Kindness Happens Here Social Media

KHH Post Schedule: May 17 – June 30, 2026

45Total Posts

45Days Covered

4Platforms

2Issues Featured

12+Stories Highlighted

100%Copy Ready

Week of May 17 — Post-Launch Extension

May17Sun

📖 Story Spotlight — Michael Ruy + Gently Hugged

Instagram FeedFacebook

Story ▼

What do a guitar and a baby blanket have in common? They’re both tools of kindness in San Diego.

Full Caption

Two stories in this month’s Kindness Happens Here stopped us in our tracks. One is about Michael Ruy, a volunteer musician who walked into a room at the San Francisco VA Medical Center and played guitar for a severely injured veteran who hadn’t responded to much of anything. Within moments, the veteran began to show animation. His family, who had been standing at his bedside, began to cry — this time, with hope. The other is about Judy Blackford, a retired public health nurse who once visited a newborn wrapped in nothing but a thin hospital blanket. Years later, she co-founded Gently Hugged — a nonprofit that has now clothed more than 9,700 babies across San Diego County. Neither Michael nor Judy set out to change a life that day. They just showed up. Read both stories — and a lot more — in May’s free issue of Kindness Happens Here. 💚 Link in bio. Have you ever had a moment where a small act of kindness hit you differently? Tell us below. 👇

Visual Direction

Split graphic or side-by-side: Michael Ruy with a dog at SD County Animal Services (courtesy photo) + Judy Blackford and Janet Lombardi at Foundation for Women Warriors event. Text overlay: “Two San Diegans. Two acts of kindness. One city.”

Hashtags (first comment)

#KindnessHappensHere #SanDiego #SanDiegoCommunity #MusicTherapy #VolunteerLife #GentlyHugged #BabyClothes #SanDiegoNonprofit #KindnessMatters #BeKind #ActsOfKindness #GoodNews #SanDiegoGiving #Compassion

Instagram Strategy

Tag @gentlyhuggedsd in post. Request Instagram Collab from Gently Hugged account for this post — it will appear on both profiles and reach their full audience.

Facebook Note

On Facebook, add: “Gently Hugged is always looking for gently used baby clothing donations and volunteers. Visit gentlyhugged.org to learn how you can help.”

May19Tue

🎬 Reel — “What Happened When Music Entered the Room”

Instagram Reel

Story ▼

A veteran who hadn’t responded to much. A guitar. And what happened next.

Reel Caption

Michael Ruy brought his acoustic guitar to a hospital room. The veteran in the bed seemed unresponsive. His family stood quietly at his side. Michael asked what the veteran’s favorite songs were. Then he began to play — softly, without expectation. What happened next surprised everyone in the room. 🎸 His story is in May’s issue of Kindness Happens Here — the link is in our bio. And if you know someone who volunteers with music or arts in healthcare, tag them below. 👇 #KindnessHappensHere #MusicTherapy #MusiciansOnCall #SanDiego #VolunteerLife #ActsOfKindness #GoodNews

Reel Production Note

30–45 seconds. Use the courtesy photo of Michael with the dog at SDCA Animal Services as a still image with slow zoom. Overlay text: “He played. And the room changed.” Soft instrumental music under. End card: “Read Michael’s full story — link in bio.” Try Instagram Trial Reels to test reach with non-followers.

Tag Opportunities

Tag @musiciansoncall and @wildtunesbyYuvi if they have public accounts. These organizations may reshare, extending reach significantly.

May20Wed

💡 Science Fact — The Laughter Stat

ThreadsFacebook

Science ▼

People are 30 times more likely to laugh with others than when alone. Kindness and laughter: more connected than you’d think.

Caption

Fact: People are 30 times more likely to laugh when they’re with someone else than when they’re alone. That means laughter is basically a social superpower — one that boosts happiness, reduces stress hormones, and might even help you live longer (seriously, Norwegian researchers tracked 53,000 people over 15 years). Our May issue goes deep on the science of laughter and how it connects directly to kindness. And yes, we included the world’s most average joke. 😄 Free to read at kindnesshappenshere.org — link in bio.

Threads Version

Trim to 3 punchy sentences. “People are 30x more likely to laugh with others than alone. Turns out kindness and laughter work the same way — they’re both social signals that bring people closer. We wrote about it: [link]”

Facebook Version

Add the question: “What’s the last thing that made you genuinely laugh out loud? We want to know.” Facebook engagement on personal questions like this consistently outperforms generic posts.

May21Thu

🎠 Carousel — “7 Micro-Acts of Joy” (Big Joy Project)

Instagram Carousel

Science ▼

UC Berkeley scientists asked 117,000 people to try 7 tiny acts of joy for one week. The results were remarkable.

Caption (Carousel — 8 slides)

UC Berkeley scientists created an experiment: what if you did one tiny joyful thing — just minutes a day — for a week? 117,000 people from 200 countries said yes. The results? Higher emotional well-being. Less stress. Better sleep. And here’s the wild part: the more micro-acts people completed, the happier they got. 🧪 Swipe for the 7 acts → and save this post to try them yourself. 💾 [Slide 1: Title — “7 Tiny Acts That Grow Happiness”] [Slide 2: Act 1 — Do a Kind Act: Hold a door. Write a note. Pick something up for someone.] [Slide 3: Act 2 — Make a Gratitude List: Write 3 things. Specific beats generic.] [Slide 4: Act 3 — Celebrate Others’ Joy: Find someone thriving and tell them you noticed.] [Slide 5: Act 4 — Dwell in Awe: Watch the ocean. Look at a night sky. Let yourself be small.] [Slide 6: Act 5 — Shift Your Perspective: Reframe one frustrating thing as a challenge, not a threat.] [Slide 7: Act 6 — Tune Into What Matters Most: 10 minutes with no screen. Just presence.] [Slide 8: Act 7 — Be a Force for Good: One action, big or small, that helps someone today.] Join the Big Joy Project free at bigjoy.org — and read our full feature at kindnesshappenshere.org 💚

Visual Note

Use KHH green (#2d7a4f) as the primary background across all slides with white text. Each slide has one large emoji + short bold text + one-line description. Clean, minimal. Add “Save this post” as the last line before hashtags — saves are the strongest algorithm signal.

Hashtags

#KindnessHappensHere #BigJoyProject #PositivePsychology #WellbeingScience #ActsOfKindness #UCBerkeley #KindnessMatters #GoodNews #SanDiego #Gratitude #BeKind #MentalHealth

May21Thu

💼 LinkedIn — Leigh Fenly Thought Leadership

Story ▼

What 30 years of journalism taught me — and what covering kindness is teaching me now.

LinkedIn Post (by Leigh Fenly)

I spent 30 years at the San Diego Union-Tribune telling stories that mattered. Hard news. Science. Policy. The things that shape a city. Then I started Kindness Happens Here, a free newspaper devoted to stories of generosity and community spirit. And something unexpected happened. The stories that made readers cry — they shared them. The stories about kindness science — they saved them. The stories about ordinary San Diegans doing extraordinary things — those got forwarded to friends at 11pm. It turns out there’s a massive, underserved audience for good news. Not naive news. Not fluffy news. Real, reported, specific stories about the best of us. This month we published a story about a volunteer musician who uses music to reach hospital patients others can’t reach. And a retired public health nurse who has helped clothe 9,700 babies since 2012. Neither of them asked for recognition. They just kept showing up. I think that’s the real story — not the act of kindness, but the decision to keep showing up, month after month, in quiet ways, with no audience. That’s what Kindness Happens Here is trying to put on the front page. If you work in nonprofit, journalism, community development, or corporate social responsibility — I think there’s something here for you. Always free at kindnesshappenshere.org.

LinkedIn Note

Post from Leigh Fenly’s personal profile, not the KHH organization page. Personal LinkedIn posts reach 3–5× more people. Tag @GentlyHugged and @MusiciansOnCall if they have LinkedIn pages. Add 3 targeted hashtags: #Nonprofit #CommunityJournalism #SanDiego

Follow-Up

Engage with every comment in the first 2 hours. LinkedIn’s algorithm heavily weights early engagement. Ask a follow-up question to anyone who comments substantively.

Week of May 24 — Kindness Club + Reader Stories

May24Sun

📖 Story Spotlight — The Kindness Club’s I-805 Sign

Instagram FeedFacebook

Story ▼

40 feet wide. 14 feet tall. Painted by children. Seen by thousands of San Diego commuters every single day.

Caption

Somewhere on your commute into San Diego, you might have noticed it. Merging onto northbound I-805 from H Street in Chula Vista, there’s a 40-foot-wide sign. Fourteen feet tall. The letters spell two words: KINDNESS MATTERS. Every letter was hand-painted by students from 15 South Bay schools — elementary through high school — who chose kittens, flowers, strawberries, and palm trees to carry the message. The whole thing was the idea of The Kindness Club, a volunteer group founded in Chula Vista just last year, in 2024. They installed it in November for World Kindness Day, alongside a similar sign created by Kids for Peace in Carlsbad. Here’s what we love about it: the sign doesn’t ask anything of you. It doesn’t fundraise. It doesn’t redirect you to a website. It just says something true, in the one place where stress and frustration most often win — the highway merge. A small message. A fleeting moment. But one that just might travel far beyond the merge. We featured The Kindness Club in our May issue. Read the full story at kindnesshappenshere.org — link in bio. 💚 Have you seen the sign? Tell us what you thought the first time you noticed it. 👇

Visual

Use the courtesy photo of the I-805 sign (from the May issue). This is a naturally striking image — no design overlay needed. Let the photo speak. Caption text can be added minimally at the bottom.

Hashtags

#KindnessHappensHere #ChulaVista #SanDiego #KindnessMatters #TheKindnessClub #KidsForPeace #SanDiegoCommunity #SouthBay #SanDiegoLocal #ActsOfKindness #GoodNews #BeKind

Collab Opportunity

Request an Instagram Collab with The Kindness Club account. Their South Bay school network is a built-in audience that KHH doesn’t yet reach.

Facebook Boost

Boost this post $10–15 targeted to San Diego + Chula Vista. The freeway photo will stop scrolls and the local story has strong community appeal.

May26Tue

🌱 Community Voice — Reader Compliment Stories

Instagram Carousel

Community ▼

We asked: Has anyone ever paid you a compliment you’ve never forgotten? San Diego answered.

Caption

We asked our readers a simple question: has anyone ever paid you a compliment you’ve never forgotten? The answers stopped us. Robin from Oceanside shared one from a Dale Carnegie course decades ago — someone said her voice had a tone that made people trust her. She still thinks about it when she speaks in a crowd. Trisha from Linda Vista shared a compliment she received in her 20s from her best friend — who told her that spending silly, loving time together had helped her survive some of the hardest years of her life. Trisha had no idea. Jerry from San Diego was laid off from Palomar Health after 14 years. The chief of anesthesiology — who knew how much Jerry was hurting — invited him to speak to a department of 30 doctors anyway. “The act of kindness permitted me to continue to contribute,” Jerry wrote. [Swipe for each story in full. →] These are your stories. And they’re extraordinary. What’s yours? Drop it in the comments below — or send it to info@kindnesshappenshere.org to be featured in a future issue. 💚

Carousel Design

Slide 1: Bold quote from Robin. Slide 2: Trisha and Amin Haroon’s photo (courtesy). Slide 3: Jerry’s story. Slide 4: “What’s your unforgettable compliment?” with CTA to email. All slides on cream background with KHH green accents.

Permission Note

Confirm that Robin Rauschl, Trisha Padayachee, and Jerry Kolins have given permission for social use via their “Your Turn” submissions before publishing.

May27Wed

🌱 Community Question — June Preview

FacebookThreads

Community ▼

Our June issue is a love letter to San Diego’s libraries. We want to hear your story first.

Caption

Something we’re working on for our June issue — and we want to hear from you first. Next month, Kindness Happens Here is paying tribute to the San Diego Public Library system. Its history. Its people. Its extraordinary programs that most San Diegans have never heard of. Did you know there’s a public biotech lab inside the La Jolla/Riford Library? Or that Charles Lindbergh used the original San Diego Public Library to plan his solo transatlantic flight? Or that the READ/San Diego program has helped more than 22,000 adults learn to read? But before we publish — we want to know: 📚 How has a library changed your life? Drop your story in the comments, or send it to info@kindnesshappenshere.org by June 10. We may feature it in our June issue. Because libraries don’t just hold books. They hold communities.

Strategy

This post does double duty: it surfaces reader library stories for potential inclusion in the June issue AND generates comments that boost this post’s reach. The question about Lindbergh and the biotech lab will hook people who didn’t know — curiosity comments drive engagement.

Threads Version

“Our June issue is about San Diego’s libraries. Quick question before we publish: how has a library changed your life? Replies welcome — we may feature yours. 📚”

May29Fri

📣 CTA — Subscribe + Share Ask

Instagram Feed

CTA ▼

Good stories deserve company. Share this one with someone who needs a little good news today.

Caption

Kindness Happens Here is free. Always. No ads, no subscriptions, no paywalls. We’re a team of volunteer journalists who’ve covered San Diego for decades. And every month, we put the best of this city on the front page. This month: a musician who plays for shelter animals and hospital veterans. A nurse who has clothed nearly 10,000 babies. A group of children who painted a 40-foot message of kindness visible from the freeway. The science of why laughing is basically medicine. All of it free, at kindnesshappenshere.org. If you’re new here — welcome. Hit the link in our bio to subscribe. You’ll get each issue delivered directly to your inbox. 📬 If you’ve been with us a while: thank you. Could you share this post with one person who needs a little good news this Friday? 💚

Visual

Warm, simple quote card. Large type: “Because kindness belongs on the front page.” KHH green background, cream text. KHH logo bottom right. Clean and shareable — this is designed to be screenshotted and forwarded.

Goal

Primary goal: new email subscribers. Add UTM parameter to bio link this week (e.g., ?utm_source=instagram&utm_campaign=may-subscribe-cta) to track how many subscribers come from this post via GA4.

Week of June 1 — Transition Week + Issue Teaser

Jun2Tue

🎉 Timely + Teaser — June Issue Preview

InstagramFacebookThreads

Timely ▼

Something big is coming. And it’s been hiding in plain sight across 37 neighborhoods in San Diego.

Caption

Something big is coming to Kindness Happens Here in June. 📚 We’ve been deep in reporting on one of San Diego’s most beloved — and underappreciated — institutions. Something that serves 6.6 million visitors a year. Something that helped Charles Lindbergh plot his solo flight across the Atlantic. Something with a public biotech lab, a seed library, and more than 22,000 adults who learned to read because of it. The San Diego Public Library system is extraordinary. And we can’t wait to show you why. Our June issue drops in just a few days. Subscribe now so you don’t miss it — free, as always, at kindnesshappenshere.org. 💚 (And if libraries have shaped your life, we still want to hear from you. Send your story to info@kindnesshappenshere.org.)

Visual

Photo of the San Diego Central Library exterior — the stunning 9-story building at 330 Park Blvd. Text overlay: “Coming in June: The San Diego Library Issue.” Creates visual anticipation and geographic recognition.

Instagram Story

Same day: publish a Story with countdown sticker to June 5 issue release. Add a poll: “Did you know San Diego has a public biotech lab in a library? 🔬 Yes / No.” Curiosity = engagement.

Jun4Thu

💡 Science Carousel — “Yuvi Agarwal + Wild Tunes”

Instagram CarouselFacebook

Science ▼

In 2023, a 10-year-old in California decided that shelter animals needed music. She built an organization. It now has volunteers across the entire United States.

Caption

In 2023, a 10-year-old named Yuvi Agarwal asked a question: What if shelter animals had music? She founded Wild Tunes — an organization that now has volunteers across the United States playing instruments to dogs and cats waiting for homes. Here’s what we know from science: animals respond to music. Barking softens. Nervous pacing slows. Curious eyes replace anxious ones. Here’s what we know from Yuvi: you don’t have to be old, or funded, or famous to make something real. You just have to show up with a guitar. She was 10. She’s now 13. And the animals are still listening. Our May issue featured Wild Tunes — along with Michael Ruy, the volunteer musician who brought her work to San Diego. Read the full story at kindnesshappenshere.org. 💚 Know a kid doing something remarkable? Nominate them for a future story: info@kindnesshappenshere.org

Carousel Slides

Slide 1: “She was 10. She asked one question.” Slide 2: Photo of Michael Ruy with dog + the Wild Tunes connection. Slide 3: The science of music + animals. Slide 4: Yuvi’s founding story. Slide 5: How to volunteer at wildtunes.org.

Hashtags

#KindnessHappensHere #WildTunes #ShelterDogs #AnimalShelter #SanDiego #KidChangemakers #ActsOfKindness #GoodNews #MusicTherapy #SanDiegoNonprofit #BeKind #Volunteer

June 2026 Issue Launch

📚 The San Diego Library Issue

6.6 million annual visitors. 37 branches across the city. The world’s first public biotech lab. A literacy program that has taught 22,000 adults to read. A seed library. A connection to Charles Lindbergh. This is San Diego’s greatest free institution — and June’s KHH issue pays it the tribute it deserves.

📍 37 branch libraries 📖 22,000+ adults taught to read 🔬 World’s first public biotech lab 🌱 Free seed library at OB branch

June 5 — Issue Release Week

Jun5Fri

🚀 LAUNCH — June Issue Release: All Platforms

All Platforms

Launch ▼

The June issue of Kindness Happens Here is here — and it’s a love letter to San Diego’s greatest free institution.

Instagram / Facebook Caption

The June issue of Kindness Happens Here is here. 📚 This month, we’re paying tribute to the San Diego Public Library system — 37 branches, 6.6 million annual visitors, and stories that will genuinely surprise you. Did you know Charles Lindbergh used the original San Diego Public Library to plan his solo transatlantic flight? That the La Jolla/Riford branch houses what is believed to be the first public biotech lab in the world? That the Ocean Beach branch has a seed library — where you can check out actual seeds? That READ/San Diego has helped more than 22,000 adults learn to read since the program launched? The library is San Diego’s largest cultural institution that offers completely free programming. And it’s fighting to stay open seven days a week. We think it deserves to be on the front page. Free to read, as always, at kindnesshappenshere.org. 💚 Link in bio. And if the library has changed your life — we still want to hear from you.

LinkedIn Version

“San Diego has a public biotech lab. Inside a library. The La Jolla/Riford branch has offered DNA amplifiers, microscopes, and 3D printers to the public since 2015 — free of charge. This is one of a dozen extraordinary stories in the June issue of Kindness Happens Here, a free nonprofit newspaper I founded to put San Diego’s generosity on the front page. This month: the library system. Link in first comment.”

Action Items

1. Boost this Facebook post $15–20, SD targeted. 2. Pin the Instagram post to profile. 3. Add Instagram countdown Story the night before. 4. Send email newsletter same day with UTM link tracking. 5. Request Collab from SD Public Library and Library Foundation SD accounts.

Threads Version

“The June issue of KHH is about San Diego’s libraries. A few things you might not know: • Lindbergh planned his Atlantic flight here • There’s a public DNA lab inside La Jolla/Riford Library • OB branch has a seed library • 22,000 adults have learned to read through READ/SD All free. All ours. kindnesshappenshere.org”

Hashtags

#KindnessHappensHere #SanDiegoPublicLibrary #SanDiego #LibraryFoundationSD #SanDiegoCommunity #Libraries #SanDiegoLocal #ReadSDLibrary #GoodNews #SanDiegoNonprofit #CommunityKindness #NewsOfAKinderWorld

Jun9Tue

🎬 Reel — “What the Library Actually Is”

Instagram Reel

Story ▼

Most people think the library is a place to get books. Most people don’t know about the biotech lab, the seed library, the biotech lab, and the 22,000 adults who learned to read.

Reel Caption + Script

What you think the library is: a place to get books. What the San Diego Public Library actually is: 🔬 A biotech lab where anyone can use a DNA machine 🌱 A seed library where you can check out actual seeds to grow 📖 A literacy program that has taught 22,000 adults to read 📡 The first library system in the country to offer free WiFi at every single branch ✈️ The place where Charles Lindbergh planned his solo flight across the Atlantic All free. For everyone. In 37 neighborhoods across this city. Read our June tribute issue at kindnesshappenshere.org — link in bio. 📚 And if the library has changed your life, tell us below. [Reel Script — text overlay on b-roll or still photos]: Text 1: “What you think the library is:” Text 2: “A place to get books.” Text 3: “What it actually is:” Text 4-8: Each fact on its own screen, 1.5 seconds each Text 9: “All free. All yours. San Diego Public Library.” Text 10: “Read the full story → kindnesshappenshere.org”

Production

This Reel can be made entirely from still photos using slow zoom/Ken Burns effect in CapCut. Use photos of: Central Library exterior, La Jolla/Riford IDEA Lab, a library card, the seed library display, and a person reading. All publicly available from SDPL’s website.

Music

Use a soft, hopeful instrumental from Instagram’s free music library. Something with a gentle build. The “reveal” format (what you think vs. what it is) is a proven Reel structure that drives shares and saves.

Jun11Thu

🎠 Carousel — “7 Things You Didn’t Know About SD Libraries”

Instagram Carousel

Library Facts ▼

San Diego’s library system is wild. Here are 7 things about it that most San Diegans don’t know.

Caption + Slide Content

San Diego’s public library system is one of the most remarkable in the country. And most people have no idea. 📚 Swipe for 7 things that will change how you see your local library → and save this to share with someone who’s never had a library card. [Slide 1]: Title: “7 Wild Facts About San Diego’s Libraries” [Slide 2]: ✈️ Charles Lindbergh used the original San Diego Public Library to plot his solo transatlantic flight across the Atlantic Ocean. The “Spirit of St. Louis” was tested here. The library was part of that history. [Slide 3]: 🔬 La Jolla/Riford Library houses what is believed to be the first public biotech lab in the world. Anyone can use a DNA amplifier, microscopes, and 3D printers — for free. [Slide 4]: 🌱 The Ocean Beach branch has a seed library. You can check out actual seeds, grow a garden, and return seeds from your harvest. A library card that grows things. [Slide 5]: 📖 READ/San Diego has helped more than 22,000 adults learn to read with volunteer tutors. 23% of San Diego County adults lack basic literacy skills. The library is closing that gap. [Slide 6]: 🌐 San Diego Public Library was one of the first systems in the nation to offer free WiFi at every single location — before most coffee shops did. [Slide 7]: 📚 The Summer Reading Program has engaged more than 1 million children and teens since launch. It fights “summer slide” — the learning loss that widens achievement gaps each summer. [Slide 8]: 💚 The system faces budget pressure. 20 branches now close two days a week. Library Foundation SD is advocating for a 37/7 system — all 37 branches open 7 days. Learn more and support: libraryfoundationsd.org Save this post to share. Because these places belong to all of us. 📚

Hashtags

#KindnessHappensHere #SanDiegoPublicLibrary #LibraryFoundationSD #SanDiego #Libraries #ReadSDLibrary #SanDiegoCommunity #KindnessMatters #GoodNews #SanDiegoLocal #SummerReading #Literacy

Collab

Request Instagram Collab with @LibraryFoundationSD for this specific slide deck. Their community of library advocates is a perfect audience for KHH.

Week of June 14 — Library Deep Dives

Jun15Mon

📖 Story — Misty Jones + Library Director Profile

FacebookInstagram

Story ▼

37 branches. 6.6 million visitors. A $258M city budget deficit. And one library director holding the whole thing together with “professionalism, creativity, and a deep commitment to service.”

Caption

When San Diego faced a $258 million budget shortfall, the city had to make cuts. For the library system, that meant closing 20 branches two days a week — Sundays and Mondays gone. Library Director Misty Jones could have spent those months managing decline. Instead, her team shifted programs to the remaining open days, created new offerings, and deepened partnerships with schools, nonprofits, and community organizations. “Library staff are rising to meet these challenges head-on,” said Patrick Stewart, CEO of Library Foundation SD, “ensuring that the San Diego Public Library continues to be a place of opportunity, discovery, and inspiration.” That’s the thing about institutions built on generosity: they don’t quit when things get hard. They adapt. The San Diego Public Library system serves 1.4 million residents across 342 square miles. It is the largest cultural institution in San Diego offering free programming. It deserves to be open every day. Read our full June tribute in Kindness Happens Here — link in bio. And if you’d like to support the campaign for 37/7 library access, visit libraryfoundationsd.org 💚

Visual

Photo of the Central Library exterior or interior reading room. This is a beautiful building — the architecture alone will stop the scroll. Add text overlay: “San Diego’s library director is fighting to keep them open 7 days a week.”

Tag

Tag @LibraryFoundationSD in the post. Their CEO Patrick Stewart is quoted — he may reshare and amplify to their entire network of library advocates.

Jun16Tue

🎬 Reel — “A Library Card Changed My Life” (Crowdsourced)

Instagram Reel

Community ▼

We asked. San Diego answered. Real people. Real library stories. 30 seconds.

Reel Caption

We asked San Diego: how has a library changed your life? You told us. A father who learned to read at 42 — through the READ/San Diego program. A teenager who found her first job through the library’s career center. A grandmother who brought her grandchildren to storytime every Tuesday for five years. A new immigrant who used the library’s free WiFi to apply for citizenship. These are real stories from our community. In our June issue. Free at kindnesshappenshere.org — link in bio. Tell us yours in the comments. 📚💚

Reel Production

Use reader-submitted stories (from the email inbox) as text overlays on moving b-roll of library interiors. If no reader stories are in yet, use the real examples from KHH’s reporting (Stephanie Contreras, Alina Rosas, Evan Fickling from Library Foundation SD’s librarian profiles). 30–45 seconds.

Story Sourcing

Pull from the May 27 Facebook community question responses. Any real reader story with permission is gold here. Real > polished every time for Reels engagement.

Jun17Wed

💼 LinkedIn — The Case for Libraries

Thought Leadership ▼

A public biotech lab. A literacy program helping 22,000 adults. A seed library. San Diego’s libraries are the most undervalued ROI in city government.

LinkedIn Post (by Leigh Fenly)

Our June issue of Kindness Happens Here is about something most people in San Diego take for granted. The public library. 6.6 million annual visitors. 37 branches. A literacy program that has helped more than 22,000 adults learn to read. A biotech lab — inside a public library — that makes DNA technology accessible to anyone with a library card. A seed library where you can check out actual seeds. And it’s all free. Right now, 20 of those 37 branches are closed two days a week because of a $258 million city budget shortfall. The Library Foundation SD is advocating for a 37/7 system — all branches open every day. I’ve been a journalist for 30 years. I’ve seen a lot of institutions come and go. But libraries are different. They’re one of the only places in America where you can walk in with nothing — no money, no credentials, no appointment — and leave with knowledge, a skill, a job lead, or a community. If you work in education, community development, workforce training, or philanthropy — I’d encourage you to read this month’s issue. And if you want to support the library advocacy campaign, visit libraryfoundationsd.org. The full June issue of Kindness Happens Here is free at kindnesshappenshere.org.

LinkedIn Tags

Tag @Library Foundation SD, @City of San Diego, @Misty Jones (Library Director, if she has a LinkedIn). 3 hashtags: #Libraries #SanDiego #PublicEducation

Donor Audience Note

42% of US donors use LinkedIn to research nonprofits. This post positions both KHH and the library system for potential corporate sponsorships, grants, and individual major gifts. Explicitly mention the Library Foundation SD’s advocacy mission.

Week of June 21 — Summer Solstice + Library Programming

Jun21Sun

📖 Story Spotlight — READ/San Diego: 22,000 Adults

InstagramFacebook

Story ▼

In San Diego County, 23% of adults cannot read or write at a basic level. A volunteer-powered library program has quietly changed that for 22,000 people.

Caption

Twenty-three percent of adults in San Diego County lack basic literacy skills. Read that again: nearly one in four adults in this city. Since the 1970s, the San Diego Public Library has run a program called READ/San Diego — a free adult literacy service that pairs trained volunteer tutors with adults who want to learn or improve their reading and writing. More than 22,000 adults have learned to read through this program. Those aren’t just numbers. Each one is someone who can now read a prescription label. Fill out a job application. Read a bedtime story to their child. Each one is someone who walked into a library with something they needed — and left with it. The program is staffed by literacy professionals and supported by more than 300 volunteer tutors. You can become one. Visit sandiego.gov/public-library and search READ/San Diego. This is one of the stories in our June issue of Kindness Happens Here — our tribute to the San Diego Public Library system. Free to read at kindnesshappenshere.org. 💚 Link in bio.

Hashtags

#KindnessHappensHere #SanDiegoPublicLibrary #Literacy #READSanDiego #Volunteer #SanDiego #SanDiegoCommunity #AdultLiteracy #EducationForAll #KindnessMatters #GoodNews #SanDiegoGiving

CTA Nuance

The CTA here is “become a volunteer tutor” — not a subscribe ask. Alternating CTAs between subscribing, sharing, and taking action prevents donor/reader fatigue and keeps posts feeling purpose-driven rather than promotional.

Jun22Mon

🎉 Timely — First Day of Summer + Reading

Instagram StoriesThreads

Timely ▼

First day of summer. San Diego Public Library’s Summer Reading Program starts now. Over 30,000 kids participated last year.

Caption / Story

Happy first day of summer, San Diego. ☀️ If you have a young reader in your life — the San Diego Public Library Summer Reading Program starts now. Last year, more than 30,000 children and teens participated. The program fights summer learning loss by making reading an adventure. It’s free. It’s at every branch. And it just might be the best thing happening in San Diego this summer. Find your nearest library at sandiego.gov/public-library. 📚 P.S. We’re featuring the library system in depth in our June issue of Kindness Happens Here — link in bio.

Story Version

Instagram Story: Photo of a child reading + text “Summer Reading starts today at every SD Library.” Poll sticker: “Are you or your kids doing Summer Reading? Yes / No.” Follow up the next day with results.

Threads Version

“Summer reading at SD Public Libraries starts today. 30,000 kids participated last year. Free at every branch. This is what kindness looks like at scale. sandiego.gov/public-library ☀️📚”

Jun23Tue

📖 Story — The La Jolla Biotech Lab

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Story ▼

Inside a San Diego library, you can use a DNA amplifier. No appointment. No credential. Just a library card.

Caption

The La Jolla/Riford Library opened what is believed to be the first public biotech lab inside a public library anywhere in the world. 🔬 The IDEA Lab has a thermal cycler. Gel electrophoresis equipment. Microscopes connected to screens so you can see your slides projected in full size. A 3D printer. All of it is available — free — to anyone who wants to learn or experiment. Volunteer scientists from the University of San Diego and San Diego’s biotech industry run the workshops. The first summer camp involved a Hands-On Genetic Modification workshop where children made bacteria glow under UV light. At a public library. This is what “free, for everyone” actually looks like when a community decides to invest in it. Read the full story in our June issue at kindnesshappenshere.org. 💚 And one question: what’s the most surprising thing you’ve done or found at a library? Tell us below. 👇

Visual

Use a photo of the La Jolla/Riford Library IDEA Lab (available on sandiego.gov). The image of microscopes and lab equipment inside a library is inherently attention-stopping. Caption overlay: “This is a public library.”

Hashtags

#KindnessHappensHere #SanDiegoPublicLibrary #LaJollaLibrary #BiotechSanDiego #SanDiego #Libraries #ScienceForAll #IDEALab #GoodNews #SanDiegoCommunity #Innovation #KindnessMatters

Week of June 28 — Final Stretch + June Close

Jun28Sun

🌱 Community — Reader Library Stories Roundup

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Community ▼

We asked: how has a library changed your life? Here are some of your answers. They are extraordinary.

Caption

Earlier this month, we asked a simple question: how has a San Diego library changed your life? You responded — in our comments, in our inbox, in ways we didn’t expect. [Slide 1: Reader quote with permission — first name, neighborhood] [Slide 2: Reader quote with permission] [Slide 3: Reader quote with permission] [Slide 4: “June’s Question: How have libraries impacted your life?” — our ongoing reader feature] [Slide 5: “Next month in KHH — coming in July. Subscribe so you don’t miss it.”] This is what Kindness Happens Here is really about. Not just the stories we find — but the ones you bring to us. Our inbox is always open: info@kindnesshappenshere.org And if you haven’t read our full June library issue yet — it’s free at kindnesshappenshere.org. 📚💚

Reader Story Sourcing

Pull from: 1) Comments on the May 27 library question post. 2) Email submissions to info@kindnesshappenshere.org. 3) The “Your Turn” inbox. Always confirm permission before publishing. Aim for 3–4 real reader voices here.

Strategy

This post closes the library issue cycle. It surfaces reader voices, creates social proof that KHH has a real community, and drives the June “Your Turn” feature engagement (which the issue asks about on page 9). Warm CTA to subscribe at the end.

Jun30Tue

📣 Month-End — Thank You + July Teaser

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CTA ▼

June was a big month for KHH. And July is coming. Here’s a look at where we’ve been — and what’s next.

Caption (All Platforms)

It’s the last day of June — and what a month it was. 📚 We spent this month paying tribute to the San Diego Public Library system. We learned about a retired nurse who co-founded a nonprofit that clothed nearly 10,000 babies. We learned about a 10-year-old who built a music organization for shelter animals. We learned that Charles Lindbergh planned his historic flight from a library that stood where downtown San Diego does now. Every month, we’re reminded of the same thing: this city is full of extraordinary people doing quiet, extraordinary things. If you’ve been reading along — thank you. You’re the reason we keep going. If July will be your first issue — welcome. Subscribe free at kindnesshappenshere.org so you don’t miss it. 💚 Coming in July: [Teaser — add when July theme is confirmed] See you next month, San Diego.

Note

This month-end post should feel like a warm conversation — not a promotional message. Gratitude posts consistently outperform sales posts. Thank the community genuinely, reflect on the month, and create forward momentum toward July without hard-selling.

Metrics Moment

After posting, review June analytics: Which post got the most reach? Most saves? Most link clicks? Most new subscribers? Document and share with the team. Use insights to refine July strategy.

Golden Compass Solutions

Kindness Happens Here Social Media

KHH Posts:
May 17 – June 30

📚 The San Diego Library Issue