activities · 25
what they do
direct service · 19
- Bellee Recognition Program Kindness Symbol Distribution & PromotionAnnounces a "Bellee" each Friday, sharing their story on social media to highlight individuals embodying kindness.
- Operates Camp Kind, a weeklong experience for children entering Kindergarten through 3rd grade to learn about and practice intentional kindness, with four sessions hosted in June 2026. The program also engages students entering 4th-8th grade as Jr. Kind Counselors.
- Creating and selling kindness merchandise Kindness Symbol Distribution & PromotionCreates mosaic stepping stones and merchandise featuring selected designs to serve as visual reminders of kindness. Students from TUSD embroider the "be kind" logo on various products and personal items, which are sold through Shop Kind, TUSD’s Main Gate Collaborative Art Studio, and pop-up shops.
- Creating kindness-themed merchandise and art Kindness Symbol Distribution & PromotionCreates mosaic stepping stones and merchandise featuring selected designs to serve as visual reminders of kindness. Students from TUSD embroider the Ben's Bells "be kind" logo on various products and personal items, which are sold through Shop Kind, TUSD’s Main Gate Collaborative Art Studio, and pop-up shops.
- Creating kindness-themed murals Youth-Engaged Public Mural ProjectsCompletes kindness-themed murals, such as the 100th mural at Roadrunner Elementary School.
- Distributing Ben's Bells Kindness Symbol Distribution & PromotionDistributes colorful ceramic bells, known as Ben's Bells, in communities worldwide for people to find and take home as symbols of kindness. This includes hanging thousands of bells in public spaces annually and initially distributed 400 bells in Tucson to promote kindness.
- Distributing ceramic kindness bells Kindness Symbol Distribution & PromotionDistributes colorful ceramic bells, known as Ben's Bells, in communities worldwide and in public spaces in Tucson for people to find and take home as symbols of kindness. The organization began making these bells in 2002 and distributes thousands annually.
- Distributing ceramic kindness bells Kindness Symbol Distribution & PromotionDistributes colorful ceramic bells, known as Ben's Bells, in communities worldwide and in public spaces in Tucson for people to find and take home as symbols of kindness. The organization began making and distributing these bells in 2002, distributing 400 bells in Tucson on the first anniversary of Ben's death, and now distributes thousands annually.
- Kind Campus Educational Programming Kindness & Character Education AssembliesOffers educational programs that teach about the human brain to develop awareness and compassion for self and others, adopted by over 500 schools across the US and internationally, reaching over 1.6 million students. This includes providing 30-minute interactive Kind Campus Assemblies led by the Ben's Bells Education team.
- Kind Colleagues Program Kindness & Character Education AssembliesOperates the Kind Colleagues program, providing lessons and activities to businesses and organizations to foster a kind and effective work environment. This includes providing website access to monthly guides, posters, videos, activities, and weekly emails, along with program support from Ben's Bells staff.
- Kindness-Themed Merchandise and Murals Kindness Symbol Distribution & PromotionCreates mosaic stepping stones and merchandise featuring selected designs to serve as visual reminders of kindness. This includes students from TUSD embroidering the Ben's Bells "be kind" logo on various products sold through Shop Kind, TUSD’s Main Gate Collaborative Art Studio, and pop-up shops. The organization has also completed 100 kindness-themed murals.
- Operating Camp Kind Youth & Family Outdoor Adventure ProgramsOperates Camp Kind, a weeklong experience for children entering Kindergarten through 3rd grade to learn about and practice intentional kindness. The program also engages students entering 4th-8th grade as Jr. Kind Counselors.
- Operating Camp Kind Youth & Family Outdoor Adventure ProgramsOperates Camp Kind, a weeklong experience for children entering Kindergarten through 3rd grade to learn about and practice intentional kindness. The program also engages older students (4th-8th grade) as Jr. Kind Counselors.
- Operating kindness education programs for schools Kindness & Character Education AssembliesOffers kindness education programming, including 30-minute interactive Kind Campus Assemblies led by Ben's Bells Education team members, to schools. This program has been adopted by over 500 schools across the US and internationally, reaching over 1.6 million students.
- Operating kindness education programs for schools Kindness & Character Education AssembliesOffers kindness education programming, including 30-minute interactive Kind Campus Assemblies led by staff, to schools across the US and internationally. This program has been adopted by over 500 schools and reached over 1.6 million students.
- Operating physical locations Physical Branch Financial ServicesOperates physical locations in downtown Tucson at 40 W. Broadway Blvd. and at Main Gate in Tucson at 808 E. University Blvd.
- Operating the Kind Colleagues program Kindness & Character Education AssembliesProvides the Kind Colleagues program, offering lessons and activities to businesses and organizations to foster a kind and effective work environment. This includes access to monthly guides, posters, videos, activities, and weekly emails, with program support from Ben's Bells staff.
- Operating the Kind Colleagues program Kindness & Character Education AssembliesProvides the Kind Colleagues program to businesses and organizations, offering lessons and activities through monthly guides, posters, videos, and weekly emails to foster a kind and effective work environment. The program includes support from Ben's Bells staff.
- Recognizing individuals for kindness Kindness Symbol Distribution & PromotionAnnounces a "Bellee" each Friday, sharing their story on social media to highlight acts of kindness.
research · 3
- Collaborating on kindness education research Kindness & Character Education AssembliesCollaborates with the Science of Kindness Community Collective at the University of Arizona to embed kindness into school systems, practices, and culture using implementation science. This includes developing tools to measure the impact of Kind Campus programming with the University of Arizona's CRED team.
- Collaborating on kindness research and implementation Kindness & Character Education AssembliesCollaborates with the Science of Kindness Community Collective at the University of Arizona to embed kindness into school systems and practices using implementation science, and developed tools to measure the impact of Kind Campus programming with the University of Arizona's CRED team.
- Kindness Research and Collaboration Kindness & Character Education AssembliesCollaborates with the Science of Kindness Community Collective at the University of Arizona to embed kindness into school systems, practices, and culture using implementation science. The organization also developed tools to measure the impact of Kind Campus programming in collaboration with the University of Arizona's CRED team.
capacity building · 3
- Engaging volunteers in bell creation Service-Learning with Community EngagementEngages thousands of volunteers annually in the creation of ceramic bells at its studios.
- Science and Culture Advisory CouncilOperates a Science and Culture Advisory Council to develop, review, and monitor the effectiveness of educational programming and to create and oversee a research portfolio.
- Volunteer Engagement and Studio OperationsEngages thousands of volunteers annually in the creation of ceramic bells at its studios, including students and staff from TUSD's ACT program who have volunteered since 2008. The organization operates studios in downtown Tucson and at Main Gate in Tucson.
strategies · 22
how they think
Theories of action extracted from this org's own source material. Click any to see the full field of orgs running the same approach.
- Community Recognition and Nomination for Kindness kindness_recognitionThe organization celebrates individuals who inspire kindness in the community by presenting them with a Ben's Bell and gift pack, encouraging community members to nominate deserving individuals for recognition.
- Community-Driven Kindness Recognition kindness_recognitionBen's Bells celebrates individuals who inspire kindness by presenting them with a Ben's Bell and gift pack, encouraging community members to nominate those who embody kindness. This fosters a sense of recognition and reinforces positive behavior within the community.
- Cultivating Kindness Through Education and Practice intentional_kindness_educationBen's Bells teaches individuals and communities about the positive impacts of intentional kindness, inspiring its sustained, daily practice as a way of life. This approach is based on the belief that kindness is a learnable skill, developed through education, role modeling, skill development, and reducing barriers to kind actions.
- Cultivating Kindness Through Education and Practice intentional_kindness_educationBen's Bells believes kindness is a learnable skill and cultivates it through education about its positive impacts, inspiring sustained daily practice, and providing visual reminders to encourage intentional acts of kindness as a lifestyle.
- Cultivating Kindness Through Education and Practice intentional_kindness_educationBen's Bells believes kindness is a learnable skill and cultivates it through education about intentional kindness, inspiring sustained daily practice, and providing visual reminders to encourage kind behavior. This approach aims to increase kind actions by developing skills and reducing barriers to kindness.
- Evidence-Based Program Design and Evaluation evidence-based_programmingThe organization integrates scientific research and intercultural awareness into the design and evaluation of its educational programming, guided by a multidisciplinary advisory council. This ensures that programs are effective and informed by best practices in kindness education and social-emotional skill development.
- Evidence-Based Social-Emotional Learning and Skill Development evidence_based_social_emotional_learningThe organization integrates scientific research and intercultural awareness into its educational programming, focusing on emotional awareness as a building block for empathy and compassion, and utilizing evidence-based principles to develop social-emotional skills in various settings, including the workplace.
- Evidence-Based Social-Emotional Learning and Visual Cues evidence_based_social_emotional_learningThe organization integrates scientific research and intercultural awareness into its educational programming, focusing on emotional awareness as a building block for empathy and compassion. It also applies the science of visual reminders to improve memory, understanding, and connect learning with human experience to encourage intentional kindness.
- Experiential Learning for Social Engagement and Growth experiential_learningThe organization utilizes experiential learning through materials, creative crafts, engaging stories, and ceramic studio projects to foster social engagement and growth in children. This also extends to vocational training and full-time volunteering for young adults with disabilities, supported by university students.
- Experiential Learning for Social Engagement and Growth experiential_learningBen's Bells utilizes experiential learning through creative crafts, engaging stories, ceramic studio projects, and full-time volunteering to facilitate social engagement and growth in children and young adults, including vocational training for students with disabilities.
- Kindness Recognition and Community-Driven Nomination kindness_recognitionBen's Bells celebrates individuals who inspire kindness in the community by presenting them with a Ben's Bell and gift pack, encouraging community members to nominate those who exemplify kindness for recognition.
- Multidisciplinary Advisory and Evidence-Based Visual Cues multidisciplinary_advisory_modelBen's Bells uses a multidisciplinary advisory council to guide program development and evaluation, and applies the science of visual reminders to improve memory, recall, and emotional responses, connecting learning with human experience and shared values.
- School-Based Kindness Culture Change school_based_culture_changeBen's Bells implements a school-based model to educate and empower students, faculty, and staff, fostering a culture of kindness within educational institutions, and removing financial barriers to participation through tiered pricing.
- School-Based Kindness Culture Change school_based_culture_changeThe organization implements a school-based model to educate and empower students, faculty, and staff, fostering a culture of kindness within educational institutions. This includes providing programming free to schools to remove budget barriers and using creative materials for social engagement and growth.
- School-Based Kindness Culture Change school-based_culture_changeBen's Bells implements a school-based model to educate and empower students, faculty, and staff to build and sustain a culture of kindness within educational institutions. This includes providing programming free to schools to remove budget barriers and focusing on social-emotional learning as a foundation for empathy and compassion.
- Therapeutic Art for Healing and Community Engagement therapeutic_artBen's Bells utilizes the therapeutic process of making ceramic wind chimes in a communal setting to promote healing and kindness. This art-based approach also serves to create visual reminders of kindness, raise funds, and engage community members in the creation process.
- Therapeutic Art for Healing and Community Engagement therapeutic_art_creationThe organization uses the communal process of making ceramic wind chimes as a therapeutic activity to promote healing, engage community members, and create visual reminders that foster a more gentle community.
- Therapeutic and Community-Engaged Art Creation therapeutic_art_creationThe organization uses the process of making ceramic wind chimes as a therapeutic activity for healing and as a means to engage at least 10 people from the community in their creation. These art projects also serve as visual reminders of kindness, raise funds for educational programming, and spread kindness in communities.
- Visual Reminders for Behavioral Change and Positive Culture visual_reminders_for_behavioral_changeThe organization distributes ceramic wind chimes as visual reminders to encourage the practice of intentional kindness and foster a more gentle community. This strategy applies the science of visual cues to improve memory, recall, and understanding, connecting learning with human experience and shared values, and integrating intentional kindness practices into the workplace to build positive culture.
- Vocational Training and Sustainable Revenue Generation vocational_trainingThe organization provides vocational skills training in retail and apparel design to young adult students with disabilities, while simultaneously generating a sustainable revenue stream through the sale of embroidered products to support its educational programming.
- Vocational Training and Sustainable Revenue Generation vocational_trainingBen's Bells provides vocational skills training in retail and apparel design to young adult students with disabilities, covering customer service, order processing, and operating industrial embroidery machines. This program also generates a sustainable revenue stream through the sale of embroidered products to support educational programming.
- Workplace Kindness Integration workplace_kindness_integrationBen's Bells integrates intentional kindness practices into the workplace to support individual employees, build team connections, strengthen departments, and foster a positive workplace culture, aiming to reduce employee stress and increase productivity.
named programs · 6
what they call their work
Bellings
Community recognition program that honors individuals demonstrating exceptional kindness by naming them "Bellees"
Camp Kind
Weeklong summer camp for children entering kindergarten through 3rd grade that uses hands-on activities to teach intentional kindness
Kind Campus
School-based program providing free resources to Pre-K through high school educators to foster a culture of kindness; includes monthly guides, posters, and skill-building tools
Kind Colleagues
Workplace program offering materials and activities to build social-emotional skills and create kind, engaged organizational cultures
Kind Stitches
Vocational training program where young adults with disabilities learn retail and embroidery skills while promoting the "be kind" message
Murals Program
Installs public art murals with kindness-themed messages in community spaces
relationships · 18
who they work with
- 94.9 MIXfm Partner — Announces the weekly "Bellee" and their story.
- Arizona State University Partner — Collaborates with researchers from Arizona State University through the Science and Culture Advisory Council to advance kindness education and outreach.
- Boston Children’s Hospital Partner — Collaborates with a medical fellow affiliated with Boston Children’s Hospital to inform kindness and mental health programming.
- Community Research, Evaluation & Development (CRED) Partner — Collaborated to develop tools for measuring the impact of Kind Campus programming.
- Harvard Medical School Partner — Engages a fellow affiliated with Harvard Medical School through the Science and Culture Advisory Council.
- Hotel Congress Partner — Participant in the Kind Colleagues program.
- Maynard's Market & Kitchen Partner — Participant in the Kind Colleagues program.
- Pascua Yaqui Tribe Partner — Includes a health department program manager from the Pascua Yaqui Tribe in the Science and Culture Advisory Council to support culturally informed programming.
- Pima Community College Partner — Engages a diversity, equity, and inclusion officer from Pima Community College as part of the Science and Culture Advisory Council.
- Science of Kindness Community Collective Partner — Collaborates to apply implementation science to embed kindness into school systems and practices.
- Southern Arizona community Partner — Engages with the community to celebrate kind individuals through the Belling program.
- TUSD’s Advanced Community Training (ACT) program Partner — Works with volunteers from the ACT program, who volunteer in Ben's Bells' studios.
- Tucson Unified School District’s (TUSD) Community Transition Programs Partner — Collaborates on the Kind Stitches program to provide vocational skills to students with disabilities and generate revenue.
- University of Arizona Partner — Collaborates with faculty and researchers from the University of Arizona through the Science and Culture Advisory Council to inform educational programming and research.
- University of Arizona Partner — Long-standing research partnership to study kindness programming and develop impact measurement tools.
- University of Arizona Partner — University of Arizona students provide instructional support to TUSD ACT students volunteering with Ben's Bells.
- University of TX at Austin Partner — Includes faculty from the University of Texas at Austin in the Science and Culture Advisory Council to guide programming and research.
- University of Virginia Partner — Engages faculty from the University of Virginia through the Science and Culture Advisory Council to support educational programming and research on kindness.