Fixer Upper’s Chip and Joanna Gaines have spoken about how global crises inspired their kindness. The interior design duo is committed to replacing the hate in the world with as many loving acts as they can.
This should be a period of unbridled happiness for the Gaineses. The couple celebrated the birth of son, Crew, in 2018. Not only that, but their company Magnolia partnered with big box retailer Target to create a special line of home goods. However, it was the recent rash of mass shootings, issues with climate change, and homelessness that really made the celebrity couple realize it was time to put a stop to a lot of the negativity - in their signature way. That's when they came up with the idea for Kindness Flyers. Each template, available on their Magnolia website, is a call to action for everyday people to take the time to help a child, or to choose their own way to make an impact.
“We started wrestling with the thought of simply paying for a stranger’s meal or calling an old friend - just a little token,” says Chip. “It evolved from there.” According to People, they designed four different flyers with tear-off tabs encouraging good works. It's a simple solution that anyone can try, or easily put up around their neighborhoods.
Chip and Joanna abandoned their hit HGTV show in 2017 to focus on their family. At the time, they explained that their three sons and two daughters needed both parents in the household on a regular basis, as well as the benefit of growing up without cameras in their lives. However, it was later revealed that Joanna was expecting another baby, and therefore, would need to devote her time to having a successful pregnancy. Fortunately fore the couple's fans, HGTV has committed to a series of specials surrounding Magnolia's down-home design aesthetic.
Joanna and Chip Gaines have done wonderful things in their hometown of Waco, Texas. Through their HGTV series Fixer Upper, they've revitalized a number of properties and improved the value of many once-dilapidated houses. Their genuine sense of goodwill and caring shows through on their various television specials and in their interviews. While it may seem a bit parochial to think that a piece of paper can change the world, Chip and Joanna are willing to become the solution, instead of part of the problem. Only time will tell if the Kindness Flyers will have an impact, but it's refreshing to see someone with a huge platform launching a grassroots effort to bring about a change.