Kindness is one of the most powerful acts in the world and Kendall’s Kindness is extraordinary. Kendall’s family has established Kendall’s Kindness, a non-profit organization, to honor Kendall’s kind and loving spirit. They are hoping to spread her warmth and love throughout the community with simple acts of kindness. Kendall Maffia was a beautiful, adventurous and exceedingly talented young artist with incredible compassion and empathy for others. Even in photographs, her dynamic and vibrant energy can’t be ignored. On October 11, 2021, Kendall tragically lost her life to suicide.

“Kendall was always passing on kindness to others, and we wanted to find a way to continue her legacy,” says Kim Maffia. Through Kendall’s Kindness, Kendall’s positivity and constant thoughtfulness for other people lives on in a variety of ways. “We have partnered with Random Acts Matter in St. Charles, The Boys and Girls Club, Batavia Popcorn Depot and several local schools to help spread her message,” says Maffia. Hurley & Volk, a local orthodontist, wears “Be the Reason Someone Smiles” shirts every month on the 12th and passes out cookies from Sweetness Cookie Company with Kendall’s “Be Kind - Pass It On” logo for their clients and partnering dentists.” Batavia Popcorn Depot selects a customer each month who has shown kindness and they are awarded a bag of popcorn. Sweetness Cookie Company gives out Kendall cookies to customers on the 12th and also on Kendall’s Birthday. “Currently, we are promoting a new random act of kindness on the 12th of every month, in honor of Kendall’s birthday on June 12th,” says Kim. “Then, those same acts of kindness get passed on and on. It’s not really about spending money; it’s just about being kind and thinking of people and doing nice things for people.”

On October 9th, 2024 the Maffia family, with the help of the Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley, St. Charles Arts Council, Fox.Build Makerspace and the St. Charles Area Chamber of Commerce celebrated a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Kendall’s Kindness mural in St. Charles. The mural “Blue Eyes and Butterflies” was created by Geneva-based artist Catherine Tilly. This mural is a gift to the community from the Maffia’s Foundation with hopes it will inspire kindness and connection within the community, and for all to be reminded to “Be Kind – Pass It On.” The Maffia Family was awarded a civic image award from the St. Charles Area Chamber of Commerce in May 2025 for their mural.

For the past three years, to honor Kendall on her birthday, the Maffia Family has organized a 5K memorial birthday walk. They invited family and friends to come out and celebrate, and over 200 people attended the first year which exceeded their expectations. The family has scheduled another 5K walk for June 7, 2026.

Beyond promoting kindness, Kendall’s Kindness also addresses mental health awareness, a topic close to the Maffia family. The organization aims to reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness and depression, while raising funds for local mental health support groups and suicide prevention initiatives. Additionally, Kendall’s Kindness offers 2- $1,000 scholarships to graduating seniors from St. Charles North and/or East High Schools who plan to pursue art degrees, reflecting Kendall’s passion for the arts. A total of 5 scholarships have been awarded since 2023.

As the organization grows, Kim hopes that Kendall’s sparkle continues to touch the community and create many random acts of kindness. “It’s always so nice to hear how others are passing on Kendall’s Kindness. It could be paying for someone’s coffee or just spreading a little cheer that day. A friend once told me she’s trying to be a kinder person like Kendall.” “The community’s involvement really helps us get through each day,” says Maffia. “It is helping, and it is impacting people.”

Please follow us on our social media platforms: KendallsKindness.com, kendalls_kindness, or on our Facebook page Kendall’s Kindness – Be Kind Pass It On, and follow our calendar of events at https://kendallskindness.com/events.