Paws, Plants & Purpose 🐾

From the Ground Up:

Compassion in Full Bloom

Graphics Editor Sean Michaels

As gardens grow and animals gather, we’re reminded that kindness—like spring—starts from the ground up.

Nurturing Minds and Hearts: Celebrating Mental Health Awareness Month Through Humane Education

May and October are Mental Health Awareness Months, a time to recognize the importance of emotional well-being and the various ways we can support it. At Project HumaneKind, we believe that humane education plays a vital role in fostering mental health by promoting empathy, connection, and understanding.

Our Pet Painters program engages young artists aged 8–12 in creating portraits of shelter animals. In the Kids and Kitties Too Reading Program, children read aloud to cats in a cozy, supportive environment. Our Animals Everywhere initiative brings diverse animals into educational settings, allowing students to learn about different species and their behaviors.

Through these programs, we aim to create environments where children can develop emotional resilience, empathy, and a deeper understanding of the world around them. By integrating humane education into our efforts, we support the mental health of both humans and animals, building a more compassionate community for all. If you would like to schedule one of our programs for your school or organization, contact us at info@projecthumanekind.org.

Click Here To Learn More About Our Programs

Imagine That!

Works of art created by 8- and 9-year olds at Upper Laurel School feature pencil sketching, vibrant colors, and imagined dialogue in their renditions of a menagerie of reptiles and Molly the African Gray Parrot (see our April newsletter). The young students met these animals and learned about their behavior, how they differ from pets like dogs and cats and rabbits, and how exotic animals can get caught up in illegal wildlife trade. Thought bubbles and stories in some of the renditions add to the demonstration of how the students empathize with and imagine the lives of animals through art. For a full gallery of these masterworks, click here. Our thanks to art teacher Summerlynn Burlew, and to Jonathan Kessler and John Hale for partnering with Project HumaneKind’s Pet Painter program.

Celebrating an Iconic Donkey

A wonderful celebration of Perry’s life was held in Bol Park. Many people attended and gave tribute to his quirky, friendly self. His avatar was Donkey, in the movie Shrek. Perry lived for many years in Bol Park and provided education on his kind to many grateful admirers. Perry’s death was noted in the New Yorker and the New York Times. His commemoration was covered in the Palo Alto Weekly.

A Resource: Understanding Is Magical

“The Hidden Magic Of The Animal-Human Relationship” addresses ways in which humans and animals can build trust and engage in behavioral changes. The lovely video is worth watching!

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Thank you to all who support Project HumaneKind

in our work for a kind community.

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Project HumaneKind

Project HumaneKind Board and Staff:

Jennifer Ott Cameron, Leonor Delgado,

Carole Hyde, Susanna Michaels, Julie Peachey