Lady Gaga's Born This Way Foundation is kicking off the month of September with the third annual #BeKind21 campaign, which calls on participants to do good deeds for 21 straight days.
With hundreds of partners and nearly five million people already pledging to "integrate kindness" into their lives, the foundation's goal this year also includes combating trauma caused by COVID-19 and social unrest, Maya Smith, executive director of the Born This Way Foundation, told Cheddar.
"Kindness can do everything from brighten someone's day to save someone's life, so the more of us that can think about how to include kindness in our everyday lives, the better off we'll all be," she said.
For those looking for ideas, the foundation will provide tips, Smith continued, saying there is no such thing as a small act of kindness.
The #BeKind21 challenge also aims to draw attention to mental health, as September is also recognized as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.
"These are uncertain and unprecedented times, so make sure you know the resources that support you, the people who you can talk to," Smith noted.
Spearheaded by a group of Channel Kindness reporters, — a Born This Way Foundation digital platform — the foundation is capping off the #BeKind21 campaign with a book release that includes a collection of goodwill stories. According to Smith, those personal stories aim to inspire people as the stresses of today become increasingly challenging.
"As you know [at Cheddar], telling the good stories, telling the stories of kindness and hope that keep you going, really matters," she said. "We wanted to present and offer a platform for young people to tell the stories of kindness in their communities and share their own brave voices."
The typical holiday rush to malls and other retail outlets on "Super Saturday" fell by 26 percent compared to 2019. Melissa Gonzalez, CEO and founder of retail strategist Lionesque Group, told Cheddar that shopping habits had already been changing. "I just think there's a shift in general. And then there's just a lot more pre-planning, and I don't think that's going to go away," she said. "You saw a lot of holiday gift guides go out earlier and deals go out earlier, so I think that's just going to be a trend going forward." She also discussed how cryptocurrency is going to play a role in retail in 2022.
Jeanenne Tornatore, travel expert, media personality, content creator, and former Orbitz senior editor, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where she runs through items flyers should be mindful of this holiday season as the omicron coronavirus variant continues to spread.
With only two days left until Christmas, last-minute shoppers are facing major issues caused by supply chain shortages and the rising omicron variant. Kristen Gall, president of Rakuten Rewards, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
Waze launched its first-ever "Year in Rear View" survey. Andrew Stober, Waze Head of Public Partnerships and Carpool, takes a look back at the year in travel to see the places we drove the most, the books and music that kept us entertained, and what we can expect in 2022.
Juan Perez Jr., education reporter for Politico, breaks down why Black Americans are leaving Chicago and how political controversy is impacting representation.
Marvel's "Spiderman: No Way Home" is the third highest-grossing film of the year and could be the only one to reach the $1 billion mark of 2021 with ticket sales already surpassing $750 million.
