Waves of Goodness. Our origin story.

Waves of Goodness is more than just a foundation. It’s a belief that each act of kindness reaches beyond just the person served. 

Being kind makes others feel good. Why? Because they feel seen. They feel remembered. They feel connected. And when they feel that way, they’re put in a state of happiness that they want to share with others. 

For the individual feeling weary, weighed down, and discouraged with life, serving someone else can evoke wonderful change. This outward act of kindness can make you feel alive and at peace when all else has failed to help, because it creates a connection between you and another person. You feel purposeful. You are reminded of your inherent worth and ability to share it with another person. You are reminded of your value. 

This is what we at Waves of Goodness believe, what we live by, and why we do what we do. It’s even where we come from. Years ago, a dear friend shared this story with us of her experience and how it changed her life. It became the inspiration for the creation and purpose of our foundation. 

Cora, a 97 year old woman, was lonely and depressed. She frequently thought to herself, “I can barely take care of myself. What good am I to anybody else?”

One wintry morning Cora woke to 8 inches of snow, with snow still falling. Disheartened by the thought of shoveling all that snow, she waited out the storm. When the storm cleared, she looked outside to see that someone had already selflessly braved the cold and shoveled her driveway for her. 

The thought of someone showing her such unselfish kindness filled her soul with light and gratitude. Cora spent the rest of the day wondering about the identity of her angelic shoveler. She decided it had to be one of her twelve neighbors. 

As the day progressed, her mind returned to its usual state of self-pity. Until she had a spark of an idea: everyone loved her homemade bread. She decided that the next day she was feeling strong and healthy, she’d make twelve loaves of bread to deliver to her twelve neighbors. 

A day finally came when she could make the bread and anonymously leave them at the designated neighbors’ homes. She felt more happiness that day than she had in a very long time. But time passed and her old feelings of usefulness and sadness crept back into her life. Five months later, as she laid down for bed, she cried out to God, “Why am I still here?” and then quietly cried herself to sleep. 

As she slept, she found herself in a very vivid dream. She saw her twelve neighbors picking up the fresh loaves of bread she’d left on their porches. She felt absolute joy and love fill their hearts with appreciation for the unexpected act of kindness. As the dream continued, Cora saw how those feelings created a desire in each of them to share their own kind act with someone else in need. 

Cora awoke the next morning, knowing that her simple yet purposeful act of kindness truly impacted and influenced those around her, rippling outward to her neighbors, her community and beyond, flooding the world with waves of goodness.

Thank you Cora, for your wisdom and your inspiration. And thank you for changing our lives and the life of each person connected to Waves of Goodness. We are one of the many examples of your kindness rippling outward.