From Karen in Atlanta: I love this tradition each year. ❤️ This year, we remembered Steve and donated grocery store gift cards to families in need. *** From the Tarun-Stogsdill family in San Antonio: Celebrating Steve and his work with doctors today. We miss him very much and hope he would approve! #dammkind Love, Melissa, Dylan, Thalia & Carys This gift supports the humanitarian relief efforts of Doctors Without Borders whose doctors, nurses, and logistics experts are providing medical care to victims of armed conflict, natural disasters, malnutrition, and epidemics i ..read more

From Beth in Plano: I’m laid up at home with a broken ankle, so I had to spread kindness online. I made a donation to the North Texas Food Bank in honor of Steve and my mom, who shared a birthday. #dammkind *** From Faith in Cary, N.C.: Doug, Carissa, and I went to an Arts and Crafts festival today and met a young man who was trying to make a living out of rapping and singing original songs. He was an excellent positive message rapper and a great singer! I gave him a large tip to help him fulfill his dream! #dammkind *** From Nancy in Plano: Dear Tyra Damm, we are celebrating 55 Acts of ..read more

 From Melissa and Dylan in Houston: We left a little cash treat for Hilton hotel staff in Houston this morning *** From Rae somewhere in the Caribbean: Hi there! On vacation in Caribbean! I gave an extra large tip to our bartender, David, tonight for my Act of Kindness! Had a minute to tell him about Steve and your great idea honoring him on his bday!! ❤️❤️ *** From Conia in Franklin, Tenn.: Venmo for a family who just lost their home to a fire. *** From Jasmine in Frisco: Happy 55th heavenly birthday to Steve Damm! DJ had his very first blood test at Quest in Prosper 8 am in the mo ..read more

 Welcome! Big thanks to everyone celebrating what would have been Steve's 55th birthday on Nov. 4! If you'd like to join in, you can click here for a note to leave behind with your #DammKind act. *** From the Bapat family in Frisco: Thank you for sharing this tradition with us ❤️ In honor of Steve, we will be donating 55 snack packs to Frisco Fastpacs for their meal kits. *** From Jill in Frisco: I had fun putting hand soaps in several of the school bathrooms as an act of kindness this year! I love all you do to keep Steve's memory alive!  *** From Marvin in Frisco: Last S ..read more

From Saturday's Briefing: It’s impossible to miss Breast Cancer Awareness Month and its frenzy of pink. We are, apparently, also in the middle of International Walk to School Month, National Dental Hygiene Month, National Stamp Collecting Month and about 100 other various special interest celebrations. October is also Dyslexia Awareness Month, though as anyone who lives with dyslexia can attest, you don’t need 31 days set aside to remember. It’s a year-round, nonstop kind of life that affects an estimated 10% of the population — and there is no cure. I don’t have dyslexia myself, but as a cla ..read more

From Saturday's Briefing: Daily life is quieter at the Damm house. As the wise philosopher and meerkat Timon sings in The Lion King, "Our trio's down to two." Cooper left for Auburn University in early August, and while he is adjusting to sharing a dorm room, doing his own laundry, rustling up some grub, navigating college coursework, making new friends — basically launching a new life — little sister Katie and I are adjusting to life without him. That means fewer loads of laundry and fewer groceries to buy. There are fewer moments that I need to knock on his door and holler, "It's time to g ..read more

From Saturday's Briefing: I have just celebrated 30 years since graduating high school with a reunion at a suburban country club, including a pasta buffet, a DJ serving up '80s tunes and a roomful of people I either remember well or have no recollection of ever seeing once in my entire life. I left feeling not nostalgic but thankful. Thankful for enduring friendships, fond memories, shared experiences and, most of all, thankful that my high school years weren't my best years. If I could whisper in the ear of 1989 me, I would share, "The best is yet to come." My generation lacks a singular defi ..read more

From Saturday's Briefing: Dear child on the eve of high school, You've been an old soul since the day you were born, so I should be totally prepared for this milestone. Yet I can still see you on your first day of kindergarten, hand on your hip, braid in your hair, sassy smile on your lips. Every year since, you and your brother have endured my photo traditions. Katie in front of the door. Cooper in front of the door. Katie on the steps. Cooper on the steps. Katie and Cooper on the steps together. This year's routine is unlike any other. When you stand on the front porch tomorrow morning, y ..read more

From Saturday's Briefing: My role as a risk-averse mom places me in a tough position when our family is forging adventure. On the one hand, I want to expose my children to opportunities to explore life and new experiences. I want them to embrace challenges and overcome fear. On the other hand, I want to envelop them in bubble wrap. We dashed to Beavers Bend State Park in southeastern Oklahoma last weekend for one last hurrah before Cooper starts college and Katie starts high school. We're no strangers to the Mountain Fork River, all of us veterans of kayaking and tubing on that scenic water ..read more

From Saturday's Briefing (and will be in Thursday's Dallas Morning News): My week away this summer was atypical. Yes, I packed my bags, boarded the dog, left town and returned exhausted. Instead of sightseeing and sampling local fare, though, I worked 18-hour days while grocery shopping and cooking for 120 people. I can't wait to do it again next year. Teens and adults from four Texas churches descended on Granbury last week. A local church opened its doors, allowing us to eat, sleep, worship and play there. The campus served as home base for work teams that spread out to help rehab homes, bu ..read more