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BEN'S BELLS INC
TUCSON, AZ · EIN 760779755 · Form 990 · FY2021 · NTEE F60 · Mental Health & Crisis Intervention · Small ($100K-$1M) · bensbells.org
revenue
$916K
expenses
$843K
net assets
$475K
employees
31
volunteers
1,083
program ratio
67%
mission · from form 990

TO TEACH INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES ABOUT THE POSITIVE IMPACTS OF INTENTIONAL KINDNESS.

profile · synthesized from sources

Ben's Bells is a nonprofit organization that promotes intentional kindness through education and community engagement. Founded in 2002 after the death of founder Jeannette Maré's young son, the organization creates and distributes handmade ceramic wind chimes as symbols of kindness. It delivers kindness education programs in schools, workplaces, and communities across the U.S. and internationally, supported by research partnerships with the University of Arizona.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2021

what they reported doing

Program narrative the organization filed with the IRS. Ordered by program spending.

  1. #1 primary $118K
    EDUCATION:SINCE ITS INCEPTION, OVER 800 SCHOOLS HAVE PARTICIPATED IN OUR KIND CAMPUS PROGRAM, MEANING MORE THAN 1.7 MILLION STUDENTS HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN STRATEGIES FOR BUILDING KINDNESS SKILLS (SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SKILLS) THAT FOCUS ON THE FOUR TENETS OF OUR PROGRAMMING: THE KIND MIND, SELF-KINDNESS, SOCIAL KINDNESS, AND KINDNESS IN ACTION.OUR OTHER KINDNESS EDUCATION PROGRAMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AND GROW WITH 44 ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE FORMALLY PARTICIPATED IN OUR KIND COLLEAGUES PROGRAM, WHICH HAS BENEFITTED MORE THAN 33,000 EMPLOYEES AT PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS. MEANWHILE, MANY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS PARTICIPATE IN OUR KINDNESS EDUCATION PROGRAMMING THROUGH SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS, GROUP VOLUNTEERING, AND WORKSHOPS. IN 2021-2022, WE HONORED 30 INDIVIDUALS FOR THEIR KINDNESS WITH BEN'S BELLS. WE HAVE ALSO DISTRIBUTED OVER 70,000 BELLS SINCE WE STARTED IN 2003. OUR MISSION ALSO CONTINUES TO RESONATE WITH OUR COMMUNITIES, AND OUR VOLUNTEER CORPS CONTINUES TO BE A STRONG AND IMPORTANT PRESENCE TO OUR MISSION AND GOALS. THIS YEAR, 1,385 PARTICIPANTS DEDICATED 12,335 HOURS TO HELP CREATE HAND-MADE ART PIECES, PARTICIPATE IN OUR EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH, AND SUPPORT OUR MESSAGE OF INTENTIONAL KINDNESS AT EVENTS THROUGHOUT ARIZONA AND CONNECTICUT.
  2. #2 $60K
    MURAL:BEN'S BELLS HAS INSTALLED A SERIES OF KINDNESS-THEMED MOSAIC MURALS IN TUCSON, PHOENIX, CONNECTICUT, AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS. THESE BRIGHTLY COLORED PUBLIC ART PIECES SYMBOLIZE COMMUNITY CONNECTION AND SUPPORT THROUGH KINDNESS, AND ARE CREATED BY A DIVERSE GROUP OF STUDENTS, LOCAL ARTISTS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHEREVER THEY ARE LOCATED.IN DECEMBER OF 2009, THE BEN'S BELLS PROJECT, TUSD'S COMMUNITY TRANSITION PROGRAMS, AND THE MARSHALL FOUNDATION BROUGHT WORLD-RENOWNED AND AWARD-WINNING MOSAIC ARTIST ISAIAH ZAGAR FROM PHILADELPHIA TO TUCSON. HE TAUGHT THE "ZAGAR METHOD AND WORKED ALONGSIDE STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO INSTALL MOSAIC ART ONTO TWO PUBLIC WALLS WITHIN MAIN GATE SQUARE. THE ZAGAR WORKSHOP RESULTED IN THE COMPLETION OF THE FIRST LARGE-SCALE KINDNESS CORRIDOR MOSAIC ART MURAL.SINCE THEN, BEN'S BELLS HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN CREATING DOZENS MORE COMMUNITY MURALS, AND WE REGULARLY INSTALL OUR BELOVED "BE KIND" FLOWER AND "KINDNESS TREE" AT SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS IN ARIZONA, CONNECTICUT, AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS.
named programs · 6 · from sources

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
activities · 6 groups

what they do

  • Character Education Through Kindness & Values-Based Programming 12 activities
    • Collaborating on kindness education research
      Collaborates 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 education
      Collaborates 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.
    • Collaborating on kindness research and implementation
      Collaborates 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.
    • Kind Campus Educational Programming
      Offers 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
      Operates 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 Research and Collaboration
      Collaborates 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.
    • Operating kindness education programs for schools
      Offers 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
      Offers 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 kindness education programs for schools
      Offers kindness education programming, including 30-minute interactive Kind Campus Assemblies led by staff, to schools. This program has been adopted by over 500 schools across the US and internationally, reaching over 1.6 million students, and teaches about the human brain to develop awareness and compassion.
    • Operating the Kind Colleagues program
      Provides 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
      Provides 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.
    • Providing kindness programs for workplaces
      Operates the Kind Colleagues program, providing lessons, activities, and materials (including monthly guides, posters, videos, and weekly emails) to businesses and organizations to foster a kind and effective work environment, with support from Ben's Bells staff.
  • Kindness Art Object Distribution 8 activities
    • Creating and selling kindness merchandise
      Creates mosaic stepping stones and merchandise featuring selected designs as visual reminders of kindness. Students from TUSD embroider the "be kind" logo on various products and personal items, which are sold through channels like Shop Kind, TUSD’s Main Gate Collaborative Art Studio, and pop-up shops.
    • Creating and selling kindness merchandise
      Creates 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
      Creates 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.
    • Distributing Ben's Bells
      Distributes 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
      Distributes 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 thousands annually.
    • Distributing ceramic kindness bells
      Distributes 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.
    • Distributing ceramic kindness bells
      Distributes 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.
    • Kindness-Themed Merchandise and Murals
      Creates 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.
  • Kindness Promotion and Recurring Donor Programs 3 activities
    • Bellee Recognition Program
      Announces a "Bellee" each Friday, sharing their story on social media to highlight individuals embodying kindness.
    • Recognizing individuals for kindness
      Announces a "Bellee" each Friday, sharing their story on social media to highlight acts of kindness.
    • Recognizing individuals for kindness
      Announces a "Bellee" each Friday, sharing their story on social media to highlight acts of kindness.
  • General Volunteer Support Services 3 activities
    • Engaging volunteers in bell creation
      Engages thousands of volunteers annually in the creation of ceramic bells at its studios.
    • Engaging volunteers in bell creation
      Engages thousands of volunteers annually in the creation of ceramic bells at its studios.
    • Volunteer Engagement and Studio Operations
      Engages 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.
  • Youth and Community-Centered Art for Civic Engagement 2 activities
    • Creating kindness-themed murals
      Completes kindness-themed murals, such as the 100th mural at Roadrunner Elementary School.
    • Creating kindness-themed murals
      Completes kindness-themed murals, such as the 100th mural at Roadrunner Elementary School.
  • Uncategorized 7 activities
    • Camp Kind
      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.
    • Operating Camp Kind
      Operates 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 Camp Kind
      Operates 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
      Operates 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 physical locations
      Operates two locations in Tucson, Arizona: one in downtown at 40 W. Broadway Blvd. and another at Main Gate at 808 E. University Blvd.
    • Operating physical locations
      Operates physical locations in downtown Tucson at 40 W. Broadway Blvd. and at Main Gate in Tucson at 808 E. University Blvd.
    • Science and Culture Advisory Council
      Operates a Science and Culture Advisory Council to develop, review, and monitor the effectiveness of educational programming and to create and oversee a research portfolio.
financials · form 990 · fy2021
revenue
Total revenue$916K
Contributions & grants$346K38%
Program service revenue$150K16%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$420K
expenses
Total expenses$843K
Program expenses67%
Admin / overhead18%
Fundraising14%
Salaries & benefits$601K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$555K
Cash$135K
Investments$0
Liabilities$80K
Net assets$475K
Liquid reserves1.9 mo
3 years on record · 2019–2021 · YoY revenue +37.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2021

who runs it

paid leadership · 2
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
HELEN GOMEZ BERNARD CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 40 $80K
JEANNETTE MARE CHIEF KINDNESS OFFICER 5 $16K
board members · 14
  • ANDREW LURIA — DIRECTOR
  • ASHLEIGH KRUK — DIRECTOR
  • CHRIS FONSECA — TREASURER
  • DANIELA SIQUERIOS — PRESIDENT
  • DEBBIE MCGUIRE — DIRECTOR
  • ERIKE BARNES — DIRECTOR
  • FOREST MELTON — DIRECTOR
  • JENI JANKOWSKI — DIRECTOR
  • JOSHUA PEEBLES — DIRECTOR
  • MARY MELADY — SECRETARY
  • PHIL TILICKI — DIRECTOR
  • RYAN SHIRLEY — DIRECTOR
  • SHANNON TIGHE — DIRECTOR
  • STACEY WORTHINGTON — DIRECTOR
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.