The mission of Ben’s Bells project is to inspire, educate and motivate each other to realize the impact of intentional kindness and to empower people to act according to that awareness, thereby strengthening ourselves, our relations and our communities. The organization was founded in 2003 after the sudden death of Jeannette Maré’s two-year old son, Ben. The simple, everyday acts of kindness following his death helped Maré’s family to survive and begin to heal. Jeannette was inspired to establish the Ben’s Bells Project as a way to recognize and continue the kindness shown to her family. Although Ben’s Bells Project is known for its colorful ceramic bells hung throughout our communities, the organization also offers several programs to develop the life skill of intentional kindness. Ben’s Bells’ programs are based on the belief that everyone has the capacity to be kind and that kindness can be cultivated through education, visual reminders, and ongoing practice. The CT chapter was founded in February 2013, and since then, over 2,800 Ben's Bells have been created by volunteers in our studio, at community workshops and through our to-go box program. Additionally, almost 60 area schools are enrolled in our Kind Campus program, reaching nearly 30,000 students.
