Benchmark Senior Living Employees to Perform 1,000 Acts of Kindness

WALTHAM — Nearly everyone has heard of ‘random acts of kindness,’ but Benchmark Senior Living employees are taking things up a notch by committing 1,000 Radiant Acts of Kindness during the month of June in the towns and neighborhoods where their 54 senior-living communities are located.

If you live near Orchard Valley at Wilbraham or the Atrium at Cardinal Drive in Agawam, the two local Benchmark communities, you might open your front door one morning and find a pot of flowers waiting for you, or your newspaper moved to your front porch with a little card saying, “In honor of Benchmark Senior Living’s 20th anniversary, we are committing Radiant Acts of Kindness!”

“This is Benchmark’s 20th anniversary year, and we want to give back to the communities and families that have supported our company’s growth since 1997,” said Tom Grape, the company’s founder and CEO. “So every one of our 54 senior-living communities across seven Northeast states has committed to performing at least 20 Radiant Acts of Kindness during June in their local neighborhoods and towns.”

Why radiant instead of random? “Our Benchmark mission is to elevate human connection,” Grape says. “Connecting with people and putting them at the center of everything we do is what has set us apart for 20 years. Our 1,000 acts won’t be random. They will be conscientious efforts to radiate kindness and make people feel good. They may even help restore belief in the goodness of those around them.”

Carol Green, executive director of Orchard Valley of Wilbraham, said the associates at her community can’t wait to commit their Radiant Acts of Kindness in the Wilbraham area. “They have ideas for buying coffee, giving away gift cards to our neighbors, visiting the senior center with goodies, and many more ‘radiant’ ideas,” she noted. “We love our neighbors and this community, and can’t wait to give back and surprise a few people along the way.”