On Saturday, January 31st, the TPSS Co-op community will come together to celebrate Kindness Day, honoring the life and legacy of Tommy Raskin.
Tommy Raskin was the beloved son of U.S. Representative Jamie Raskin and Sarah Bloom Raskin. He was known for his deep kindness, intellectual curiosity, and care for others — especially people living in poverty and animals without a voice. A poet, philosopher, and Harvard Law student, Tommy believed deeply in looking out for one another and working toward a more just and compassionate world. After his death in 2020, his family and friends created Kindness Day to honor his spirit and encourage people to turn empathy into action.
Tommy’s parting words were “Please look after each other, the animals, and the global poor for me.” In line with Tommy’s wishes, here are opportunities for you to participate in Kindness Day at the Co-op:
Contribute to the Co-op’s Feed a Neighbor Fund
Support neighbors facing food insecurity by donating to our Feed a Neighbor Fund. You can contribute online and in-store–just tell your cashier how much you’d like to donate. We use these funds to Double Up purchases for shoppers using SNAP benefits, meaning their SNAP benefits go twice as far at TPSS! When SNAP benefits were paused in fall 2025, we also used this fund to distribute gift certificates to people who relied on SNAP. The Co-op is uniquely positioned to help address food insecurity in our community, and we hope you’ll help us keep our neighbors fed with nutritious foods.
Visit the Co-op on Kindness Day
Stop by the store on Kindness Day to receive a Co-op Act of Kindness prompt — a small invitation to spread kindness inspired by Tommy’s belief that caring actions matter.
Together, let’s honor Tommy Raskin’s legacy by practicing kindness and looking after one another, just as he hoped we would.