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Mission:

The mission of Ben’s Bells is to teach individuals and communities about the positive impacts of intentional kindness and to inspire people to practice kindness as a way of life.

• The Ben’s Bells Project was founded in 2003 by Jeannette Maré.  She was inspired to establish the project as a way to recognize and continue the kindness shown to her after the sudden death of her two-year-old son, Ben.

• On the first anniversary of Ben’s death, Jeannette hung four hundred bells in public places as a way to thank the countless people that had showed her kindness. The response from those that found bells was overwhelming, as many of these individuals shared their stories of sadness, inspiration, resilience etc... This simple gesture of appreciation from a grieving mother turned into a catalyst for Ben’s Bells as a clear and impactful message was communicated, that Jeannette wasn’t alone, and that every individual and community needs kindness. To date more than 63,000 bells have been hung across the world with over 1,300 in CT alone in 2018.

Programs:

Ben’s Bells offers many unique and impactful ways to spread intentional kindness in communities. Several of these programs are offered at no cost and others are offered at an extremely fair price. At the heart of these programs is teaching the scientifically established skills needed to act with kindness.

• Kind Campus - A free social-emotional learning program provided by Ben’s Bells Educational Department to K-12 schools. There are currently  67 schools in the CT area registered.

• School Assemblies - An impactful way to share how campuses can commit to the practice of kindness, creating positive changes within the school and community.

• Family Nights - Workshops provided for communities to engage in the skill building of intentional kindness and to connect thru community art projects.

• Open Volunteer Hours - Our Bethel Studio is open to the public free of charge to participate in our community art projects. These projects produce meaningful, connecting tokens of art that are used to spread kindness in the community. In 2018 we had over 6,000 volunteers contribute close to 13,000 hours to support our Mission.

• Group Experiences - This 90-minute program provides groups the opportunity to engage in a fun, hands-on, educational and meaningful experience.  

• To Go Boxes - These kits are designed to bring the Ben’s Bells Studio experience offsite. They are often used by families, classrooms, or at meetings. The boxes are designed for groups of all types and ages and will help to build intentional kindness skills in a fun and interactive way.

• Murals- Symbolizing community connection and support, our mural program offers kindness-themed mosaic murals created by local artists, students, and community members. To date, Ben’s Bells has created 17 Murals in the CT Region.

• Belling- In 2018, CT launched the “Belling Program” which recognizes an individual who demonstrates intentional kindness in their community. Submissions are made online and a panel selects the recipient. The winner of this acknowledgment receives a Ben’s Bell during a ceremony often attended by their peers, family, and other members of the community.