For all the trumped‑up ideas you’re already seeing to celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary — almost all of which seem designed to benefit the creator more than the moment — we offer you this: The FDU 250 Acts of Kindness.
The initiative, launched a few weeks ago, has one desired outcome: To bring kindness into the world.
That’s how Anita Rivers, a member of Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Board of Governors, explained it.
“It doesn’t cost anything to be kind,” she said. “That’s what we’re promoting.”
Rivers, who also serves as the school’s chief community relations and workforce development officer, said the idea came last summer at a Points of Light conference focused on how organizations can better support the communities they serve.
So, when FDU began exploring ways to mark the nation’s 250th anniversary, the concept was an easy fit.
Rooted in FDU’s tradition of providing personal, global and transformational experiences that extend beyond the classroom, the campaign encourages everyone connected to the university to give back through meaningful service.
Whether organizing campus and community clean‑ups, stocking local food pantries or supporting campus‑wide fundraising efforts, FDU’s 250 Acts of Kindness aims to make a lasting, positive impact on both the university and surrounding communities.
University officials say they’re fully committed — eager to provide support and clear messaging from leadership that reinforces the purpose of the campaign and encourages broad participation.
The initiative also creates opportunities for collaboration with industry, business and government partners, allowing students and staff to work alongside professionals to deliver meaningful services.
Rivers noted that work already is underway with the Morris County chapter of The Arc, a nonprofit that does extraordinary work supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
And here’s the best part: No one is really counting.
The hope is that the total will far exceed 250 acts — and that the spirit behind them will last well past July 4.
“We’re hoping that kindness will become part of the culture — and not just at the university, but in the community as well,” she said. “Remember, it doesn’t cost anything to be kind.”
