Marianjoy Staff Encouraged to Pay Kindness Forward

To prepare for National Random Acts of Kindness Day, leaders at Northwestern Medicine Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital in Wheaton are passing out kindness kits to employees. Staff are getting a treat and some encouragement to pay that kindness forward.

In addition to sweets and meditation coloring pages, the kits have “pay it forward” tickets, note cards, and a bingo card suggesting kind gestures, words and actions to express appreciation to others. Staff who complete the bingo card get a prize.

“We are acutely aware of how the last couple of years have been tough on our staff and we want to generate some good will, have some fun and build up our resiliency,” said Kim Pedersen, director of operations at Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital. “Isolation makes our world less kind. We want to perpetuate the idea of kindness and bring back a greater sense of community.”

Northwestern Medicine Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital provides intensive physical medicine and rehabilitation to individuals who have experienced an illness or injury. The hospital recently celebrated its 50th Anniversary.