, in 2008, she started an afternoon program on kindness at Sunrise Park Elementary School in Boca Raton.
She did it for her daughters, she says, since two of them were attending that school - where Reiss observed too much competition and nastiness among students.
"I wanted my kids to be guided by kindness," she says. "I did it to protect my children."
But, now, it looks as if she anticipated today's ongoing dialogue about maintaining civility, particularly in politically heated times.
"My parents taught me the importance of being compassionate and kind," says Reiss, 49, a Boca Raton resident. "As a young mother, I discovered how important this conversation is for all children."
The club started out with conversations about kindness and compassion. But it quickly evolved into monthly meetings where representatives of different foundations came to talk to children, who also completed hands-on projects.
Interest in the club grew - so much so that Reiss created the Samaritans365 Foundation Inc. Now named Kindness Matters365, the nonprofit trains "kindness ambassadors" to bring similar programs to additional schools. The program has spread to nine states, with more than 4,050 members, 400 ambassadors and 90 chapters. The State of Florida even came onboard last spring with a $140,000 grant to put the foundation's kindness curriculum into classrooms.
This success catapulted Reiss to national visibility. It also resulted in her nomination as one of L'Oreal Paris' 10 Women of Worth for 2018. That program, now in its 13th year, recognizes women nationwide making a difference through volunteerism. It entails a $10,000 unallocated award to all winners and a $25,000 grand prize.
Reiss didn't take home top honors, but she put her $10,000 back into the foundation.
"We are growing so fast. I don't have the funds to pay for the womanpower I need," she says. "But I have a lot of faith and gratitude."
Reiss also has big dreams for the future. She envisions kindness courses in every classroom. She believes the need has always been there but admits that "awareness has heightened in recent years because the conversation touches on so many issues like bullying and mental health without using those exact words. This is a way to approach those problems in a positive way." O
