Lori Milgard remembers a time when kindness was the norm in her community—when respect and warmth extended across neighborhoods. But as she grew older, she noticed a shift.
“There’s just a lot of anger; there’s road rage; kids are picking on each other on social media…things have changed, and the kindness isn’t as strong as it was back when I was younger. I want our young people to be in the communities that were like mine,” said Milgard, the visionary behind the “Kindness is Free” initiative, which aims to end bullying by fostering a culture of compassion, inclusivity and respect among youth.
Determined to rekindle that spirit, Milgard partnered with the Boys & Girls Clubs of West San Gabriel Valley & Eastside, or BGCWSGV, and the Skylight Foundation, to launch her initiative in 2020. On Friday, Nov. 15, the organization announced its upcoming participation in the 2025 Rose Parade by celebrating the induction of its inaugural 2025 Hall of Fame class at Tournament House in Pasadena.
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The ceremony recognizes local leaders who make a meaningful impact on young lives and inspire youth through their actions.
“This was an initiative that started a few years ago during the pandemic, and we launched this effort to go around and teach young kids kindness.” said BGCWSGV’s Chief Executive Officer JR Dzubak.
Since then, the initiative has grown to include more than 200,000 kids nationwide, he said. So when the BGCWSGV was invited to have a float in the Rose Parade a few years ago, the organization saw it as a chance to elevate the initiative.
“We thought we would make this extra special and turn this into an opportunity to induct some real kindness ambassadors into this Hall of Fame,” Dzubak said. These honorees are leaders who spread kindness through their industries and businesses, continuing the mission of making the world a better place for all, he said.
This year’s inductees include: Los Angeles County Second District Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell; Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustee David Vela; East Los Angeles College President Dr. Alberto J. Román; The Miracle Project Founder Elaine Hall; Joe Emory, representative of Hot Topic Foundation; Lisa Foxx, radio host of iHeart Radio and 104.3 MYFM; TV personality Michaela Pereira; Misty Miller, senior vice president of organizational development at Boys and Girls Clubs of America; Fox Sports Executive Vice President of Communications Terri Hines; and Dwight Stuart Youth Fund Director Wendy Chang.
“I think anytime we can spread kindness and humanity, it’s a fantastic thing, and I think that’s particularly true for our Boys and Girls Club family,” said Miller, one of the inductees.
During Friday’s ceremony, each inductee received a light-blue, commemorative jackets, and selected individuals will secure a spot on the 2025 Kindness is Free Rose Parade float.
Participants also got a sneak peak at the float design, which brings the message of kindness to life through leaves and animals intricately crafted from seeds, flowers, and other natural elements.
Continuing from last year’s animal theme, the 55-foot-long float features two squirrels sharing an acorn, a frog befriending a butterfly, and a family of birds observing the two acts of kindness from above–which symbolizes how small acts of kindness can inspire larger change, officials at BGCWSGV said.
“We’re here celebrating the Boys and Girls Club and their float, which is themed ‘Kindness is Free’, which I love so much, because to me, it really dovetails well with our theme, ‘Best Day Ever!’ so it’s very exciting,” 2025 Tournament of Roses Association President Ed Morales said.