Worldwide I Matter, You Matter Day
A day to remind ourselves and each other we matter.
A message from Salley Gibney…
“As Worldwide I Matter, You Matter Day approached I was privileged to have the opportunity to share the “I Matter, You Matter, We Matter” message with many students throughout Rhode Island and Vermont. The students ranged in age from elementary school through high school and even some college students. Their socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds varied greatly but one message that resonated everywhere is the “I Matter, You Matter, We Matter” message. Each one of us needs to and deserves to believe that we matter.”
Worldwide I Matter, You Matter Day on March 28th, 2023 was a huge success here and around the world with thousands of people reminding themselves and each other that “Each one of us matters” with a smile, a wave, a hug, a card, a text, an email, and a Caring Coin making a difference in each other’s lives.
There is no way to be sure if we met out goal of “1,000,000 Acts of Caring Around the World” but one thing is sure and that is that the message was shared and greatly appreciated by everyone who received it. Our hope is that the each of us continues to share and receive this message through showing our caring with acts of kindness every day. Because it’s working!!! Caring is Contagious!!!
Our children are our teachers… The students Eldridge Elementary School in East Greenwich, Rhode Island, created a mural outside of their classroom which is filled with all of the kind deeds which the students throughout the school shared with family, friends, teachers and others. Students at Mettawee Community School in West Pawlet, Vermont made a video of students sharing what they appreciated about each other; students at Sunderland Elementary School in Sunderland, Vermont; students at San Miguel School in Providence, Rhode Island, the Religious Ed Students at St Gregory the Great Church, East Greenwich, RI all made posters and stickers which they passed out to teachers, other students, family and friends and others in their communities. And there are so many others… Many businesses challenged their staffs to participate in the “Kindness Challenge” to perform 500 Acts of Kindness by Worldwide I Matter, You Matter Day on March 28th after which they had Celebratory Lunches!!!
Joseph Wooten of the Steve Miller Band has been part of Worldwide I Matter, You Matter Day since the very beginning. Like Salley, Joseph, has a desire for everyone to feel their worth, their importance, that they matter as much as anyone. Joseph shares this message wherever he goes!
Around the World…Mahmudul Karim has also shared the I Matter, You Matter Day since the very beginning. This year he shared the message for a peaceful world at the Muslim Umrah Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.
The message was also shared in England, Ireland, Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Mexico, Nicaragua, India, Bangladesh, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Belize, Turkey, Iran, Nairobi and possibly other places we don’t know about. Salley received messages from her Facebook friends around the world.
And our Worldwide I Matter, You Matter message made it to the Marque of the Historic Greenwich Odeum in East Greenwich, RI reminding everyone they matter.
Our hope is that this message will continue to travel around the world everyday until Worldwide I Matter, You Matter Day next year and beyond.
Because it is working!!! Caring is Contagious!!!
I Matter, You Matter begins with you…
Worldwide I Matter, You Matter Day was initiated by the You Are Never Alone Foundation (YANAF) a Vermont grassroots 501 (c) (3) non-profit, non-denominational volunteer organization that fostered caring, connections and hope with the Vermont crafted Caring Coins as tangible reminders of a caring connection.
The first celebration in 2012 was at Friendly’s Restaurant in Manchester, Vermont. Local families and schools shared the message with family and friends. Over 6.000 invitations were shared through Facebook around the world.
This message from one Mother touched many “3/28/12 is my son’s 11th Bday-he is twice exceptional-gifted with a social disability-this day celebrates what I wish everyone in his world understands”.
In 2013, over 17,430 people here in the US., our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, people in Puerto Rico, England, Italy Spain, Bangladesh, Nepal, Korea, Egypt, Australia, New Zealand, India, Kenya, Tanzania, Nicaragua, Haiti and places we don’t even know celebrated “I Matter You Matter Day”. The Towns of Manchester, Vermont and Dorset, Vermont proclaimed “I Matter…You Matter Day” which continued for several years.
Senator Patrick J. Leahy, of Vermont has shared Caring Coins and the I matter…You matter message with staff and visitors to his offices in Washington, D.C. and Burlington, Vermont. Senator Leahy stated that “…this I matter…You matter is a message that reminds us all to value humanity”.
Through the years Worldwide I Matter, You Matter Day has been celebrated by families, schools, churches, towns, Veterans organizations, schools, Boys and Girls Clubs, nursing homes hospitals, businesses and many others throughout the world.
The I Matter…You Matter Day message is very important to each one of us.
Celebrate I Matter, You Matter Day
Take a moment to stop, take a deep breath, say “I matter…” to yourself: Then remind your family, parents, grandparents, nieces, nephew, cousins, friends, work associates, care givers, healthcare workers, service people and people you may not know that each one of us matters.
It’s as simple as a smile, a word, a hug, a wave, an email, a text, a tweet, a phone call, whatever… Post it on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram!
Have Fun! Be Creative! Celebrate Your Way!
I matter…You matter Day, March 28th
Each one of us does matter!
We are all in this together!
I Matter, You Matter Day has been celebrated with…
- Schools have shared Caring Coins and hugs with students and faculty.
- Boys and Girls Clubs in Vermont and Broward County, Florida and other Youth Groups and parents have celebrated.
- Veteran organizations visit and share Caring Coins with the residents at Veterans Homes.
- Voluntary groups visit with the residents at nursing homes.
- Caring Boxes for the Acts of Caring and posters are exhibited throughout towns, offering an opportunity for everyone to take a moment to notice and express their caring in a simple, personal and sincere way.
- Many lightly used toys, books and games are donated by kids of all ages for kids less fortunate than themselves. The toys will be distributed through the community food cupboards and shelters in many communities.
- Calcutt Middle School, Central Falls, Rhode Island. “I Matter, You Matter” was a great day here at Calcutt Middle School, from the very beginning to the very end of the day. As students entered the school building and walked down the halls they were greeted with bright and cheerful projections of the “I Matter, You Matter” poster, or they saw other signs with encouraging messages posted all around the school building. The posters and projections encouraged a lot discussions and excitement to start the morning off right. In homerooms and small groups teachers and students discussed the “I Matter, You Matter” bookmark questions. Students were later given their I Matter, You Matter Caring Coins to wear or to share. Thank you for encouraging this great gift of kindness. Calcutt Middle School, Central Falls RI.
- Albany High School, Albany, New York: “10 classes participated in Worldwide I Matter, You Matter day. The students were thrilled to receive your tokens. It brightened many days, and many of the coins were passed on to friends, teachers, and parents. It was a great success! Thank you so much for helping our school participate. 180 students received your tokens at Albany High School, and who knows how many more lives were touched by these kind gifts!”
- Manchester Elementary and Middle School, Manchester, Vermont: “Happy I Matter, You Matter Day! Today, MEMS staff were given an option to celebrate by handing out the printable caring coins laminated. Thanks again for all you do and it’s so wonderful how this day has grown. What a meaningful message to share. Thanks for making a difference in our local and global community!”
- The I Matter, You Matter message was shared at the Vermont Veterans Home and at Olin’s Offering in Bennington, Vermont.
- University of New Hampshire: Students at UNH spread kindness through inspiration notecards and Caring Coins. thanks wildcats for spreading the message and celebrating this day!!!
- Spaulding High School, Barre, Vermont: “We had an amazing day!” So earlier in the month I shared an idea with the staff which they liked. So a Google doc containing the names of every student was shared with the entire staff. Cards were made with the I matter you matter coin copied in the top left. Staff wrote cards to students about what they appreciated or why the student mattered. ..and then turned the cards into me. We put the cards in envelopes with the student name on the outside (so kids wouldn’t know if some got more than others and to help with organization).Every student received at least one card, but most received two or more! The envelopes were sorted by advisory and delivered this morning and during advisory they were given to the students. On my way to the cafeteria, I took about ten steps when a student approached me with a thank you note and I got about another ten feet and another student thanked me for her note. The thanks wasn’t what made me feel good but the fact that my words meant something to these students. Anyway, many staff were very thrilled with participating and more than a few commented that this was a pretty cool thing we were doing.On another note, I thought it was important to spread the message to my daughter’s school. I wrote personal messages to three teachers that my daughter has had connections with. I included the principal in on the messages and explained the world wide I matter day…needless to say the teachers were very touched…Lesson for me is like with so many things in life…quality over quantity…students recognize and appreciate hard work, even if they don’t acknowledge it.
Although the You Are Never Alone Foundation was dissolved when Salley Gibney’s husband developed ALS, the Caring Coins and Worldwide I Matter, You Matter Day continue. You can receive more information by visiting our contact page.