Building Kindness in our Communities 

"Our Buddy Bench acts as an always present visual reminder to be kind. The Buddy Bench symbolizes making good choices, being inclusive, and taking care of one another. Having the bench on our playground is one more way to remind kids to make positive choices, and strengthens the school culture as a whole."

“I am so beyond touched by your kindness and support with this. I cannot believe there is an organization like this that is so generous in wanting to help our kids and community. Thank you so much!" - Emily Troyk

"Educating our students, truly means helping create individuals who can independently think deeper, analyze, and problem solve in both academics and social settings. These skills are crucial for their development, and for us, the buddy bench in an important piece to that intricate puzzle to help them be college and career ready, both as productive people and successful students."

"The bench plays a huge role in our Whitman playground, and kids are ecstatic about it. Loads of kids made new friends that they play with almost everyday. Kids that I used to see playing alone now have friends that they talk to. This Buddy Bench has brought new friends, laughter, and overall happiness to our school. Thank you!”

- Whitman Student Council

"Bullying takes place in one form or another on almost every school campus. The Buddy Bench provides a visible symbol that this type of behavior will not be tolerated and that every student has a right to a safe learning environment, both physically and emotionally, when they enter our school buildings."

“Intentionally teaching our students about empathy is an important focus at Lakeview. The buddy bench is a real life, in the moment, opportunity for our students to practice those skills. The value of the buddy bench cannot be highlighted enough!”