Honouring Individuals and Organisations Demonstrating Extraordinary Compassion and Positive Impact
Australia, 5th Jan 2026, -
The winners of the 2026 Universal Kindness Awards have been announced, recognising individuals, businesses and organisations from around the world whose outstanding contributions have made a meaningful difference in communities, promoted social good and demonstrated the power of compassionate action.
Now in its latest iteration, the Universal Kindness Awards celebrate a broad spectrum of achievement — from humanitarian engagement and mental wellness advocacy to environmental stewardship, arts for kindness, inclusive accessibility, global collaboration and everyday acts of generosity that inspire others. Winners were selected for their measurable impact in strengthening communities, fostering empathy, reducing barriers and creating opportunities for lasting positive change.
“We are pleased to recognise the 2026 award recipients whose dedication to kindness and compassion has delivered tangible benefits to people and places across borders,” said a spokesperson for the Universal Kindness Awards. “Their work illustrates how thoughtful, sustained action — whether through volunteer service, community leadership or innovative solutions — contributes to a more caring and inclusive world.”
Winners will also be featured in the upcoming edition of UKindness Magazine, which highlights stories of empathy and generosity from around the world.
The Winners
Here are this year's winners:
Kindness in Innovation Award
First Batch
- Janet Miller
- Maria Rodriguez
- Sarah Chen (Non-Profit & Language Education)
- Tom Martinez
- Blake Mycoskie (TOMS Shoes)
- Dr. Sarah Chen (Therapy Dogs for Autism)
- Maria Santos
- Aunty Mei
- Mariana Delgado
- Graham Goodhart
Second Batch
- Microsoft (Adaptive Controllers)
- Octopus Energy
- Kiva
- Khan Academy
- Open-Source SaaS (various implementations)
- Adobe Creative Residency
- Warby Parker
- Too Good To Go
- BuildHealth International
- Duolingo
- PlayAbly
- Benetech
Animal Welfare Protection Award
- RSPCA
- Jane Goodall / Jane Goodall Institute
- Comprehensive Pet Therapy (Mark Spivak, Founder)
Corporate Compassion Award
- Gravity Payments (Dan Price, CEO)
- Enterprise Community Partners
- Union Square Hospitality Group
- Patagonia (multiple initiatives: Worn Wear, Fair Trade Program, Ownership Transfer to Trust, Black Friday Donations, Ironclad Guarantee and Repair Support)
- Pearson
- Ben & Jerry’s
Lifetime Achievement in Kindness
- Fred Rogers
- Jane Goodall
- Mother Teresa
- Warren Buffett
- Malala Yousafzai
Community Champion Award
- Mermaid Way (Julia Pukhalskaia, CEO)
- Mission Prep Healthcare (Aja Chavez, Executive Director)
- Lluis Law (Ramiro Lluis, Managing Attorney)
- Comprehensive Pet Therapy (Mark Spivak, Founder)
- Zinfandel Grille (Allen Kou, Owner)
- Interactive Counselling (Amy Mosset, CEO)
- The Spanish Council of Singapore (Carmen Jordan Fernandez, Academic Director)
- Franchise KI (Bennett Maxwell, CEO)
- Crushing REI / Lakeshore Home Buyer (Ryan Dosenberry, CEO)
- Tutorbase (Sandro Kratz, Founder)
- Housing Families First / Xponent21 (Will Melton, CEO)
Global Goodness Award
- International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
- Doctors Without Borders / Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)
- Gates Foundation
- UNESCO
- British Council
Kindness in Action Award
- Avraham Plastic Surgery (Dr. Tomer Avraham)
- Zinfandel Grille (Allen Kou)
- Dirty Dough (Bennett Maxwell’s example)
- Jacksonville Maids (Justin Carpenter)
- Baby Steps Ministry (Peter Kim)
- Dr. Edith Eger
Interfaith Harmony Award
- Parliament of the World’s Religions
- Pope Francis
- Interfaith Youth Core (Eboo Patel)
- The Interfaith Alliance
- United Religions Initiative (URI)
- Hospital Chaplaincy Programs (Cross-Faith Chaplaincy Teams)
Nonprofit Impact Award
- World Central Kitchen
- Equal Justice Initiative (EJI)
- Charity: Water
- Loveland Foundation
- Habitat for Humanity
- Feeding America
- The Trevor Project
- Global Good Foundation
Random Act of Kindness Award
- Next Step House Buyers (Chris Lowe)
- NOLA Buys Houses (Carl Fanaro)
- Rowlen Boiler Services (Lara Woodham)
- PlayAbly (John Cheng)
- Mission Prep Healthcare (Aja Chavez)
- Zinfandel Grille (Allen Kou)
- Magic Hour (Runbo Li)
- French Teachers Association of Hong Kong (David Cornado)
- Tutorbase (Sandro Kratz)
- Patagonia (Julia Pukhalskaia)
- Baby Steps Ministry (Peter Kim)
- German Cultural Association of Hong Kong (Yoan Amselem)
- Xponent21 (Will Melton)
- Search Party (Brandon Brown)
- CLDY.com (Alvin Poh)
- Patagonia (Hans Graubard)
- Crushing REI (Ryan Dosenberry)
- Kitching & Co. Dirtworx (Brian Tetreault)
- Bennett Awards (Graham Bennett)
Mental Wellness Advocate Award
- Prince Harry
- Selena Gomez / Rare Beauty & Rare Impact Fund
- Mental Health Professionals (field-wide recognition)
- Michael Phelps
Arts for Kindness Award
- Banksy
- JR (Inside Out Project)
- GRIN
- Marina Abramovic
Philanthropic Leadership Award
- Jose Andres
- Baby Steps Ministry (Peter Kim, Owner)
- John Paul DeJoria
- The Spanish Council of Singapore (Carmen Jordan Fernandez, Academic Director)
- Mission Prep Healthcare (Aja Chavez, Executive Director)
- German Cultural Association of Hong Kong (Yoan Amselem, Managing Director)
- Tutorbase (Sandro Kratz, Founder)
- Melinda French Gates
- Rihanna
Kindness Journalism, Media, and Marketing Award
- Humans of New York (Brandon Stanton)
- Love Has No Labels Campaign
- The Dodo
- StoryCorps
- Washington Post (Pandemic Series)
- New York Times (“Overlooked” Series)
Empowerment Through Sports Award
- Comprehensive Pet Therapy (Mark Spivak, Founder)
- Aquatots (Alena Sarri, Owner Operator)
- Magic Hour (Runbo Li, CEO)
- Special Olympics
- Skate Like a Girl
Technology for Good Award
- Oura (Oura Ring)
- yourLumira
- Zipline
- Finofo
- UrbanPro
- Mozilla
- Babylon Health
- Khan Academy
- Be My Eyes
Intergenerational Kindness Award
- Jane Goodall
- Keanu Reeves
- Magic Hour (Runbo Li, CEO)
- The Spanish Council of Singapore (Carmen Jordan Fernandez, Academic Director)
- Mermaid Way (Julia Pukhalskaia, CEO)
- Jacksonville Maids (Justin Carpenter, Founder)
Difference Maker Award
- Simone de Beauvoir – The Second Sex
- Jonah Berger – Contagious
- Kim Scott – Radical Candor
- Harper Lee – To Kill a Mockingbird
- Rutger Bregman – Humankind
- Rebecca Skloot – The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
- Tara Westover – Educated
- James Clear – Atomic Habits
- Ruda Iande – Laughing in the Face of Chaos
- Maria Montessori – Absorbent Mind
- Elizabeth Gilbert – Big Magic
- Bryan Stevenson – Just Mercy
- Tsvika Abramovitch – The Art of Managing Humans: Management Practices that Actually Work
- Angel A – Holy Parrot
- Alis Cerrahyan – The Sound of an Ordinary Life
- Sneha Sabu – Stay Safe with Ruby and Reuben
- Karen Olson – Meant for More
About the Universal Kindness Awards
The Universal Kindness Awards, presented annually by Store with a Heart, recognise individuals, brands and organisations that exemplify kindness, compassion and positive social impact. The awards span multiple categories including humanitarian leadership, community service, corporate compassion, global goodness, environmental stewardship, mental wellness advocacy, empowerment through education and technology for good. Recipients are selected based on their demonstrated, measurable contributions toward strengthening communities and improving lives.
To nominate or for more details about the awards, visit the official page of the Universal Kindness Awards.
About Store with a Heart
Store with a Heart is a multi‑award‑winning sustainable online gift store based in Adelaide, Australia, committed to promoting kindness, compassion and social responsibility. Beyond offering carbon‑neutral products and ethical gifting options, the organisation supports initiatives that amplify positive impact, including the Universal Kindness Awards and UKindness Magazine. Store with a Heart seeks to elevate stories of empathy and generosity from around the world, encouraging a culture where meaningful action and human connection are central to community wellbeing.
Media Contact
Organization: Store with a Heart
Contact person: Store with a Heart
Website: https://storewithaheart.com
Email: info@storewithaheart.com
Country: Australia
Release id: 27157
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