I’ve been lucky enough to know a lot of awesome kiddos in my time.
We’re talking about little ones who volunteer with animals, who help the elderly in their community, and who walk the town each Halloween collecting for Unicef.
In fact, it often seems to me that most kids have a level of empathy and kindness beyond the reach of the average adult.
While I certainly know lots of kind and lovely grown-ups, too, there’s just something especially poignant about kids reaching out to give other kids — or even other adults! — a helping hand.
No one exemplifies that better than 8-year-old Kingston Haynes, who has come up with a beautiful and novel way to support people all over the world, people who just need the boost of an extra hug in their lives!
Fortunately, Kingston came up with a comfy, cozy solution to achieve his goals, called Kingston’s Kreatures.
Scroll through the gallery below to learn more about the "Kreatures" and about Kingston’s mission!
[H/T: Humankind]
It all started in Bible school at the Haynes family’s local church.
In an environment that focuses on compassion and good deeds for those in need, Kingston, all of 8, realized how many people in the world were suffering without a miracle or a Good Samaritan of their own.
The struggle of the 6 billion is the kind of overwhelming problem that adults give up on, simply because it is too huge and complicated to be solved.
Kingston, however, took a different tactic.
Instead of looking at the world and seeing too many people and problems to fix, he took a sensible approach, and decided to tackle the world’s ills in the most meaningful way possible: one hug at a time.
We have a hunch that a certain Nazarene carpenter would approve of his approach.
Even so, Kingston knew that he couldn’t go around and hug absolutely everyone who could use the boost.
Instead, he came with a genius solution: an army of surrogates, in the form of homemade stuffed monsters, the namesake "Kingston’s Kreatures."
Kingston’s grandmother sews the stuffed animals, while Kingston designs the pattern combos himself, and stuffs each Kreature individually.
So far, the Haynes family has made over 400 of these toys, and they have been handed out to everyone from adults battling terminal illness to school kids coping with the heartbreaking death of a classmate.
His beautiful efforts have touched hundreds of lives already, and stand to help many more!
He gets donations of money and materials regularly now, and has no plans to slow his production schedule.
There are still a lot of people out there — big and small, young and old, sick and well — who could use a comforting hug from a sympathetic soul.
After all, a hug is a small, tangible way to lift someone’s spirits.
It’s well within the abilities of a kind-hearted kiddo, and it’s an easy way to brighten someone’s day.
It may not be peace on Earth, but it’s certainly what we would call a very good start.
If you love hearing about this sweet boy taking on the world one hug at a time, make sure to check out his Facebook page, and SHARE his incredible work with friends and family!
