We're launching "Lady Louise Speaks to Kindness" Initiative

It's National Kindness Week, the perfect opportunity for "Lady Louise, the Queen of Kindness" to announce that our book series is beginning a national "Lady Louise Speaks to Kindness" initiative to recognize young people who go to extraordinary lengths to help those in need and to bring change to their communities and our nation.

Our first award recipient is Katelynn Hardee, a kindergarten student at Breeze Hill Elementary School in California.

You may remember Katelynn’s extraordinary story which was followed by national media in December, including posts on Web sites such as the one from Good Morning America (below). When she overheard a parent discussing the difficulty of paying a child's school lunch debt, Katelynn went to her mother, Karina Hardee, and asked questions. Her mother saw this as an opportunity to impart an important lesson to her own child -- not everyone or every family has the same advantages.

In a media interview, Ms, Hardee said, “She started asking me a lot of questions, and I just tried to explain to her that sometimes people aren’t as fortunate and that we need to try to be kind and give when we can."

And Katelynn did give! She sold enough cookies and cocoa to make a substantial contribution to the school lunch debt program. Her efforts then inspired other students and staff at Breeze Hill to sell cocoa and baked treats to raise even more money for the school's lunch accounts. More than 120 students benefited from these acts of kindness.

Katelynn's story highlights the problems of school lunch debt throughout the nation. A CNN article reported these findings from the School Nutrition Association:

-- U.S. families' inability to pay for school lunches is becoming an increasing problem;

-- At the end of the 2017 school year, 75 percent of the nation's school districts reported school lunch debt;

-- The median amount of unpaid student meal debt for school districts is $2,500, but it varies significantly among districts. School districts reported debt ranging from the single digits to more than $850,000.

Katelynn's kindness isn't stopping with the school lunch program. Last week, Ms. Hardee told us that with all of the lunch debts paid off, they are working to bring an art program to the district. "The project is continuing, and we hope to make some change!"

The Hardee family already has made a huge difference, and their ongoing efforts show how one "teachable moment" between a mother and daughter brought about a change for their community.

Katelynn will receive a special award from the "Lady Louise" Book Series for her efforts. She has set the bar high for others to follow!