Rome was the capital of Good Deeds Day and hosted tons of activities throughout the city.
Good Deeds Day 2015 was a resounding success, with participants in over 58 countries taking part. Individuals from all corners of the world came together on a single day, March 15, to perform good deeds. The initiator of Good Deeds Day Shari Arison sums it up best when she says, "Good Deeds Day, initiated nine years ago, is a day that does good deep in your heart. It is a day that connects between people of all ages, cultures, and religions.” We couldn’t agree more.
Check out some of the amazing acts of giving that took place this year during Good Deeds Day.
EUROPE
Rome, Italy
1. Good Deeds Day initiator Shari Arison had the pleasure of meeting Pope Francis in the Vatican on Wednesday, in honor of Good Deeds Day.
2. Rome served as the international capital of Good Deeds Day this year. The day before the big event, 150 nonprofits in Rome opened their doors, inviting anyone to come learn about what they do and give back. Individuals signed up to take part in activities like painting and sprucing up local schools, visiting local pet shelters, donating blood and more.
Moscow, Russia
3. A number of fun Good Deeds Day projects were held in Moscow, including a charity fair, visiting dogs at the shelter, planting trees in the city park and baking bread for the homeless.
Berlin, Germany
4. Volunteers went green and cleaned up littered areas at a local park, made bird and squirrel feeders using recyclable materials and planted vegetables and herbs in a school garden.
Shari Arison meets Pope Francis in the Vatican (© Servizio Fotografico - L’Osservatore Romano)
Kids in Rome cleaning up a local school for Good Deeds Day.
NORTH AMERICA
New York City, New York
5. On Friday, March 13, David Arison, VP of Global Business Relations at Miya, closed the trading day at the New York Stock Exchange (NASDAQ) in honor of Good Deeds Day. David Arison is the son of Good Deeds Day initiator Shari Arison, and represents the Arison Group.
6. There were tons of activities across the Big Apple with Habitat for Humanity, Israeli American Council – IAC, St. Paul Community Baptist Church, Stephen Wise Free Synagogue and packing food with the Hillel at Brooklyn College.
Washington D.C., Northern Virginia and Maryland
7. There were over 60 projects around the Washington D.C. area that involved kids and adults preparing sandwiches, making blankets and writing letters to sick children and soldiers to boost morale.
Vancouver, Canada
8. Volunteers helped remove ivy from a park to help protect native plants and animals from the harmful plant, creating a green and thriving atmosphere.
Good Deeds Day rings in the closing bell at the NASDAQ.
Students from the Hillel at Brooklyn College pack food.
CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA
Santa Ana, Costa Rica
9. Volunteers came together to help the kids of the Asociación Alimentando Esperanzas with activities that included a chat with a dentist about dental hygiene, a magic show, food donations and a fun pizza party.
Panama City, Panama
10. The country was full of incredible Good Deeds Day activities - from creating playgrounds and stands that distributed smiles, cookies and hugs, to teens who spent the day cleaning up litter on the streets and volunteers who visited centers for children with disabilities.
Buenos Aires, Argentina
11. Students sorted food donations and created a mosaic with local artist, Lilian Margulis, all to be donated to a shelter in Vicente Lopez.
Getting a lesson in dental hygiene in Costa Rica.
Dia De Las Buenas Acciones Panama creating a playground from scratch in Panama.
AFRICA
Douala, Cameroon
12. Local volunteers visited two orphanages in the south western region of Cameroon and helped them with their chores, from washing clothes to preparing lunch.
Mubende Uganda
13. Volunteers visited 20 local households to teach them about good health and sanitation. They also helped clean around their compounds, and build plate drying racks, and hand washing facilities.
Volunteers from the Redemption Education Initiative,Inc visited orphanages.
AUSTRALASIA
Sydney, Australia
14. Kids, teens and parents participated in Kids Giving Back - Cook4Good program that prepared over 350 meals at a community kitchen, followed by making deliveries to individuals in need, homeless shelters and cafes for the homeless community.
Kumarkom, India
15. Volunteers went through the backwaters in country boats and collected plastic waste and properly disposed of it in an effort to keep the waters clean.
Kids prepare home cooked food to be distributed to those in need in Australia.
