Traveling Bags of Kindness

Today's crumb comes from an alert reader in Plymouth, Indiana. She noticed a story from the Richmond, Indiana, Palladium-Item about a 10-year-old fifth grader named Olivia Dudas. Olivia was watching a TV program about paying it forward, and created a plan to make kids in her town smile. Her mom Andrea shared Olivia's plan on Facebook. It's quite simple. Neighbors take one of Olivia's empty gift bags and put in at least one item a child would like. Then they pass their bag along to another trusted friend, who adds another gift. By day 2, 16 bags were requested and delivered. By day three, 22 bags, and now more than 33 are in circulation.

                                                                                              Joshua Smith / Palladium-Item
"It makes me happy that so many people care about kids in need," says Olivia. "I'm extremely, extremely happy because everyone is joining together putting kindness into a bag and it is traveling." One Girl Scout troop is contributing gifts for teenagers. After the Dec. 20 deadline, Olivia will deliver the bags to the Salvation Army and Genesis shelters so the items can be given to their young clients. Olivia already plans to revive Traveling Bags of Kindness next Christmas.