$20 Challenge: A Lesson in Kindness

The Description

In 2014, my sister died in a car accident, leaving behind some money in her wallet. Because she was so focused on helping those in need during her lifetime, I knew this money had to go towards helping others.

Therefore, after saving and contributing some money of my own, I decided to use the money to teach my students a lesson in giving and kindness. I gave each student $20 and challenged them to use it to do an act of kindness. My students took this challenge seriously and thoughtfully used their $20 to bring smiles to many faces.

After completing my $20 Challenge with one class in the fall of 2018, I received enough donations to continue my kindness challenge every semester since. This past fall, we reached our 350th act of kindness in my sister's honor.

If you like to help spread kindness and help others, please consider donating to our $20 Challenge. Your money will go directly toward making the world a better place, $20 at a time. :-)

NOTE: Donors will receive an email with the video link when their funds are used (I'd like to show you what acts of kindness were done with your donation!). If you wish to remain anonymous when being thanked in the video, please let me know; otherwise, your name will appear at the end of the video.

Back Up Plan

I will fund my $20 Challenge while I can afford it. 

Fundraiser Updates (3)

$20 Kindness Challenge Update

November 19, 2025

Hello donors,

I know it’s been several months since your donation, but I wanted to wait until everything was officially finalized with the IRS before sharing this news.

First, I want to express my deepest gratitude for your generosity. Your support truly means so much, and I would not have been able to continue this kindness challenge without you.

Furthermore, I’m excited to share that because of your donations, the $20 Kindness Challenge is now an officially recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. This will allow us to continue raising funds, not only to support my students’ acts of kindness, but also to help other teachers across the country bring the $20 Kindness Challenge to their own classrooms.

Your financial support will never be forgotten. Being recognized and supported by strangers from across the country...Well, it has brought tears to this teacher's eyes. And it has shown my students that their actions and voices truly can make the world a kinder place.

Thank you for believing in my mission.

Forever grateful,
Kristina Ulmer
20dollarkindnesschallenge.org 

kulmer@hhsd.org

November 19, 2025

Hello donors,

I know it’s been several months since your donation, but I wanted to wait until everything was officially finalized with the IRS before sharing this news.

First, I want to express my deepest gratitude for your generosity. Your support truly means so much, and I would not have been able to continue this kindness challenge without you.

Furthermore, I’m excited to share that because of your donations, the $20 Kindness Challenge is now an officially recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. This will allow us to continue raising funds, not only to support my students’ acts of kindness, but also to help other teachers across the country bring the $20 Kindness Challenge to their own classrooms.

Your financial support will never be forgotten. Being recognized and supported by strangers from across the country...Well, it has brought tears to this teacher's eyes. And it has shown my students that their actions and voices truly can make the world a kinder place.

Thank you for believing in my mission.

Forever grateful,
Kristina Ulmer
20dollarkindnesschallenge.org 

THANK YOU!

March 20, 2025

THANK YOU for donating to my $20 Challenge. I’m touched by everyone's immense generosity and kind messages. I am truly overwhelmed.

It is my dream to continue this kindness challenge until I retire and to create a small foundation in my sister’s name so that I could provide grants to teachers across the country, allowing them to carry out this kindness challenge with their students. You all have allowed me to get closer to that dream. 

Comments (43)

Michelle Finch April 11, 2025

Saw the story about this on the Philip DeFranco show. I thought it was a wonderful idea for a good cause.

George Scholl April 11, 2025

What a great way to honor your sister's memory and teach our youth to be kind to others. Great job! I'm honored to invest in such a worthy cause.

Sasha April 6, 2025

Thank you so much for spreading positivity and kindness. Thank you for reminding us that there is still goodness in the world. I am so sorry for your loss.

Brandi Knelly April 1, 2025

I love this!! Saw this because Amanda Dougherty shared your story and visit to Preston and Steve, and I think this is AMAZING!! Best of luck to you!! I'm sure your sister is smiling down and is SO PROUD of you!

Joe April 1, 2025

Great job to honor your sister’s memory! Great story

Hal Barber March 26, 2025

I saw your story on the Philip DeFranco Show on YouTube.

Brenda Ghio March 24, 2025

So sorry about your sister but what a lovely tribute❤️

Michelle Hannock March 24, 2025

I absolutely love the sentiment. We need more kindness in this world. Heard about this from the Philip DeFranco Podcast on Spotify. :)

Dan Mohar March 24, 2025

Great

Rachel March 21, 2025

Thank you for bringing good to the world.

David jones March 20, 2025

My name is David jones. I am making this donation for Brandy Bright posthumously. She passed away from cancer back in January. We ran a go fund me for funeral cost and then to donate the remainder to varou charitie in her name. I found your story through the Philip Defranco show and it touched me. Such an inspirational story. Putting good back into this world filled with so much bad is so much of a needed thing right now. I hope this 100 dollar donation can go and make some some people's lifes a little better!

Betsy schaf March 20, 2025

Hi Kristina,
I so enjoyed talking with you. You are a remarkable person for sure. I hope others read the article and contribute to your worthy cause.
My best to you.
Betsy

Educator, too March 20, 2025

This is a wonderful project - excellent way to help students develop. Also, wonderful way to honor your sister.

Tyler Bunch March 19, 2025

What a great idea and such a nice way to honor your sisters memory while improving the community! I'll happily donate to your project! c:

Brad Lanham March 19, 2025

This is an amazing idea that does a great job of cultivating empathy and philanthropy, not just at the student level, but for others like myself to want to give and support such a great cause. Love what you've set out to do and wishing you and your students now and in the future all the best!

Albert Orozco March 19, 2025

I just saw your program on Philip De Franco and loved it. Keep up the great work inspiring the youth of today. We are going to need it.

Victoria DeFreitas March 19, 2025

Love what you are doing. Teaching kids to do something nice for others. A great lifelong lesson. Thank you!

Jason Berry March 19, 2025

Thank you for teaching important lessons to the next generation!

Tenisha March 19, 2025

Thank you so much for all your hard work and kindness. We need more of it!

Kristina G March 19, 2025

So glad to see that there’s people doing good in the world. We need more of this!

Devon Oliver March 19, 2025

I found out about this because of the Philip DeFranco YouTube segment. I’m glad he was able to use his platform for some good.

Parker Bernhart March 19, 2025

Came from the good news section of Philip DeFranco Show. Glad to see kindness being spread!

Lorraine Nusdeu March 19, 2025

I am a retired teacher and feel this is the greatest lesson we will ever teach our students. I hope my modest donation will not only encourage empathy but bring lasting love to our most deserving.

Kathy Walsh March 19, 2025

Good luck to you and your students. Due to the social, political and economic climate here in the states, we all could use some kindness right about now.

Jonathan March 18, 2025

Saw your story on Philip Defranco. It's amazing what you are doing. Thank you for sharing kindness. It's more important than ever. Happy I can help you with your dream even in a small way.

Jason Li March 18, 2025

Love what you guys are doing! You guy's acts of kindness really brought a tear to my girlfriend's eyes. You guys have made her day, and I want this money to be used to make someone else's day!

Kai March 18, 2025

Saw your story on Philip defranco’s show! What an amazing person you have become creating such an amazing impactful way for your kids to show love and kindness, as someone who is currently dating a teacher, I can understand the struggle of finding ways in these days to show kids that there is good in the world, but you have proved that you can do so much with so little, thanks for your kindness! Hope this helps!

Alex B March 18, 2025

Philly D sent me. Absolutely lovely idea, fostering the kind of empathy that will get us through these dark times. Love from the UK and best wishes to you all

H M March 18, 2025

Saw your story on the Philip DeFranco Show on YouTube. Thank you for making this increasingly cold world a bit kinder every day.

Ash O March 18, 2025

Feel free to put it towards your overhead, I appreciate what you do! I know keeping all that running is not zero cost to you. I appreciate you AND your sister. <3

Aa March 18, 2025

As a NICU parent, seeing how the 20.00 investment transitioned to red caps beong knitted by your amazing student for infants with Heart issues being easily identified just amazes me how much power empathy can materialize and i hope this amount can help passing empathy forward as Katie lived.

Robert Rolfingsmeyer March 18, 2025

This is the perfect thing to donate money for. Thank you for teaching the next generation they’re a part of a much bigger whole. And making it a much kinder whole, to boot!

Jim March 18, 2025

Love you all! Do good.

DJ March 18, 2025

Before hearing about this endeavor from the Phillip Defranco show, I was honestly wondering whether there was any good left in the world. Of course, that's silly. Good people exist and do great things every day. But listening to the recent news, you'd think the value of a human life is meaningless. Especially when you seem them reduced to numbers in a statistic.

But then I hear about this, and am reminded that there are people out there who still care. And young people who can hopefully bring some kindness into the future. Glad to donate for such a good cause.

Nathan Burch March 18, 2025

I heard about this from the Philip DeFranco show online and I think especially in hard times like this, it’s always great to show a little empathy. I hope this helps go a little way towards helping someone and carry’s your sisters memory with it.

Amanda Mesenbring March 18, 2025

What an incredible thing to do to honor your sister and talk about empathy with your students! I am a teacher in Minnesota so I am deeply aware of what it takes to go to work each day with kindness in our hearts and as much patience as we can muster! Thank you for your work and I am honored to assist in a small way. <3

Dick Kazan March 17, 2025

I was deeply moved by what you are doing Kristina, and by the widespread impact on others.

M Wright March 16, 2025

Read about the challenge in The Washington Post. Great idea!

Rebecca Breunig March 16, 2025

Thank you for your kindness. I read your article on Snapchat and was overcome with a sense of hope and inspiration. Thank you.

John J Mayo March 16, 2025

We need a picture book to tell the story, with the concept, the student ideas they implemented, and a challenge to every student to do the same. Proceeds of the book go to the fund..

irv a rubenstein March 16, 2025

What a great idea. Carry on, kids.

Karen March 16, 2025

Love this project!

Linda Parish March 15, 2025

My favorite thing to do, anytime of year, is Random Acts of Kindness (RAK). It's a joy to RAK someone who obviously needs a boost. Hold a door, return a grocery cart, pay for the persons' order in-line behind you at McDonald's. Awesome! Thank you for doing this and teaching your kiddos about RAKing.

Leave a Comment

About the Creator

I am an English teacher in the suburbs of Philadelphia and have been teaching for 20 years. I feel that teaching is my calling and that I am privileged to play a role in developing my students into adults.

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