116 Smiles in One Day: Our Visit to the Cleveland Kindness Festival

A couple of months ago, I got an email from a woman named Joan in Cleveland. She said, “We’re hosting a Kindness Festival. Would you want to come?”

I didn’t know her. I didn’t know anything about the event. But I knew it was something I wanted to support. So I said yes.

We packed up the car in Pittsburgh, brought the kids, and drove out to Beachwood High School for the festival. We didn’t have a polished presentation or anything fancy. Just a booth, some free copies of The Goodness Game, stacks of bracelets and stickers, and a plan to meet people where they are.

Jonah’s Mission: Make 100 People Smile

Before we left the house, my son Jonah set a personal goal. “I want to make 100 people smile today,” he said.

By the time we packed up that afternoon, he had counted 116.

That was the real win of the day. Not giving books away. Not networking. Just being present, showing up, and connecting with real people.

We waved. We listened. We handed out bracelets and asked questions. And we smiled.

What the Kindness Festival Was All About

The vibe at the Kindness Festival was something special. It wasn’t loud or overwhelming. It was warm. The kind of energy you can feel when everyone is there for the right reasons.

There were booths set up by nonprofits, educators, caregivers, and volunteers. One of the groups we met was the Cleveland Kids Book Bank They collect gently used books and get them into the hands of children who might not have any at home. Their team was full of heart and doing important work that aligned perfectly with our mission.

Another group shared a stat that stuck with me. If you read to a child for just 20 minutes a day, they will hear 1.8 million more words in a school year. That is how big of a difference small, consistent actions can make.

Stories That Stayed With Us

Some of the most impactful parts of the day came through unscripted conversations.

One woman shared how her high school Spanish teacher made learning feel fun and accessible. That one teacher inspired more than a dozen students to pursue careers in Spanish or education. It started with a classroom full of encouragement.

Another woman told us how Kelly Clarkson once donated a van to her nonprofit. That van now lets her travel to parks, rec centers, and underserved neighborhoods to hand out books and resources to kids.

And someone else said one small action I took—just reading her email and responding—meant more than I knew. That stuck with me. Because sometimes just showing up is the whole point.

What the Day Meant to Us

We didn’t go to the Kindness Festival to promote anything. We went to be part of something good. And we left reminded of how powerful small gestures really are.

Jonah smiled at someone. They smiled back. That moment might have ended there – or it might have changed their day. We will never know the full ripple effect, and that’s kind of the beauty of it.

What I do know is this: by the end of the event, 116 people had smiled because of something as simple as a bracelet, a conversation, or a wave.

Keep the Ripple Going

If you want to start your own ripple, check out The Goodness Game. It’s a short, practical book about using what you’re already good at to make a difference. Not through grand gestures, but through small, consistent acts of kindness.

You can get a copy on Amazon right here. No pressure. No fluff. Just real stuff that works.

Because the truth is, kindness doesn’t need a budget or a big plan. It just needs a willing heart.