Monday was the kickoff for Minnesota United Acts of Kindess Week, an initiative sponsored by the United Way.

The organization is encouraging people to participate in acts of kindess wherever they are — at work, home or play — and to make small steps toward improving the community.

At school, it could be acts such as welcoming a new person to your lunch table, telling someone how much you appreciate them, writing thank you cards to teachers or other school staff, creating care packages as a classroom project or simply offering a smile.

At work, you could write a note of appreciation for a co-worker or supervisor, leave money behind in a vending machine for another person to find, write a message of encouragement for others to see it, bring treats to share in the breakroom or volunteer as a team for a local organization who needs some extra help.

At home, you could put a card on a family member’s pillow or in their lunch box, bake cookies and surprise a friend or neighbor with them, write a note to your letter carrier and leave it in the mailbox for him or her, give hugs to family members or make a special dinner for a friend or relative.

The list really is endless of the nice things we can do for others in the community, and it doesn’t have to require spending money.

The United Way of Freeborn County is encouraging people to post pictures and comments about their own acts of kindness offered this week.

Not only will it lift up others, but it will lift up you, as well.

Choose to be kind.