Growing Kindness™: Stories of kindness, generosity and community that inspire hope

When I think about the power of flowers, I often think about the connections they create. In this conversation, I’m joined by Jenny Pirto, a longtime member of the growing kindness project , who shares how cut flower gardening became a pathway to deeper friendships, meaningful service, and lasting community connection . From raising her children with a heart for generosity to finding belongin...

As a mom, one of my greatest hopes is to raise kind kids who understand that even the smallest act of generosity can make a difference. In this heartwarming conversation, I’m joined by sisters Seraphine and Aliana Hernandez, two young girls who are doing exactly that. Through crocheted bookmarks, handmade gifts, flowers, and simple acts of service, they are actively growing kindness in their neigh...

When I first heard Dr. Barbara Rembiesa share the phrase, “your nothing is someone else’s everything,” it stopped me in my tracks. How often do we underestimate what we have to offer? In this conversation, Dr. Barbara Rembiesa shares why the smallest gestures can create lasting ripple effects , how everyday kindness has the power to transform lives, and why there are always meaningful ways to give...

There is something profoundly healing about putting your hands in the soil, slowing down long enough to notice what’s blooming, and remembering that beauty does not have to be productive to be meaningful. In this episode, I’m joined by author and therapeutic horticulturist Elizabeth Brown for a deeply honest conversation about therapeutic gardening , grief, motherhood, burnout, and the powerful ro...

When I first heard Ashley Manning’s story, I couldn’t stop thinking about how one simple yes can ripple farther than we ever imagine. In this conversation, I sit down with Ashley Manning, the heart behind watch love grow , to talk about how a single act turned into something that is now reaching thousands. This is more than a story about kindness . It’s a reminder that community kindnes s  be...

Some stories stay with you long after the conversation ends, and this is one of them. In this episode, I sit down with Shari Froelich to talk about what it really means to be carrying grief while still showing up with compassion and presence. Through her powerful caregiver story , Shari shares how years in nursing, hospice, and personal loss shaped the way she approaches love, loss, and connection...

In this episode, I sit down with Olivia Sharp to share a story that will stay with you long after you listen. Olivia opens her heart about her experience with neonatal loss and what it looks like to carry grief while still choosing to move forward. Through her journey, we explore love after loss , the quiet ways healing can begin, and how something as simple as flowers can become a lifeline. This...

What if the greatest gift in your hardest season is becoming a giver again? In this episode, I sit down with Robbie Bennett to share her powerful story of grief, healing, and finding purpose after loss. After walking through the illness and passing of her husband, Robbie found herself navigating a new life that felt uncertain and heavy. But through simple, intentional moments of being a giver , sh...

What if growing kindness could start with just a few flowers in your backyard? In this episode, I sit down with longtime Growing Kindness ambassador Amy Sonnek from Stillwater, Minnesota. Amy shares her beautiful acts of kindness story about how a small backyard garden turned into a meaningful way of giving away flowers in her community. What began during the pandemic as a search for connection qu...

Letting go to grow   is never easy, but sometimes it’s the very thing that allows something beautiful to become what it was always meant to be. In this deeply personal episode, I’m sharing about   the next chapter   of   growing kindness   and a significant   leadership shift   that marks a new season for our movement. After seven years of nurturing this mission...

In today’s episode, I sit down with Shannon Morris to share a powerful story of grief, love, and a legacy of kindness that continues to ripple outward. After the heartbreaking loss of her daughter Fallon, Shannon Morris chose to carry her daughters love forward through intentional acts of service and spreading kindness in her community. What unfolds is a deeply honest conversation about learning h...

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Darvish to explore the healing power of giving and the scientific link between service, kindness, and longevity. As we talk, we move beyond intuition and stories and into the fascinating science behind why acts of service change us at a cellular level. From hormones like oxytocin to the deep connection between emotional well-being and physical health, this conv...

What happens when a classroom teacher turns her front yard into a kindness garden and quietly changes an entire town? In today’s episode, I sit down with Sue Carney , a retired teacher whose cut flower garden has become a powerful source of community kindness . What started as a love for gardening has grown into thousands of freely given bouquets, meaningful connections, and a beautiful example of...

In this episode, I sit down with flower farmer Kim Hill to talk about what it really looks like to combine cut flower gardening with a heart for community kindness . Kim shares her story of building dreams through flowers, navigating life as a for-profit flower farmer, and discovering how to spread kindness in sustainable, practical ways. This conversation is full of honesty, encouragement, and si...

In today’s episode, I sit down with Growing Kindness ambassador Kelsey Tolsma and her daughter Brecklin to explore what it looks like to raise children who are truly growing kind . Kelsey shares how flowers became a source of courage, creativity, and connection for her daughters, and how their small acts of giving have grown into beautiful stories of giving that continue spreading kindness through...

What happens when teaching becomes a doorway to transformation, and students discover the power of community kindness through simple, hands-on work? In today’s conversation, I sit down with Amy Morrison, a devoted FFA teacher whose work with flowers has grown into a beautiful practice of community kindness . Her classroom is full of heartwarming stories , meaningful projects, and daily moments of...

What if the simple choice to offer what you have could truly change a life? In this tender conversation with my friend Ganjana, we explore one of the most powerful kindness stories I’ve ever witnessed within our growing kindness community. Her journey is woven with grief and hope , courage and fear, and the everyday bravery it takes to offer small acts of kindness even when life feels too overwhel...

What happens when a five-year-old says yes to a simple idea - and keeps saying yes for the next fifteen years?  In this inspirational story about giving , I sit down with Maggie Hartman to talk about how one small act of generosity bloomed into a movement that’s helping thousands of people each year. At just five years old, Maggie started selling flowers from her garden to fund a family trip....

What if the hardest season of your life became the soil where kindness could grow?  In this episode, I sit down with Alicia Plante, whose story is a beautiful reminder of the many ways to show kindness , even when life takes an unexpected turn. After a stage four cancer diagnosis, Alicia found purpose and peace through her garden - growing and sharing flowers as acts of generosity and love. H...

Have you ever wondered if one small act of kindness could truly make a difference?  In this first episode, I share how a simple cut flower garden planted during a hard season became the beginning of a movement dedicated to spreading kindness around the world. When I started the Growing Kindness™ Movement, I never imagined it would reach far beyond my own backyard. What began as a few jars of...

In a world that often feels divided and distant, I believe there’s still so much beauty to be found in small, simple acts of kindness.  Welcome to the Growing Kindness™ podcast - a home for heartwarming stories , honest conversations, and reminders that what you do really does make a difference. I’m Deanna Kitchen, founder of the Growing Kindness™ Movement, and I’m so glad you’re here. This t...