All the way from San Francisco, we came to Australia with the intention of making people smile, feel welcome, and overall be met with kindness in such a way that it would leave a lasting impact and encourage them to engage in acts of kindness more often.

Our project is called Love’n Aid. It’s a totally free event, designed to support individuals and empower communities. We never know when we have one of our Love’n Aid stands, what crowds are waiting for us. Sometimes we’re met with smiles and open arms, sometimes people don’t believe it’s free or think the idea of free hugs is totally weird – those are the people that roll their eyes and keep walking.

We keep on doing it, anyway. We do it for the people whose lives we touch. The people who participate in writing letters of friendship, the kids we talk to about kindness and whose faces we paint.

This particular event was PURE MAGIC. The stand was set up alongside the sustainable Living Festival on a beautiful hot summer day. Everyone was so kind and we were so well received. People understood who we were and why we were out to deliver smiles. We had people volunteering from all parts of the world, too! Poland, Scotland, USA, Australia… all out spreading the love!

At the end of the day we had bonded so much that none of us wanted to leave. A day remembered by all of us that volunteered as well as the people who participated… Fed Square is forever marked with happy memories for us all.