WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — KindWorks.org nonprofit organization that started about 13 years ago. It's mission is to inspire actions a kinder world and makes it easy for anyone to make a difference in their community.
Salma Hasan Ali is its "Chief Inspiration Officer" and she joined Allison Seymour to talk about the group.
Ali said, "Our mission is to inspire action for a kinder world. We provide opportunities for people to take part in different volunteer activities different service activities that our community to give back.
Seymour said, "One of the opportunities that you give people is through a project called Kind Soup for the Soul, can you tell us about it?
Ali replied, "Oh, I love this project, we started about three months ago. And the idea was we’ll meet in our kitchens, make soup will connect by Zoom. And we'll make a huge pot of soup, and we make enough to feed our families, and then we make a lot extra that we share with food banks with the shelters, with our neighbors with anyone who we just feel needs to pick me up, you don't need that embrace that a cup of soup provides."
Participants share stories and have built their own "Kindemic" community.
Click here for the recurring Zoom link and previous recipes
KindSoup For The Soul has shared more than 1600 quarts of soup with people in need through food banks and shelters and with neighbors and folks that just need a lift.
The group also runs a Digital Empowerment initiative.
The group collects old laptops and computers by sharing on community listservs, and its volunteer team refurbishes the computers.
"We all have computers collecting dust, and we've got this amazing team of volunteer refurbishers who love to tinker with computers, and we bring them back to life, and then we donate them really quickly to students and to families," Ali said.
So far, they've donated 60 computers, each one with a life-changing story.
For example, a local teenager was forced to drop out of high school when his father went into coma. He's now studying for his GED with a KindWorks computer and planning to go to college.
Seymour said, "It’s been our pleasure to share your story, but we know it's not inexpensive. So, on behalf of WUSA9 and Easterns Automotive Group, we'd like to donate a check to you for $1,000."
"Oh, my goodness. Oh, my goodness that is unbelievable. Believe me, we will put every penny of that to good use to the service of our community. Thank you so much," Ali replied.
KindWorks appreciates any and all financial donations and is a 501(c) 3 tax exempt organizations.
It's Employer ID # is 26-2394925.
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Get Up DC wants to thank Easterns Automotive Group for partnering with us and sponsoring the segment.