Spark Kindness Inc

SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 2010, SPARK KINDNESS HAS DEVELOPED AN INNOVATIVE MODEL FOR BUILDING COMMUNITY AND ADDRESSING THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF DISCONNECTION, SUCH AS LONELINESS, BULLYING, RACISM, SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, SUICIDE, MENTAL ILLNESS AND INCIVILITY. SPARK FOCUSES ON INDIVIDUAL, INTERPERSONAL, INSTITUTIONAL AND COMMUNITY SUPPORTS TO INCREASE CONNECTEDNESS, CIVILITY AND POSITIVE HEALTH OUTCOMES.OVER THE PAST 14 YEARS, SPARK KINDNESS HAS GROWN FROM A SMALL PARENT VOLUNTEER GROUP INTO A RESILIENT NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION WITH OVER 8,900 MEMBERS IN NATICK, FRAMINGHAM, AND MORE THAN 25 TOWNS IN METROWEST BOSTON AND BEYOND. DURING THIS TIME, SPARK HAS OFFERED HUNDREDS OF FREE PROGRAMS AND WRAP-AROUND SUPPORTS REACHING OVER 13,000 INDIVIDUALS, INCLUDING PARENTS, CAREGIVERS, EDUCATORS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS. SPARK CONTINUES TO BE FOCUSED ON OFFERING FREE RESOURCES, IN A VARIETY OF ACCESSIBLE FORMATS, TO INDIVIDUALS, PARENTS, CAREGIVERS, YOUTH AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT SUPPORT CONNECTION, RE

SPARK'S PROGRAMS AND IMPACTS INCLUDE:THE RESILIENT COMMUNITY SPEAKING SERIES - SPARK HOSTS 20-30 EDUCATIONAL SPEAKER EVENTS ANNUALLY, WITH AN AVERAGE ATTENDANCE OF 250-400 COMMUNITY MEMBERS PER EVENT. ALL RESILIENT COMMUNITY PROGRAMS ARE OFFERED IN AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE AND WE OFFER MULTILINGUAL PROGRAMMING IN PORTUGUESE AND SPANISH.SMALL GROUP PROGRAMMING - WORKSHOPS, MONTHLY GROUPS AND RETREATS TO PROVIDE DEEPER INTERACTION WITH SPARK PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES. THESE SMALL GROUPS PROVIDE ASSISTANCE FOR FAMILIES WHO NEED MORE INTENSIVE SUPPORT, INCLUDING PARENTS WITH STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS OR FROM DIFFERENT CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS. MOST RECENTLY, SPARK HAS ADAPTED OUR PROGRAMMING ADDRESSING INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY RESILIENCE AND WELL-BEING FOR COLLABORATIVE WORK WITH AGENCIES SERVING FAMILIES EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, AS WELL AS DEVELOPING PROGRAMMING FOR PORTUGUESE SPEAKING PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS.INCLUSION AND ANTIRACISM LEADERSHIP - SPARK HAS A SPECIFIC FOCUS ON PROMOTING INCLUSION AND ADDRESSING RACISM THROUGH OUR INTERNAL WORK, OUR PROGRAMMING AND OUR LEADERSHIP ROLES WITH ORGANIZATIONS IN METROWEST BOSTON.ACTIVE AND ONGOING COMMUNITY BUILDING - SPARK PARTNERS WITH LOCAL AND REGIONAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE ALIGNED WITH OUR MISSION TOWARD THE GOAL OF PROMOTING A WEB OF SUPPORT FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES. METROWEST ANTI-BULLYING COALITION - SPARK IS THE CONVENER OF THE METROWEST ANTI-BULLYING COALITION, AN INNOVATIVE, COMMUNITY-WIDE APPROACH TO ADDRESSING IDENTITY-BASED BULLYING AND ALL OTHER FORMS OF BULLYING. FEEDBACK FROM PROGRAM ATTENDEES AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS CONSISTENTLY REINFORCES THAT SPARK IS MEETING A NEED IN NATICK/METROWEST AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES LIKE NO OTHER GROUP AND THAT THROUGH CONNECTION WITH OUR ORGANIZATION'S STAFF, ONLINE RESOURCES AND PROGRAMS, INDIVIDUALS FEEL MORE CONNECTED, SUPPORTED AND BETTER ABLE TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES THEY ARE FACING WITH NEW TOOLS, APPROACHES AND A POSITIVE MINDSET.