Who We Are
Underground Kindness is a non-profit organization focused on empowering students, supporting teachers, and connecting communities.
Mission
– Relationship with Self
UK offers students tools for self-acceptance, authentic expression, and the ability to manage their emotional, mental and physical well-being.
Vision
– Relationship with the World
Our goal is to support the efforts of teachers and parents to foster the growth of our Youngers into confident, participating members of society.
Why We Do It
Students are often overwhelmed by academic, environmental, social, and financial pressures, creating stress that they feel unequipped to handle or process in a healthy or effective manner. It is our intention to encourage and nurture the whole student.
The Philosophy
UK seeks no less than to make the world a better place by expanding the knowledge and inner strength of the young people in our programs. As they grow and develop into their potential, their wisdom and compassion ripples out into their communities. The end result is more positive places to live and interact, as well as a new generation of self-reliant, forward-thinking leaders.
Physical Activity
A major component of UK is the promotion of physical health. To this end, participants are able to study and practice yoga under the guidance of trained instructors. These are extra-curricular classes that take place before or after school hours when many young people would otherwise go home and be sedentary. This physical activity encourages weight loss, and strength building, as well as decreased stress and anxiety levels and better concentration.
Personal Awareness
By participating in the UK programs, students learn to align their bodies and minds for the most fulfilling outcomes. They become aware of their own inner dreams, desires, and uncertainties and become more adept at developing skills and processes for dealing with them positively. We honor values such as: • Integrity • Gratitude • Acceptance • Courage • Compassion
Emotional Health
The world we live in is a hurried and often chaotic one. This program is intended to teach its students how to slow down, to relax, and to let go of their stress. It provides skills they can use to manage their own personal emotions, as well as to consider how their actions will affect others. It also shows them the possibility that there are more important pursuits than those of material gain. Rather than being distracted by a constant pursuit to attain more, they learn the importance of the concept that “less is more.”
The Ripple
The ripple effect is a central theme of the Underground Kindness program. Through involvement in the group, students gain a deeper understanding of themselves, as well as how their actions affect others. In turn, they become actively engaged in creating positive experiences for themselves and others, choosing to offer unsolicited kindness and to “pay forward” the kindnesses they have received.