June 18, 2025 • 8 mins
Cody Foss, Executive Director of KindWorks, joins us live from the Travelers Championship to share the mission behind the nonprofit’s creative and compassionate work.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
And I'm Alison Demurs. I'm at the Travelers Championship. My
(00:03):
guest today is Cody Foss. He is executive director of
kind Works. Welcome to the show. Hi, thank you so
much for having us my pleasure. Tell me what is
the mission of kind Works.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
It's a great mission something myself and a lot of
the volunteers that support us are super proud of. Our
mission is to inspire humans to act more kindly toward
themselves and each other. One person, one kind act, and
one community in the.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Silent and you do this several different ways.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Yeah, calls are five divisions of kindness. And before I
go into actual divisions, that's why I explain that probably
the heart behind all the operations, everything I'm about to
talk about right now is because we have some of
the most loyal, amazing beings that volunteer to support us.
So when I say us, there's only two stats myself
(00:53):
and an amazing colleague, Malory, and then behind us, it's
just this amazing group of people that support us in
every possible level.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
Wow, you're lucky, very lucky.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
And very inspired. Yeah. So our our our five visions.
First one's education, we do stuck with students K through twelve,
which is skill trips, workshops and a Selmans. I think
there's an expectation in education to teach skills, social intelligence,
especially kindness, so we are welcome there. I think we
(01:22):
do a good job of aspiring kids and let them
know how impactful they can be, how they change people's lives,
and that that can be their superpower. But what's really
more interesting is that now in the corporate world, based
on research, companies are now realizing that kind culture is
not this soft scale that is something that you may
or may not want to have, that's actually essential for
a productive workforce for retention. And so shifting into that
(01:46):
area allows us not just to work with the kids,
but then also the parents. And while we change the
language with science and the information is the same. So
our educational apartment is why we do all this, and
that's kind of the backbone of everything for us. The
second thing we do is we have a studio in
bethel Tonicut, which is open to the public. It's free,
is inclusive, there is no criteria other than just being
(02:08):
a kind person and coming in and we teach something
that we call community or me or is this really
simple process of learning how to either cut shapes out
of clay or paint shapes out of clay. But whether
folks doing that realize what they are doing, you're actually
creating what we call tools of kindness. And I brought
one sample of that for all you guys if you
want to participate later, and they're called kind of stokens,
(02:30):
and the kind of stokens are something that are intended
to get to people when a kind act takes place.
So if you had this on the person and you
saw someone acting kindly, you would hand them the token.
The token is then in turn supposed to be passed
on to someone else, and then someone else, and then
someone else. It's powerful, especially this ideas human means we
(02:51):
don't do enough job just validating kindness. We don't go
up to someone and say, hey, I just saw what
you did. That was amazing, that was great, especially as adults,
you don't see enough for that. So this this can
be impactful. But maybe more importantly, if folks go and
they read the back of the tag and they read
the story, they realize this will meet by most of
the people and reeming.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
That believe the kindness. I love that so many people
right now feel overlooked or forgotten, and it's just so
nice to recognize them as being kind. I think they'd
be so caught off guard and feel so good about themselves.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
I agree on the amount of folks out there that
are dealing with anxiety, feel social isolation. You know, the
world can be unkind sometimes, and we have beautiful ways
of approach it. But our approaches almost finding gratitude, finding
kindness is out there and reinforce it. So that's that's
the kind of stokemum. It's but more importantly process. It's
the best example I need right now of what the
(03:43):
community ority is.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
But it's beautiful. That clay are is absolutely gorgeous. You
have a pink cart over there. It looks like a
red flower and even blue for men. It's not necessarily
just pink and red, but they're gorgeous.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
So all the volunteers that did this, there's so many
different interpretations of what the token might come out, so
you're seeing that reflects different people.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
In the community doing different things nice.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
And then to that point, we have our second areas
and I know if you're just tearing it, you can't
quite see it. But maybe I could share this on
your website. I'm holding a kind works bell and this
is considerably larger, has more components outside of the flower
in the top, which is a cookie cutter. Those beads
are individually made by volunteers and it's the same thing.
(04:27):
There's multiple stuffs this process. They have been four or
five people involved with that, and then we have this
really special group that will then pick out the beads,
just string it attached to the belt, order the top,
and these bells, unlike the tokens, we hang out in
public spaces for people to find, and this is more
random act of kindness first intentional, but we've gotten back
some of the most amazing stories about people finding a
(04:50):
bell while they're having a real day and sometimes you
just almost need the kindest part of magic sharing or
scientifically replicated. And so that's our second we hind bells.
The third year that we have is merchandise, which between
not sound like it's really pactful, but if you're what
I said, it's it's almost everything is done by volunteers.
(05:11):
So if we make a necklace and it says be
kind on it and it's made by volunteers, that can
be more impactful or different ornaments that have a messaging
of kindness. And we also know from a branding standpoint,
the more you actually see kindness throughout your day than
it could back impassion.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
Absolutely. It raises your endorphins and makes you feel better,
probably lowers your blood pressure.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
One hundred percent, so I can step away from the
divisions per second. When you said is probably what I
think is the most important thing for people realize when
we're talking about how important kindness is. So we know
through science that when you acted kindness and we would,
it will release me the hormones and dorphins in your
body to make you feel the pleasure of month. We
also know that the person that receives that act of
(05:52):
kindness will benefit from that same experience. This is the
really cool part. This is the ripple fact that this
is who I tell every single kid I've ever talked
to them an it observes that interaction of kindness will
also benefit from that release. It's that share experience. So
if you do something for one person and someone else
happened to notice it, you instantaneously impact the three people.
Sometimes it doesn't take more in a second, doesn't cost anything,
(06:16):
and you can change people lives. That's the power I
think sometimes hine kindness.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
It's just beautiful.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
And then as far as our programming, the last area
is our mural campaign. So what I was just what
I brought here today. The token and the bell beautiful
but relatively small. The murals are these colossal eight by
eight projects, unbelievably labor intensive. But what's so neat about
it is we use the same umanity art constant. Whether
(06:43):
it's we come out and bring play and if it's
in school, the kids will make the shapes for the
title and then they'll paint them when we come back
later to do the installation. We don't do it on
our own. We have a group of volunteers that will
implement every part of this, but we actually try to
teach people in the community how they do installation. So
by the time it's done and his legacy project goes
up on the wall either on the outside or inside
(07:03):
the building and smoll Or Company so many hands in
there part of that project and just reinforce it. Believe inclusion,
connection and kindness, and.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
I just feel like these people are making it with
love and that just whatever you believe, the energy inside
of it and from one person to another. It just
spreads and it's it just makes your day.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Yeah, I'd read totally, and I think you have to
ask some of the volunteers I was referencing. But what
I always I love the brig about he is that
not our volteer is so amazing and help us, but
they're always trying to do more, and they're there only
because they believe in the mission, because they see this
working and their part in exactly what you used to describe.
And I think that speaks volumes to what you can
do and connect people from kindness.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
For some reason, I just thought about my grandson. He's eight,
but when he was a little boy, I said I
would say things to him, Are you brave? He's like yes,
And I said are you smart? He's like yes, and
he said it he goes in kind I just thought
about that and I was like, wow, he got it.
Like he is. He's still extremely kind and loving and
it's just a blessing. Your web address is kindashworks dot org.
(08:09):
If anybody would like to buy, I'm calling them the
wind chimes, the bells, you have necklaces, you have the
Kindness tokens. If you'd like to make a donation, volunteer, sponsor.
When you do have an event coming up, and especially
right now with Berdie's for charity, please make a donation
to them, or go to Travelers Championship dot com and
make a donation there as well. Thank you so much
(08:30):
for being here. I'm speaking with Cody Foss, executive director
of Kind Works.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
Thank you, Browning. I appreciate that
And I'm Alison Demurs. I'm at the Travelers Championship. My
(00:03):
guest today is Cody Foss. He is executive director of
kind Works. Welcome to the show. Hi, thank you so
much for having us my pleasure. Tell me what is
the mission of kind Works.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
It's a great mission something myself and a lot of
the volunteers that support us are super proud of. Our
mission is to inspire humans to act more kindly toward
themselves and each other. One person, one kind act, and
one community in the.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Silent and you do this several different ways.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Yeah, calls are five divisions of kindness. And before I
go into actual divisions, that's why I explain that probably
the heart behind all the operations, everything I'm about to
talk about right now is because we have some of
the most loyal, amazing beings that volunteer to support us.
So when I say us, there's only two stats myself
(00:53):
and an amazing colleague, Malory, and then behind us, it's
just this amazing group of people that support us in
every possible level.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
Wow, you're lucky, very lucky.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
And very inspired. Yeah. So our our our five visions.
First one's education, we do stuck with students K through twelve,
which is skill trips, workshops and a Selmans. I think
there's an expectation in education to teach skills, social intelligence,
especially kindness, so we are welcome there. I think we
(01:22):
do a good job of aspiring kids and let them
know how impactful they can be, how they change people's lives,
and that that can be their superpower. But what's really
more interesting is that now in the corporate world, based
on research, companies are now realizing that kind culture is
not this soft scale that is something that you may
or may not want to have, that's actually essential for
a productive workforce for retention. And so shifting into that
(01:46):
area allows us not just to work with the kids,
but then also the parents. And while we change the
language with science and the information is the same. So
our educational apartment is why we do all this, and
that's kind of the backbone of everything for us. The
second thing we do is we have a studio in
bethel Tonicut, which is open to the public. It's free,
is inclusive, there is no criteria other than just being
(02:08):
a kind person and coming in and we teach something
that we call community or me or is this really
simple process of learning how to either cut shapes out
of clay or paint shapes out of clay. But whether
folks doing that realize what they are doing, you're actually
creating what we call tools of kindness. And I brought
one sample of that for all you guys if you
want to participate later, and they're called kind of stokens,
(02:30):
and the kind of stokens are something that are intended
to get to people when a kind act takes place.
So if you had this on the person and you
saw someone acting kindly, you would hand them the token.
The token is then in turn supposed to be passed
on to someone else, and then someone else, and then
someone else. It's powerful, especially this ideas human means we
(02:51):
don't do enough job just validating kindness. We don't go
up to someone and say, hey, I just saw what
you did. That was amazing, that was great, especially as adults,
you don't see enough for that. So this this can
be impactful. But maybe more importantly, if folks go and
they read the back of the tag and they read
the story, they realize this will meet by most of
the people and reeming.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
That believe the kindness. I love that so many people
right now feel overlooked or forgotten, and it's just so
nice to recognize them as being kind. I think they'd
be so caught off guard and feel so good about themselves.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
I agree on the amount of folks out there that
are dealing with anxiety, feel social isolation. You know, the
world can be unkind sometimes, and we have beautiful ways
of approach it. But our approaches almost finding gratitude, finding
kindness is out there and reinforce it. So that's that's
the kind of stokemum. It's but more importantly process. It's
the best example I need right now of what the
(03:43):
community ority is.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
But it's beautiful. That clay are is absolutely gorgeous. You
have a pink cart over there. It looks like a
red flower and even blue for men. It's not necessarily
just pink and red, but they're gorgeous.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
So all the volunteers that did this, there's so many
different interpretations of what the token might come out, so
you're seeing that reflects different people.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
In the community doing different things nice.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
And then to that point, we have our second areas
and I know if you're just tearing it, you can't
quite see it. But maybe I could share this on
your website. I'm holding a kind works bell and this
is considerably larger, has more components outside of the flower
in the top, which is a cookie cutter. Those beads
are individually made by volunteers and it's the same thing.
(04:27):
There's multiple stuffs this process. They have been four or
five people involved with that, and then we have this
really special group that will then pick out the beads,
just string it attached to the belt, order the top,
and these bells, unlike the tokens, we hang out in
public spaces for people to find, and this is more
random act of kindness first intentional, but we've gotten back
some of the most amazing stories about people finding a
(04:50):
bell while they're having a real day and sometimes you
just almost need the kindest part of magic sharing or
scientifically replicated. And so that's our second we hind bells.
The third year that we have is merchandise, which between
not sound like it's really pactful, but if you're what
I said, it's it's almost everything is done by volunteers.
(05:11):
So if we make a necklace and it says be
kind on it and it's made by volunteers, that can
be more impactful or different ornaments that have a messaging
of kindness. And we also know from a branding standpoint,
the more you actually see kindness throughout your day than
it could back impassion.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
Absolutely. It raises your endorphins and makes you feel better,
probably lowers your blood pressure.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
One hundred percent, so I can step away from the
divisions per second. When you said is probably what I
think is the most important thing for people realize when
we're talking about how important kindness is. So we know
through science that when you acted kindness and we would,
it will release me the hormones and dorphins in your
body to make you feel the pleasure of month. We
also know that the person that receives that act of
(05:52):
kindness will benefit from that same experience. This is the
really cool part. This is the ripple fact that this
is who I tell every single kid I've ever talked
to them an it observes that interaction of kindness will
also benefit from that release. It's that share experience. So
if you do something for one person and someone else
happened to notice it, you instantaneously impact the three people.
Sometimes it doesn't take more in a second, doesn't cost anything,
(06:16):
and you can change people lives. That's the power I
think sometimes hine kindness.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
It's just beautiful.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
And then as far as our programming, the last area
is our mural campaign. So what I was just what
I brought here today. The token and the bell beautiful
but relatively small. The murals are these colossal eight by
eight projects, unbelievably labor intensive. But what's so neat about
it is we use the same umanity art constant. Whether
(06:43):
it's we come out and bring play and if it's
in school, the kids will make the shapes for the
title and then they'll paint them when we come back
later to do the installation. We don't do it on
our own. We have a group of volunteers that will
implement every part of this, but we actually try to
teach people in the community how they do installation. So
by the time it's done and his legacy project goes
up on the wall either on the outside or inside
(07:03):
the building and smoll Or Company so many hands in
there part of that project and just reinforce it. Believe inclusion,
connection and kindness, and.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
I just feel like these people are making it with
love and that just whatever you believe, the energy inside
of it and from one person to another. It just
spreads and it's it just makes your day.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Yeah, I'd read totally, and I think you have to
ask some of the volunteers I was referencing. But what
I always I love the brig about he is that
not our volteer is so amazing and help us, but
they're always trying to do more, and they're there only
because they believe in the mission, because they see this
working and their part in exactly what you used to describe.
And I think that speaks volumes to what you can
do and connect people from kindness.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
For some reason, I just thought about my grandson. He's eight,
but when he was a little boy, I said I
would say things to him, Are you brave? He's like yes,
And I said are you smart? He's like yes, and
he said it he goes in kind I just thought
about that and I was like, wow, he got it.
Like he is. He's still extremely kind and loving and
it's just a blessing. Your web address is kindashworks dot org.
(08:09):
If anybody would like to buy, I'm calling them the
wind chimes, the bells, you have necklaces, you have the
Kindness tokens. If you'd like to make a donation, volunteer, sponsor.
When you do have an event coming up, and especially
right now with Berdie's for charity, please make a donation
to them, or go to Travelers Championship dot com and
make a donation there as well. Thank you so much
(08:30):
for being here. I'm speaking with Cody Foss, executive director
of Kind Works.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
Thank you, Browning. I appreciate that
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