New Kindland Gallup poll reveals a striking generational divide in how Americans approach kindness

The United States of Kindness is issuing a nationwide call to action encouraging all Americans to participate in 250 Acts of Kindness to honor America’s 250^th birthday in 2026

Results from the Kindland Gallup poll on the state of kindness in America point to a gap in how comfortable people in certain age groups feel acting on kindness. While 64% of adults aged 65 and older say they are very comfortable initiating kind acts toward strangers, just 35% of those aged 18 to 29 say the same. Younger adults also report fewer observed acts of kindness in daily life.

The findings also show that a majority of Americans regularly witness acts of kindness in their daily lives. Six in 10 U.S. adults say they see people treating others with kindness and respect either “very often” (20%) or “often” (40%), while 32% “sometimes” see kind behavior and just 8% say they “rarely” or never “do. At the same time, many do not see kindness as a defining characteristic of the nation.

“The data tells us something simple,” said Stuart Muszynski, President and CEO of the Values-in-Action Foundation. “People are experiencing kindness, but they’re not always acting on it or seeing it reflected more broadly. That’s why the United States of Kindness issued its call to action. If millions of people perform 250 kind acts, it starts to change what people experience every day. The perception that kindness is in their lives and can impact them is an important one that can drive positive relationships across America. What better time to start than in this banner anniversary year of our country.”

Together, the findings from the Kindland Gallup poll point to a clear opportunity: when kindness is experienced more consistently and made more visible, it becomes easier for people to act on it themselves. Kindness then becomes contagious.

Retired Army General David H. Petraeus, a national spokesperson for the effort, said “Kindness is rooted in understanding and compassion and calls for treating others as we would like to be treated. Even in these tough times kindness can prevail because it actually works to build trust and foster collaboration.”

Participants are encouraged to share moments of kindness, whether highlighting something they experienced, something they witnessed, or something that made an impact. The goal is to make everyday kindness more visible.

Early participation is already underway across schools, workplaces, and community organizations, with partners beginning to incorporate the effort into existing programs and daily routines.

The release of the Gallup data and the launch of the national effort together mark a coordinated step toward better understanding and expanding the role of kindness in everyday life. At a time when America often seems to be torn and frayed at the edges, kindness can be healing ,bringing a core value that pulls us together.

About the United States of Kindness

The United States of Kindness is a national initiative leading up to America’s 250th anniversary, inviting individuals, schools, businesses, and communities to complete 250 acts of kindness and share their stories. The effort is designed to make everyday acts of kindness more visible and more consistent across communities.

About Values-in-Action / Kindland

Values-in-Action Foundation is a national nonprofit focused on social-emotional learning, workforce readiness, and kindness-based programming in K–12 education. Through its Kindland initiative, the organization works with more than 5,000 schools across all 50 states and partners with communities, businesses, and civic leaders to promote kindness in everyday life.

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