February 17, 2023 - National No One Eats Alone Day | National Random Acts Of Kindness Day

Welcome to February 17th, 2023 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate grabbing lunch and paying it forward with kindness. Remember Middle School? Maybe it’s been a while, but surely the scene sounds familiar: you grab your lunch box or the cafeteria special of the day and turn to face a crowded lunchroom. Maybe you dreaded this all morning because your only friend happens to be sick that day. Now you stare at a sea of kids and wonder how can I face this alone? National No One Eats Alone Day was piloted in 2012 by the organization known as Beyond Differences. What began in just a handful of schools in Northern California Now, has now grown to more than 2,000 schools in all 50 states, impacting more than 1 million students. Today is all about striking up a conversation and possibly meeting your new best friend. You never know when a simple act of kindness can make someone’s day. At the crowded Seattle Tacoma International airport a lone traveler sat waiting at his gate when a service dog named Cora sat down next to him. The Welsh corgi seemed to be guided straight to the man. Cora’s owner approached and apologized at once, asking if the dog was bothering him. The man was eagerly petting Cora with tears in his eyes as he replied, “No, no, I lost my dog last night.” Cora’s owner explained that the dog has a gift for knowing who is hurting. We humans may not have this sense, so it never hurts to err on the side of kindness. There are so many ways to change someone’s day, from giving them your place in line to paying for their meal. On National Random Acts Of Kindness Day we invite you to take a play from a service dog and pay it forward with good will. I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices