Thanks-Giving Square To Launch Dallas Kindness Week Nov. 9‑15

We could all use a little more kindness these days. The Thanks-Giving Foundation is stepping up to provide it in the runup to Thanksgiving, by hosting Dallas Kindness Week Nov. 9-15.

Kyle Ogden

Anchored by World Kindness Day on Thursday, Nov. 13, the week will feature a keynote speech and Q&A that evening by New York Times columnist David Brooks at Temple Emanu-El in Dallas.

“[Brooks’] thoughtful work has shaped national conversations on culture, character, and the deeper meaning of community,” Kyle Ogden, President and CEO of the foundation, said in a statement.“With his signature insight and humanity, Brooks will share reflections that invite us to live with greater compassion, generosity, and purpose..”

Dallas Kindness Festival caps it off on Saturday, Nov. 15

The week will culminate with the Dallas Kindness Festival, a free, full-day public celebration at Annette Strauss Square in the AT&T Performing Arts Center on Saturday, Nov. 15. The festival will feature live performances, storytelling, family-friendly activities, and a closing declaration that Kindness Lives Here. There will be ongoing entertainment, food trucks, performances from surrounding schools, and recognition for those who value kindness.

The Thanks-Giving Foundation is the owner and operator of Thanks-Giving Square in downtown Dallas. “In an increasingly divided world, kindness serves as the common ground that unites people across faiths, cultures, and neighborhoods,” Ogden said. “Acts of kindness ripple outward—turning small gestures into cultural change. Our goal is to position Dallas as a national leader in compassion and inclusion.”

‘One City. One Week. Infinite Good’

Dallas Kindness Week is designed to make kindness visible, actionable, and unforgettable. With the theme “One City. One Week. Infinite Good,” the initiative will bring together schools, faith communities, civic leaders, businesses, and neighbors in a shared commitment to kindness, the foundation said. Ogden said more than 1 million buttons and stickers will be distributed citywide, turning every Dallasite into “a walking billboard for kindness.” Residents may receive a button or sticker in a drive-through restaurant, at their workplace, or throughout the community.

“We’l have a 365-Day Kindness Pledge you can commit to by scanning the QR code,” said Ogden. “This will allow individuals to commit to daily acts of kindness in a personal way.”

Local faith institutions, businesses, city officials, public servants, and students will carry out Kindness Week, including 240 schools in the Dallas Independent School District.

Kindness as ‘civic infrastructure’

“Kindness is not a luxury—it’s civic infrastructure,” Ogden said. “It lowers stress, strengthens bonds, reduces polarization, and builds a healthier, more resilient city.”

For tickets to David Brooks’ keynote on World Kindness Day, you can go here.

For more information, to sign the pledge, or to get involved in Dallas Kindness Week, visit Thanksgiving .org or search #DallasKindnessWeek and #BeKindDallas.