History of Acts of Kindness

In 2009, family and friends gathered to celebrate what would have been Steve Damm’s 41st birthday. They released balloons with personal notes to celebrate his life after he passed away from a glioblastoma.

The next year, Tyra, Steve’s wife, and their two children had a cake, but they weren’t sure how to celebrate. “And then it was weird. It was a sad day and we were like it’s really horrible to have a birthday when the person’s not there. And we didn’t know what to do,” said Tyra.

That birthday inspired the next birthday and the several after. On what would have been Steve’s 43rd birthday, the Damm family created “43 Acts of Kindness”. They were concerned they may not be able to complete the task, but through the power of social media, they had more than 400 acts of kindness that year. Each year this tradition continues in Frisco, Texas, and even across the country and globe.

How Can You Be #DammKind?

There are so many ways to be #DammKind each and every day! Here are just a few ways to support the 52 Acts of Kindness.

  • Purchase a stranger coffee or lunch
  • Make a generous donation to Head for the Cure or your favorite non-profit
  • Send a card to friends or family
  • Leave a generous tip when ordering takeout or delivery
  • Deliver (safely) a care package to your neighbors or co-workers

Whatever you do, just be #DammKind!

Head for the Cure and Brains for the Cure are proud to support the Damm Family and the Acts of Kindness. On Wednesday, November 4th, we encourage you to be #DammKind for Steve’s 52nd birthday! Be sure to snap a selfie of your act and post on social media with the hashtag #DammKind and tag Head for the Cure!

You can include the card below with your act to let others know why you are being #DammKind