What began as a late night Google search on how to start a nonprofit has grown into a viral movement centered on compassion, thanks to Wildly Kind founder Kayla Lamoreaux.
Lamoreaux created Wildly Kind in 2022, years after moving to Portland to work with adolescents in a mental health facility and while navigating her own recovery from alcohol use. Looking for a healthier coping skill after finding sobriety, she decided to redirect money she would have spent on alcohol into simple acts of kindness for others.
Those small gestures included paying for strangers’ groceries and handing out care kits to people experiencing homelessness. Over time, those moments added up. Today, Wildly Kind has more than 100 ambassadors across six countries, nearly 70,000 Instagram followers and close to 5,000 documented acts of kindness.
Lamoreaux put her plans to attend Portland State University’s master’s of social work program on hold to focus fully on building the nonprofit, calling the experience her own version of graduate school. The work still keeps her deeply connected to the community.
Earlier this year, Wildly Kind installed a social impact phone booth at the Portland Winter Light Festival, inviting people to leave anonymous messages of encouragement. One note, signed by someone named Carrie, went viral after reminding readers not to give up before the miracle happens. The post has since received more than 620,000 likes.
Now, Lamoreaux is hoping to find Carrie to personally thank her for contributing to Wildly Kind’s mission. The phone booth experience, called A Call for Kindness, is also set to tour additional cities later this year, continuing the ripple effect that started with one person choosing kindness on purpose.
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