2024 is a Leap Year, and this means we all get one extra day on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024 - Leap of Kindness Day. Leap of Kindness Day aims to inspire folks all around the world to use their extra day to do something kind for someone else. Invented in 2016 by the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce in Saratoga Springs, New York, Leap of Kindness Day started with hundreds of area organizations helping thousands of local people by donating their time, talent and treasure to support area nonprofits, seniors, first responders, health care workers, veterans, animal shelters, etc. In 2020, the initiative expanded with more than 200 communities in the U.S., Canada, and Ireland participating in Leap of Kindness Day. Some of the Leap of Kindness Day activities included: delivering breakfast to first responders, bringing flowers or non-skid socks to nursing homes, collecting personal care items for shelters, cleaning up trails and baking cookies for school bus drivers. For 2024, with help from promotional partners Constant Contact and GrowthZone, the goal is to continue growing Leap of Kindness Day into a global celebration of kindness with a powerful positive impact. Leap of Kindness Day founder Todd Shimkus, president of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, explained how the concept has grown over the past eight years, “In 2016, the idea was simply to get people in Saratoga Springs, New York, to use their extra day that Leap Year on Feb. 29 to do something kind for someone else, and by 2020 I saw posts from Ireland, Guatemala, India, and all over Canada and the U.S. where people joined us to celebrate Leap of Kindness Day in their own communities,” he said. “My favorite examples are a local lumber store that invited its customers to purchase 2 x 4s for a local Habitat for Humanity home build where the donors could sign their donated 2 x 4 and the company matched all donations or a family that organized a stuffed animal drive to provide the residents at a local nursing home with a new and cherished companion.” With Leap of Kindness Day 2024 on its way, Shimkus shared his ultimate vision for the initiative. “Our hope is that one day everyone will use their extra day every four years to do something kind for someone else.” Here are some ideas of ways to participate in Leap of Kindness Day 2024. Organize a drive for essential items and personally deliver the collected goods to a local charity on Feb. 29. Express gratitude to first responders by delivering meals or snacks to your local fire, police, or EMS station on Leap of Kindness Day. Dedicate Feb. 29 to enhancing a public space — a park, trail, or playground — by cleaning, beautifying, or fixing amenities in need. Encourage your children to write and deliver heartfelt thank-you notes to educators, custodians, bus drivers, and others on Feb.29. Reach out to local care facilities, hospitals, senior or youth centers, and agencies assisting those with unique needs. Collect and deliver items tailored to their specific requirements on Leap of Kindness Day. So, what will you do with your extra day? Leave your ideas in the comments!    More information about Leap of Kindness Day, including additional ideas of how to participate, is available at leapofkindnessday.org.   ... View more