People
A Little Box Of Kindness
When you visit Little Sprout Café in Abbotsford, you might notice a little wooden box on the counter. The box is labelled with two little notes: “Here’s your dose of kindness” and “Take one” and people do.
“I’ve been in the café and seen people reach in to take a little note,” says Krista Petrie, a life skills worker with Communitas. “I’ve heard people say ‘this is just what I needed today.’ It’s pretty cool.”
The box is the brainchild of Dora, a young woman who receives services from Communitas. The idea came to her one night earlier this year. She was thinking of ways that she might be able to encourage others.
“I thought, why not come up with some phrases that would encourage people,” Dora says.
Dora is blind, so she uses a slate and stylus to write in braille. She filled a page with short phrases like “You are stronger than you think” or “Keep smiling.” Then Krista cut out the strips and wrote the phrases out in ink. They put the phrases in the little box and then decided to put it in a place where many people would see it. The café, which is a social enterprise of Communitas, seemed a natural choice.
The box has been a great success.
“I’ve had to refill it three times already,” Dora says.
Krista wasn’t surprised when Dora came up with the idea of a kindness box.
“This little side project just screams ‘Dora!’” Krista says. “She loves people and she loves to make people feel important. It has been so encouraging to watch her take the lead and fill that box with her own encouragements.”
For Dora, the fact that the box is actually making a difference in someone’s life is encouraging to her as well – a side benefit of doing something kind for others.
“It feels really good,” Dora says. “We all need to hear something positive in our lives and sometimes if just takes something small to make a difference to someone else.”
Dora’s Kindness Box can be found at Little Sprout Café, #102 – 2776 Bourquin Crescent West in Abbotsford.
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