3,000 Acts of Kindness: Brooklyn Center Woman Offers Lesson in Hope

On a winter day inside the Minneapolis Convention Center, compassion takes on a tangible form. Long rows of tables hold coats, hats, gloves, and new boots. Volunteers guide guests to hot meals, haircuts, and social service providers. For thousands of people facing homelessness or housing insecurity, the annual “3,000 Acts of Kindness” event is not symbolic. It is practical, immediate, and rooted in dignity.

Among those present on December 8, 2025, was Kelly Kunz of Brooklyn Center, whose life story and ongoing work embody the event’s purpose. Kunz is the founder of Street Justice Ministry, a nonprofit focused on reaching people living with addiction and homelessness directly on the streets. Her involvement in the large scale gathering reflects both her personal journey and her belief that hope must be brought to people, not simply offered from a distance.

A mission born from lived experience

Kunz has been open about her past. She has said she spent nearly a decade homeless, struggling with addiction, and being human trafficked in Minneapolis. During that period, she lost her freedom, her stability, and custody of her son. She has described a turning point that included incarceration and a profound personal reckoning that ultimately led to recovery and a desire to serve others facing similar circumstances.

Out of that experience came Street Justice Ministry. Kunz founded the nonprofit with a clear mission to “reach the unreachable.” Rather than waiting for people to enter shelters or programs, she purchased a bus and uses it as a mobile outreach vehicle, traveling to encampments and street corners to deliver essentials directly to people in need.

The bus carries hygiene kits, blankets, snack packs, and basic supplies. Just as importantly, it serves as a point of connection to recovery programs and support services for those who are ready. Kunz has described her approach as intentionally direct, showing up consistently and offering hope in places where despair is often normalized.

A day of dignity at scale

The “3,000 Acts of Kindness” event is organized by Coated in Love, a Plymouth based nonprofit founded five years ago by Danielle Igbanugo. The organization describes the gathering as a day of dignity and hope for people experiencing homelessness or home insecurity across the Twin Cities.

This year’s event, held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Minneapolis Convention Center, served close to 5,000 people and relied on nearly 1,000 volunteers to operate smoothly. In its first year, organizers welcomed about 900 guests, a figure that underscores both the rapid growth of the event and the increasing level of need in the region.

Guests moved through more than 15 stations offering warm winter clothing, including coats, hats, gloves, and new boots, along with meals and food pantry access. Barbers and stylists provided free haircuts, while representatives from more than 80 social service agencies were available to discuss mental health care, addiction treatment, housing options, and job placement.

A notable and optional station invited guests to have their feet washed and receive a prayer before being fitted for new boots. Organizers describe the gesture as one of humility and compassion, intended to affirm the humanity of every person who attends. New this year was a pet station, offering care and supplies for animals accompanying their owners.

Community effort and shared responsibility

Igbanugo has said the scale of the event is both inspiring and sobering. The large turnout reflects deep community generosity, but also highlights the persistence of homelessness and housing insecurity. Her message to those looking to help has been consistent: meaningful impact requires collective action.

“This does not happen with one person,” she has said. “This is bigger than all of us.”

Kunz’s participation in “3,000 Acts of Kindness,” alongside her daily outreach through Street Justice Ministry, illustrates that philosophy in action. Her work connects personal recovery to public service, emphasizing consistency, presence, and respect over spectacle.

For many who passed through the convention center that day, the event offered warmth, nourishment, and practical assistance. For the broader community, it offered a lesson in what sustained compassion looks like when individuals and organizations choose to show up together, again and again.

Minneapolimedia