fbpx
Connect with us

Life in Orange County

100 random acts of kindness you can do today

Sophocles once said, “To be doing good deeds is man’s most glorious task.” As with any commitment, it’s usually an easier task to accomplish if you have a daily reminder. For me, it’s my 100 Good Deeds bracelet. These bracelets were designed by the super talented Mary Fisher and are created by stringing 100 beads onto a cord – all are done by hand by HIV positive and economically fragile women in Uganda, Zambia, Rwanda, South Africa, and Haiti. There are also other products available online that help you keep track of your random acts of kindness, like this One Good Deed a Day journal and this Karma Calendar.

100 Good Deeds you can do today

Every year, the world gets together and celebrate Random Acts of Kindness day on February 17th. We love that everyone celebrates together… but wouldn’t it be awesome if we just kept random acts of kindness going year round?

100 Random Acts of Kindness and Good Deeds you can do today

Here are 100 random acts of kindness good deed ideas that we can all do to get through the first 100 good deeds beads.

  • Make a double-batch of something yummy and gift to a neighbor.
  • Buy a bag of good groceries and donate it to your local food bank or shelter.
  • Cut fresh wildflowers and bring them to your local nursing home so the residents can enjoy.
  • Bring your well-behaved dog for a visit at a local nursing home.
  • Hold the door for people behind you.
  • Bring someone less fortunate a plant or some fresh flowers.
  • Make a meal for a friend recovering from surgery or an illness.
  • Babysit for free – parents will always appreciate a much-needed break.
  • Put together a basket of treats for someone who has had a death in the family and deliver it after the funeral when they’ll need extra support.
  • Volunteer for a charity.
  • Instead of buying gifts for your family, agree to donate the gift in monies to a charity of their choice.
  • Pass on your unused monthly bus pass to someone in need.
  • Take your neighbors trash to the curb while you’re taking yours.
  • When in line at the grocery store, let the person behind you go in front of you.
  • Pet sit for neighbors going out of town.
  • Make or order dinner for friends with a newborn baby.
  • Pay for the person behind you at the drive-thru.
  • Help someone who looks lost with directions.
  • Donate blood or volunteer for the American Red Cross.
  • Donate your used clothes and housewares to charity.
  • Take a CPR class – you never know when you might need to use it.
  • Help an elderly person off the bus.
  • Bring your old magazines to a hospital waiting room to make a visitor’s wait better.
  • Write a letter or e-mail to a good friend or family member to let them know how much you value them.
  • Offer to walk a neighbor’s dog once a week.
  • Help a parent who is struggling to get a stroller down or up the stairs.
  • Offer an elderly person, a pregnant woman, a physically disabled person – or just someone who looks tired – your seat on the bus.
  • Keep your city clean by picking up plastic bottles and other trash you see around your neighborhood.
  • Visit a nursing home to chat with some of the residents.
  • Smile at everyone you pass on the street.
  • Pass on your books after you’ve read them for someone else to enjoy.
  • If you’ve discovered a great little restaurant or store, spread the word.
  • Let go of an old grudge.
  • Help wrap gifts during the holidays.
  • On a random weekend, surprise your loved ones with breakfast in bed.
  • When you come across a buy one, get one free deal, donate the free product to someone in need.
  • Compliment a stranger.
  • Volunteer to do someone’s grocery shopping for them every two weeks.
  • Leave your server a very generous tip.
  • Feed parking meters that are about to expire.
  • Pick up a large bag of cat or dog food to donate to a local animal shelter.
  • Write a note of appreciation to your mail carrier.
  • Give a lottery ticket to a stranger
  • Put together a writing kit with stationery, envelopes and stamps, pen and give to hospital/nursing home.
  • Put change in candy and vending machines – or tape a couple of dollars to the machine.
  • Buy a phone card and give to a homeless shelter for them to give to someone.
  • Take flowers to a hospital ward and give them to someone who hasn’t had any visitors.
  • Drop a few coins in an area where children play so they can find them.
  • Let someone merge in front of you during rush hour.
  • Many small, local nonprofits have “wishlists” of items they are currently looking for or always need. Provide 3 of those items.
  • Bring baked goods to your local police or fire station to say thank you.
  • Finish a punch card (for a restaurant, car wash, etc.) and give the “free” one to someone else.
  • Walk for something that is important to you.
  • Give a fast food gift card to someone who is homeless.
  • Put out a bird feeder to feed the birds.
  • Leave a note or a dollar in a library book for somebody else.
  • Donate books to the library.
  • While in a restaurant, pay for the meals at another table.
  • Weed someone’s garden.
  • Make arrangements to pay for a stranger’s gas, water, telephone, or electric bill.
  • Rake someone’s yard.
  • Go to the dry cleaners. Pay for someone’s dry cleaning.
  • Create care packages for the homeless.
  • Pay for movie tickets for a family while at the movie theater.
  • Stop by a street vendor and give the proprietor a $20.00 bill. Tell the proprietor to give free merchandise to the next several customers until the $20.00 is consumed.
  • Buy car wash certificates to keep in your car to use through out the year. Each time you go, give the attendant two tickets, one for you, and one for the car behind you.
  • Knit something for a friend, family member, or a cause.
  • Attend an event important to your loved one.
  • Mow a neighbor’s lawn.
  • Collect coats to donate.
  • Send a care package to a loved one.
  • Offer someone a piece of gum.
  • Make aromatherapy for someone.
  • Say “bless you” when someone sneezes.
  • Leave coupons at the grocery store by leaving the coupon next to the product that it is for.
  • Straighten things up on store shelves while you browse.
  • Hand out free popsicles on a hot day.
  • Reuse “thought-for-the-day” calendar pages by adding them to each piece of outgoing mail.
  • Leave quarters at the laundromat for others to use.
  • Return shopping carts to their designated area.
  • Share an inspirational quote.
  • Leave a thank you note.
  • Give a balloon to a child.
  • Read to a child.
  • Blow bubbles at the park for kids.
  • Donate your talents.
  • Call everyone you know and tell them you love them
  • Cheer someone on.
  • Offer a ride to someone who cannot drive or does not have a car.
  • Help someone achieve a goal.
  • Write encouraging messages on sticky notes and stick them in random places like a car wash, vending machine, etcetera.
  • Send expired coupons for military to use on base.
  • Take in someone’s garbage cans.
  • Say a prayer for someone.
  • Take crayons and coloring books to a hospital children’s ward.
  • Put a dollar in the toy section at your local dollar store.
  • Give stickers out to kids you pass on the street.
  • Write a note on the sidewalk with chalk and make someone smile.
  • Collect Box Tops and donate them to a local school.
  • Buy a 100 Good Deeds bracelet.
List of good deeds for students - examples of good deeds - LivingMiVidaLoca.com

Using this bracelet, I will be reminded to do random acts of kindness until it becomes second nature. Every time I go out of my way to perform a good deed, I will move the bracelet’s rubber ring closer to the 100th bead. When I am done with my 100 good deeds, I will start again. I want to see how many times I can start over this year! My goal – at least 4.

The 100 Good Deeds Bracelets are available for purchase at 100GoodDeeds.org in nineteen colors and two sizes, medium/large or petite/small. One hundred percent of proceeds from sales are reinvested in the 100 Good Deeds program.

Good deeds ideas
MLK day is just around the corner. Here are ideas to get you started on your good deeds journey. You can start with these or come up with something else that will be meaningful and make a difference in someone's life. All of us can do one act of kindness, which might include donating clothes, food, toys or money; volunteering at a homeless shelter; visiting people who are ill; mentoring children; providing job-related assistance like resume writing services; tutoring adults struggling with reading or math skills - even planting flowers! 
Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day!

Originally published on December 27, 2014. Last Updated on January 13, 2022 by Pattie Cordova

8 Comments

8 Comments

  1. Pingback: If you are SO Loved… SO Shine – Chronicles of a Working Mom

  2. Pingback: List of good deeds for kids | Living Mi Vida Loca & LMVL SoCal

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More in Life in Orange County

An OC guide sharing fun things to see, eat and do in Orange County, CA and beyond.

[email protected]

To Top