A Little Bit of Kindness Can Inspire Something More

Coca-Cola Canada opens the discussion on kindness and celebrates some special Canadians who go out of their way to make others happy

TORONTO, July 24, 2013 /CNW/ - Canadians have earned their reputation for being polite, but how do they rate in their kindness towards others? According to a national survey conducted by Environics Research for Coca-Cola Canada, Canadians have shown kindness to others through random actions an average of four times in the last four weeks.* This includes such things as opening a door, offering to carry heavy items or giving up a seat on public transit. Yet, 70 per cent of us feel many of these acts don't receive the recognition they deserve. That's why Coca-Cola Canada is celebrating some very special individuals who make others happy with remarkable acts in their own communities across the country. The goal? Share their stories to help inspire others to give a little kindness too.

"When it comes to kindness, seeing really is believing," says Carolyn Harty, Senior Brand Manager, Coca-Cola.  "More than half of Canadians are motivated to pay-it-forward themselves when they see others making a kind gesture.  It is these small acts of kindness that make a larger difference and inspire and create happiness."

Where the Stories Begin…
Coca-Cola Canada completed a cross-country search to find stories about Canadians who are on a personal mission to create more happiness in the world. Here are just a few of the special stories identified:

• Make a Wish…Sixteen year old Sheliza Kassam, a native of Calgary, decided on her thirteenth birthday that instead of gifts, she and her family would help feed families in need. Her one small gesture ballooned into a non-profit organization that Sheliza now runs to throw birthday parties for children living in shelters who otherwise would not be able to celebrate their special day.
  
  
• Brown Baggin' It.  Winnipeg teen Nathan Unrau, with the support of his parents Rohan and Elsie Unrau, launched Lunches with Love - a non-profit organization that makes and donates 450 paper bag lunches to Winnipeg's homeless shelters every other Saturday.
  
  
• Dancing is in his Roots.  Twenty-two year old Luke Watters from Halifax knows just how much dance fuels a positive lifestyle. He now heads up a special organization called Concrete Roots to help teens get off the streets and find their outlet in dance, giving them the confidence to excel in something they love.

Inspiring Random Acts of Happiness
This summer, in an effort to inspire others and share happiness, Coca-Cola Canada will be giving Sheliza, Nathan, and Luke a helping hand with additional support and resources to make their act of kindness even bigger.

More acts of kindness have been documented by filmmakers from across the country and can be seen on www.youtube.com/openhappiness. The Open Happiness Project is a special program that provided 22 aspiring Canadian filmmakers with $2,000 or $3,000 grants to help inspire more kindness and inevitably happiness through their art. Coca-Cola is honoured to help showcase the diversity of voices through these films and shine a light on these young adult filmmakers' work as they grow in their careers.

"We're very impressed by the actions of these teens and the stories that these filmmakers from across Canada have created and chosen to tell.  They truly inspire us all to think about how we can look at the world a little differently," says Harty. "This summer, we hope every Canadian can experience how a little bit of kindness can make others happy."

How Have Canadians Expressed Their Kindness In the Last Month?

• Holding a door open for other people is the most common act reported amongst Canadians (92 per cent)
• Forty-one per cent of Canadian teens (15-17) have donated money to a stranger in need or offered up their seat on public transit
• Approximately half of Canadians have helped someone lost find correct directions

About Coca-Cola Canada
Coca-Cola in Canada operates in all ten provinces, and employs 6,300 people in more than 50 facilities, including seven production facilities across Canada. We offer a wide variety of beverage brands, many of which come in no-calorie and low-calorie options. These beverages include sparkling soft drinks, still waters, juices and fruit beverages, sports drinks, energy drinks and ready-to-drink teas. We're proud to offer some of the most popular brands in Canada including Coca-Cola®, Diet Coke®, Coca-Cola Zero®, Sprite®, Fanta®, Nestea®, PowerAde®, Minute Maid®, Dasani® and vitaminwater®. Coca-Cola in Canada is represented by Coca-Cola Refreshments Canada and Coca-Cola Ltd. For more information about our Company, please visit our website at www.livepositively.ca or www.coca-cola.ca.

Survey Methodology
The survey was completed online from April 15^th - 23^rd, 2013 using Research House's omnibus services, with a sample of 1003 Canadians, 15 years of age or older. 

*Data represents acts done in the last four weeks, based on survey completed April 15 - 23, 2013

SOURCE: Coca-Cola Canada