Arizona Gives Day
Tuesday, April 1, 2025
What is Arizona Gives Day?
Arizona Gives is a collaboration between the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits and Arizona Grantmakers that began in 2013. Arizona Gives helps people find, learn about, and contribute to the local causes they believe in, like Ben’s Bells. They help raise awareness about Arizona nonprofits’ critical role in our communities and inspire people to give generously to nonprofits, making our state stronger, and creating a thriving community for all.
Why invest in Ben’s Bells?
Ben’s Bells was founded in Tucson, and we are proud to be one of Arizona’s longstanding nonprofits. Ben’s Bells teaches individuals and communities about the positive impacts of intentional kindness and inspires people to practice kindness as a way of life. Our programs are based on the belief that everyone can be kind and that kindness can be cultivated through education, visual reminders, and ongoing practice.
How do I donate?
Donations are made through the Arizona Gives Day website. Each donate link below will take you to the location where you can donate.
Thank you for investing in creating kinder communities on Arizona Gives Day and every day.
Double Your Impact For Arizona Gives Day!
Every dollar you give will go twice as far! Thanks to a generous $3,000 donor match, your donation will be matched dollar for dollar, doubling the impact in our community.
Join tens of thousands of Arizonans coming together to support local nonprofits that make a difference every day. When you give today, you’re not just donating — you’re building a stronger, kinder Arizona.
Give now and help us unlock the full match!
Olivia’s Kindness Connection
Davis Bilingual Elementary invited Ben’s Bells for an all-school Kind Campus Assembly in February. Ben’s Bells Education Team visits numerous schools each year to build excitement for learning about kindness and increasing kind behavior. Assemblies remind students that their kind actions have a huge influence on other students. When asked to recommend a student to participate in the Assembly, Sr. Jaime Valenzuela suggested fifth grader Olivia, who quickly recognized a photo in the presentation slides. “Hey, that’s me and my sister!” Olivia and her sister Eva were pictured in the slides as one of many examples of kind kids in the community. Having participated in Ben’s Bells programming since Kindergarten, Olivia bravely shared the importance of practicing kindness in front of the entire school. As she was recognized as a leader for her ongoing kindness, her smile was huge.
Your donation today allows Ben’s Bells to continue offering research-based programming like Kind Campus, available to any school free of charge. Learning about the benefits of kindness and seeing it modeled by one’s peers can have a lasting impact that kids take with them throughout their school careers and into adulthood. Being surrounded by examples of kindness on campus contributes to a school culture that benefits every student, their families, and the larger community.
Kindness in Action: Kind Cats at the Tucson Festival of Books
At this year’s Tucson Festival of Books, kindness took center stage as 16 students from the University of Arizona’s Science of Kindness Community Collective, known as the Kind Cats, came together to inspire kindness and connection. Led by Ben’s Bells Founder Jeannette Maré, the students created five different science-based activities to engage festival goers.
One activity encouraged reflection on the power of kindness. Participants were invited to answer two questions:
- In stressful times, what are the benefits of being kind to the people in your immediate community?
- In stressful times, how can we communicate kindness and support to each other in our immediate/local community?
Each response was added to a Kindness Chain, representing how impactful kindness can be in our community, and how it can grow. Throughout the event, the Kind Cats handed out 1,000 “Be Kind” stickers, hundreds of coloring pages, and gratitude notes, ensuring that kindness rippled far beyond the festival.
Reflecting on the event, Jeannette shared, “The students were superstars!” Their efforts not only sparked meaningful conversations, but also strengthened the foundation of a community built on kindness. The impact of the Kind Cat’s presence at the festival was clear — kindness is contagious, and together, we can make a difference.
Your support allows Ben’s Bells to continue to collaborate with community partners, like the UA Kind Cats, to foster vital conversations about intentional kindness. These important connections would not be possible without you!
Everyday Community Members Making a Difference
In September, Ben’s Bells honored Dr. Matthew Sammons at Banfield Pet Hospital with a Ben’s Bell. Each week, a community member is “Belled” for their kindness – they’re nominated by a peer, presented with a Ben’s Bell and gift pack, and their story is shared with the rest of the community. This act of gratitude is a special opportunity to highlight the kindness in our community and to hear inspiring stories from all over.
Nominator Nova Kline shared: “Dr. Sammons deserves to be Belled because of the incredible compassion he shows to his patients and their humans. He sits on the floor with the most anxious dogs and affords them an opportunity to become comfortable before examining them. He walks his human clients through heartbreaking moments so that they feel comfort. He walked beside us during a difficult journey while helping our pup keep her dignity. He treats his patients like family. Matthew also donates his weekends to help spay and neuter animals at PACC clinic and oversees other surgeries, helping to provide a better quality of life for all animals.”
Individuals like Dr. Sammons inspire kindness daily, making our communities a better place to live. Your donation allows us to continue celebrating kindness and honoring those who make a difference one small act at a time. Thank you for helping share their stories.
Together, We’re Building a Culture of Kindness — One Tile at a Time
This past year, the Ben’s Bells mission has grown thanks to companies that believe in the power of kindness to strengthen communities. With generous support from ADP, Citi, and Country Fair White Elephant, Ben’s Bells brought impactful kindness programming to nine schools in Rio Rico, Sunnyside, and west Tucson during the 2024-2025 school year.
Ben’s Bells was able to install murals, inspire students with Assemblies, and coach educators on the benefits of implementing kindness programming. These efforts are creating lasting change, embedding kindness into the culture of these campuses.
Community partners know that practicing kindness, paired with visual reminders, creates an impact that lasts for generations.
During their visit to Tully Elementary, Citi employees joined Ben’s Bells staff to install hundreds of colorful tiles, each handcrafted by students. As the final pieces were placed, a group of 5th-graders stopped on their way to the playground, proudly pointing out their own tiles. When they learned the mural would stand for 15–20 years, they smiled, already imagining bringing their families back one day to show them their piece of a lasting kindness legacy.
These young people, who are leaders at their school, understand the power of practicing kindness daily. The murals program creates connections while directly inspiring the kindness practice that is our mission.
Carmen Tineo, Vice President Fraud Prevention – Sr. Project Manager, Citi reflected on the mural project at Tully. “Working at Citi has shown me the power of community and volunteering. Being part of the Ben’s Bells mural creation is a reminder that small acts of kindness leave a lifelong lasting impact. It’s inspiring to know that our efforts today will encourage kindness for generations to come.”
The next morning, Supervisor Adelita Grijalva visited the mural, excited to see the students’ work and the beauty it brought to the campus. She stood proudly with two Tully students and Chuck McCollum, TUSD’s CTE Program Manager, celebrating the impact of the shared “Be Kind” message.
Help Us Send More Kindness Into the World — One Bell at a Time
For nearly two decades, Dennis and Annie Kruse have been champions of kindness through their incredible support of Ben’s Bells. Their journey began on October 1, 2006, when Annie found a Ben’s Bell, an experience that deeply connected her to the mission. Moved by the message, she immediately asked how she could help, and she’s been part of Tucson’s kind community ever since.
Together, Dennis and Annie have made it their mission to inspire kindness wherever they go. Whether hiking mountain trails or exploring new cities, they carry Ben’s Bells with them, leaving them for others to find when they need a reminder that kindness is all around us. Over the years, Dennis and Annie have personally hung more than 4,000 Bells, touching thousands of lives along the way.
For Annie’s 65th birthday, she turned her celebration into a fundraiser for Ben’s Bells, complete with a kindness-themed cake. And she’s not stopping there. For her 75th birthday, Annie is determined to raise even more, ensuring that our community studios remain open and accessible, so more people can experience the joy of creating and spreading kindness.
This Arizona Gives Day, You Can Help Continue Their Legacy
Your support ensures that Ben’s Bells continue to be hung by committed volunteers like Dennis and Annie. Each Bell is a simple, powerful reminder of the kindness we all need.
Give today and help us continue this beautiful mission of connection, compassion, and community.
The Power of a Simple Hello
Aaron Moreno, a 5th-grade student at Santa Clara Elementary School, created a kindness challenge that had a lasting impact. He’d signed up for Safety Patrol in the mornings, where he monitored students coming onto the playground from the cafeteria. Each day, he said “Good Morning!” to each and every student and adult walking past. Aaron started to count how many responses he got from others, be it a nod, smile, or otherwise, hoping to increase the number of responses. He quickly surpassed his goal of 100 responses and set an even higher goal, only to surpass that one, too. Aaron’s idea not only fits with the Bulldog B’s to success (Be Kind, Be Safe, Be Responsible, and Be Respectful), but also serves as an example of a kindness influencer at work!
At an all-school gathering to celebrate Aaron and his kindness, Principal Elda Peña spoke about how powerful his actions were. Not only did they set a positive tone for the day, but they inspired kindness in others.
Ben’s Bells joined Aaron and Elda on stage to honor his kindness with a Be Kind cape to the applause of his peers. Principal Peña noted, “This event truly filled my bucket, so I can imagine how special it was for Aaron and his family. Our teachers loved seeing him get recognized, and I am looking forward to having more kindness ambassadors and kindness heroes.” A few months later, Aaron was honored at a School Board meeting for his kindness.
Your contribution today allows Ben’s Bells to continue offering free, research-based programming that encourages students to begin kindness initiatives and supports schools to uplift student ideas and recognize their impact.