Nominate a Kindness Champion
Kindness is contagious. Help us spread it.
Every community has someone who shows up — the neighbor who shovels everyone's driveway, the coworker who always checks in, the volunteer who never asks for recognition. United Way's Kindness Champion award is our way of saying we see you.
Know someone like this? Nominate them.
Are you that person? Nominate yourself — it's okay to be proud of the good you do.
How it Works
- Submit a nomination by August 7th. One nomination per person, so choose someone whose kindness has genuinely made a difference.
- We'll notify your nominee. They'll receive confirmation of their nomination and can choose to accept.
- They tell their story. Once accepted, nominees submit a short video (two minutes or less) sharing why kindness matters to them and what drives them to give back.
- The community votes, starting August 12th, to help select the 2026 Kindness Champion.
Nomination Form
- The contest is open to anyone who lives, works, or attends school in Dutchess and Orange Counties.
- Video submission must be no more than 2 minutes long.
- Video submission must be received by UWDOR by August 10th, 2026
- All contestants must fill out the media consent form.
- For those under 18, a parent or guardian must provide consent.
- All videos will be reviewed by a panel of judges who will determine our top entries.
- Top entries will be announced on August 12th, 2026
- The top entries will be voted on by our community (August 12th, 2026 – September 9th, 2026).
- You can share the link to your page on social media with family and friends.
- Voting ends promptly on September 9th at 5:00 PM.
- Winners will be determined by the highest number of votes received by September 9th at 5:00 PM.
- All top contestants will be listed in the Community Breakfast program journal.