“As we like to say, kindness is contagious and can make a difference to anyone,” said Cris Moore-Lucier Jr., founder of the organization. “Volunteering, donating, community-building and being kind to one another is a bedrock of being a Yooper! Being kind to one another even when it doesn’t seem possible keeps the movement going.”

The group is behind many of the projects residents can see in the community on a daily basis, such as the Little Free Sled Library in Ludington Park.

“I get to see the community sledding on top of the Ludington hill every year and seeing the children and adults having so much fun and laughter. It always reminds me of when I was younger and a young adult, about how much fun it was to gather with friends and family and having a great time,” Moore-Lucier said when he first established the sled library. “I wanted to extend the happiness and give an opportunity for other who maybe can’t afford a sled to experience the fun and joy and exercise of outdoor activities.”

This past summer, Kindness Rocks established a Life Jacket Loaner Station at the Escanaba Municipal Harbor, equipped with 20 free-to-use donated life vests.

Kindness Rocks U.P. Michigan, a local non-profit 501 (c)(3) community charity organization, established a Life Jacket Loaner Station this past summer at the Escanaba Municipal Harbor. The station is equipped with 20 donated life vests. (Courtesy photo)

“I just thought, we just need that extra life vest opportunity for somebody to have a life vest if they don’t happen to have one, or we’re giving an opportunity to maybe not need the search and rescue to go out or save a life,” Moore-Lucier previously noted.

Some of the projects for 2026 include but are not limited to: a historical walk throughout Escanaba, Free Little Mental Health Libraries, expanding life vest loaner stations, continuing the snow/mow angel program for the elderly or disabled low-income population, sled libraries across the U.P., fire relief supply closet and collection, veteran Thanksgiving/Christmas baskets, Lil Mo’s Food Pantry food drive and Gladstone backpack food drives.

Kindness Rocks also developed a strong mental health initiative for the upcoming year. Moore-Lucier noted he previously went through a significantly difficult time in his life, making the need for this project even more apparent.

“I have built myself up with hard work, being kind and believing there was a reason to go on,” he said. “We came up with ideas to help others with Mental Health Journals, Anxiety Journals, Shadow Journals and Sobriety Journals. We also had a window display contest with all the resources for help, like the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and the many other numbers for each group for counseling.”

The group placed “You Are Enough” yard signs throughout the community, as well as hosting a T-shirt/hoodie sale to further spread their message of hope. Mental Health Free Little Libraries will also be added to area communities with literature that focuses on the topic.

The new year holds many new and expanded initiatives for Kindness Rocks U.P. Michigan, an organization that has supported the community since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The organization, which has been supporting the community since the COVID-19 pandemic, plans to revisit some ideas from 2025 in the new year.

“The things on our list for the next two months are refining ideas from 2025, like the Snow Angel (program), Sled Libraries, our Mental Health Initiative and Fire Relief Closet Collection/Donation,” Moore-Lucier said. “Kindness Rocks likes to think out of the box in making this fun, exciting and a great way to be kind.”

The group’s Fire Relief Closet Collection/Donation project aims to collect new items for individuals and families who are recovering from a fire. Items needed include new bedding, sheets, pillows, mattresses, clothing and more.

“(We’re collecting) things that people lose after a fire,” Moore-Lucier said. “There is a need for these things, and we can help provide them through non-profit legal channels where donations are being accounted for, tax deductible and going to the correct people.”

Beyond the list of upcoming projects and initiatives, the organization’s work is rooted in a larger vision of kindness and community.

“We live in a different world than previous times, but I hope we can teach future generations the best qualities from the past with being kind and helping one another,” Moore-Lucier said. “In a world where you can be anything, be kind.”

To learn more about Kindness Rocks and how to get involved, go to the website at https://kindnessrocksup.com.

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Sophie Vogelmann can be reached at 906-786-2021 or svogelmann@dailypress.net.