The Kindness Crew

Bestselling authors, corporate trainers and internationally acclaimed advocates for social change, the Kindness Crew is sparking a global revolution in kindness.

Originally in an effort to counteract grief and fear in the wake of 9/11, Val Litwin, Chris Bratseth, Erik Hanson and Brad Stokes-Bennett - four 28-year old Canadian "goodlums" - embarked upon a three-month non-profit marathon known as The Extreme Kindness Tour. Their adventures in alturism meant spending nights on the street with the homeless, staffing soup kitchens, breaking horses, roofing houses, swabbing decks, delivering flowers, singing songs, visiting hospitals, and staging "kindness protests" as they hugged their way into the hearts of thousands.

From audiences at Fortune 500 Companies to entire metropolitan centers, the Crew has inspired and mobilized thousands to commit acts of community service. With an impressive track record in creating and amplifying Corporate Social Responsibility programs, the Crew has been featured on CNN Headline News, Good Morning America, Canada AM, CBC Newsworld and England’s BBC Radio and profiled in hundreds of leading publications such as The Globe and Mail, Macleans and the National Post.

Today they continue to inspire countries, classes and corporations to raise funds and volunteers for charities and to embrace social responsibility.

• Kindness to Community

  The crew teaches employees how to engage their community and build social capital through positive networks.

• Kindness to Customers

  Bringing Kindness to Customers gives customers an unforgettable experience and helps connect communities that change the world.

• Kindness to Co-workers

  The crew guides employees to an understanding of what they can do to improve workplace relationships and create connections that build teams.

• Kindness to Self

  Employees are able to reach their potential at work, through the tools and simple strategies the Crew gives to achieve balance and optimum health at work.

• The Kindness Injection Presentation

  The purpose of the Kindness Injection is to educate and mobilize people into action — inspiring them to give back and obtain the highest possible level of purpose in both their personal and professional lives. It is a four-pillar program that focuses on kindness to: Self, Co-workers, Customers and the Community. Individuals will be given all the tools they need to invigorate these relationships.
  
  The Crew presents a unique perspective on CSR based on the scientific research that draws the connection between compassion and increased health and productivity. Through heartfelt and hilarious storytelling, interactive games, videos and music, the Kindness Crew takes audiences on their own Extreme Kindness journey. Audiences will walk away knowing the immense power they have to affect change in the workplace as well as the world at large.

• The Kindness Crew removes the noise and persona of business and reminds us to interact from a place of true self. In a business where relationships are everything, Val, Chris, Erik and Brad show how compassion can amplify and deepen all our interactions to maximize business outcomes.
  SAS President of Marketing for North America
• In a city of 8 million people, a little goes a long way, and I think that all the kindness injections you were responsible for sent out ripples of goodwill from everyone that you helped.
  Mayor Bloomberg's Volunteer Center, New York
• These guys have got their own standards. I've never seen a bunch of guys with so much energy, so much commitment, just passion. We are very proud to be associated with this young group of men. Their message rubs off on our staff, every one is smiling and having fun and that's what's its all about.
  SAS Canada
• We care about the people in our communities and one of our values is appreciation and respect for all: that means for our associates, for the community and for our customers. What this does is it creates an emotional bond with our associates and community we live in, and that is just good business.
  CHIP President
• An exhilarating, hilarious presentation with a timely message. My company will learn from this.
  Canadian Association of Family Enterprise Conference

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  October 2005

  Call to Arms

  This candid and inspirational account of the numerous acts of kindness performed by the Kindness Crew provides readers with ways to start their own kindness movement by showing them how to put the kindness philosophy into action. The crew explores cross-cultural, cross-generational, and corporate kindness as well as the power of one, kindness on the street, and extreme acts of kindness. The Extreme Kindness Tour shares heartwarming stories, testimonials, and photographs.

  
  
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  November -0001

  Cool to Be Kind: Random Acts and How to Commit Them

  In August of 2002, four twenty-something friends in Canada packed a motor home and embarked upon a three-month nonprofit marathon known coast to coast as The Extreme Kindness Tour. Their mission: to commit as many random acts of kindness in as many communities as possible. This record documents their heartwarming stories of friendship and kindness and provides readers with ways to start their own kindness movements and get involved in their own communities.