Roots of Empathy

Roots of Empathy reduces aggression/#bullying, increases sharing, caring & inclusion & promotes resilience, well-being & positive #mentalhealth. We’ve reached over 1M #children globally with our #school-based programs & we have research to prove impact! youtu.be/WSqP9Vef664

Eid Mubarak to everyone celebrating around the world. Wishing you a day filled with peace, joy, and meaningful moments with loved ones. 🌙✨

#StJohns, round two! 🌱 We wrapped up the second of two mid-year trainings for Newfoundland and Labrador, continuing to support the incredible work happening in classrooms across the province. We were honoured to be joined by Lisa Baker-Worthman, Assistant Deputy Minister of Education, and are grateful to the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development for their longstanding support of Roots of Empathy. None of this would be possible without the ongoing support of our partners across the province. Thank you for helping us make a lasting impact. 🔹@NLSchoolsCA 🔹@EDU_GovNL 🔹@HCS_GovNL 🔹@NLTeachersAssoc 🔹@UnitedWayNL 🔹@nlteachersassoc 🔹@grenfellassociation

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! 🍀 A day to celebrate Irish culture, history, and the spirit of togetherness. Whether through music, stories, or shared traditions, today is a reminder of the connections that bring people closer. Wishing you a day full of joy, kindness and a little Irish luck! 💚 #StPatricksDay

The leaders of tomorrow are sitting in the classrooms of today. By nurturing empathy in the early years, through Roots of Empathy programs, children can make friends with themselves and friends with others. These friendships help them navigate stress in their lives. We need your support to help even more children develop the empathy and resilience they need to thrive in today’s world. 🟢 Every donation helps us measure impact, conduct research, and bring the life-changing benefits of empathy to more children. Give the Gift of Empathy: rootsofempathy.org/donate-form/

🟢 92% of Roots of Empathy students reported that Roots of Empathy helped them to learn that everybody has feelings. 🟢 84% of host classroom teachers agreed or strongly agreed that as a result of Roots of Empathy, students are more empathic to one another. 🟢 98% of parents reported that they felt that along with their baby, they were helping children to develop empathy. #RootsofEmpathy #ResearchThursday

Every child connects with the Roots of Empathy baby in their own way — and in doing so, they often learn something new about themselves. In this video, ROE Host Teacher Megan shares how the program supports students with social and emotional needs, helping them grow in confidence, empathy, and connection. 💚 youtube.com/watch?v=dumPdW…

30+ years in broadcasting. Talk shows. A podcast. A learning festival. And through it all — 10+ years at the Roots of Empathy board table 💚 Today, on International Women's Day, we celebrate Mary Ito. As a Roots of Empathy board member, Mary brought the same curiosity and care to our mission from day one. A true volunteer extraordinaire, she trained ROE staff in media literacy, planned and moderated all our research symposia, and lent her expertise to countless special events. A decade of service. A lifetime of impact. Thank you, Mary — from all of us. rootsofempathy.org/celebrating-ma…

Another beautiful morning playing and learning with the kindergarteners @RootsofEmpathy @CorpusOCSB Thank you Mrs Giles & Ms Anny for having us 💚💚

Mental health begins with emotional safety—and that starts in early childhood. Children everywhere are feeling more anxious. At Roots of Empathy, we support children in learning to recognize and regulate their emotions. When they feel calm and regulated, they’re more open to learning—and more able to connect with others. Classroom teachers often tell us how the program helps their students feel emotionally safe and ready to take on new and challenging ideas. Interested in bringing Roots of Empathy to your school? Learn more: rootsofempathy.org/school/

This classroom in Guysborough, Nova Scotia, had a little visit from their 'Tiny Teacher' Baby Peter! In our Roots of Empathy classrooms, we emphasize the power of touch in nurturing empathy. Through interactions with their Roots of Empathy Baby, and learning about neuroscience, children understand that touch is the first and universal language 🌱 "Human touch is food for the soul, especially for babies" - Founder, President & CEO Mary Gordon

When children start to respond with understanding instead of reacting in the moment, it reflects developing empathy and growing emotional literacy. These shifts support well-being, strengthen mental health, and help create classrooms grounded in inclusion and positive relationships. Grateful for educators who notice and nurture these changes every day 💚 #RootsofEmpathy #EmpathyMatters

🌳🌟 Roots of Empathy – Newington Primary School 🌳🌟 Baby Leni had a great time with the P3s! 🐟 We explored feelings, thinking skills and even enjoyed some special songs the children wrote just for her 🎶 #RootsOfEmpathy #LifelongLearning

Big things happening in St. John's! 🌱 We kicked off our first of two mid-year trainings for Newfoundland and Labrador, and were thrilled to have Dale Lambe, President of the NL Teachers' Association, join us. NLTA has been a longstanding supporter of Roots of Empathy, and that partnership means the world to us. We also want to thank all of our partners across the province, whose continued support helps us build caring, peaceful, and civil societies; @NLSchoolsCA @EDU_GovNL @HCS_GovNL @NLTeachersAssoc @UnitedWayNL

This Pink Shirt Day, we're reminded that kindness starts with empathy. For 30 years, Roots of Empathy has been nurturing children's empathy in the most powerful way possible — through our "Tiny Teachers." When a baby visits a classroom, children learn to recognize emotions, understand vulnerability, and truly care about others. These experiences change how children see their classmates and the world around them. Research shows that when empathy grows, bullying and aggression go down and stay down— and we see it happen in our classrooms every day. Join us in building a generation that refuses to look away 💗 Help grow empathy in every classroom. Donate: rootsofempathy.org/donate-form/

As the world continues to turn its attention to the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games, we’re inspired not just by excellence in sport — but, also about integrity, connection, and character. Heather Abdilla (née MacLean) represented Canada at the 2012 London Olympics. Today, she’s a nurse, a parent — and a Roots of Empathy family volunteer. In this video, Heather shares why she chose to volunteer for Roots of Empathy, first with her daughter Abigail, and now with her baby son, Colin — and her hopes that the program can reach all children in Ontario. Because empathy will change the world, child by child 💚 🎥 Watch Heather’s story: youtu.be/2jEwL0797qw

Over 24 years, Susan McKane taught 24 Roots of Empathy classes — welcoming 24 babies and reaching 600 children. Each of those children learned that 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒌𝒂𝒚, that 𝒂 𝒄𝒓𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒂𝒃𝒚 𝒊𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒂 𝒃𝒂𝒅 𝒃𝒂𝒃𝒚, 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒔 𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔™ and that empathy changes how we see and treat one another. This is what long-term impact looks like. Read Susan's story: rootsofempathy.org/mckane_empathy/ #RootsOfEmpathy30 #LoveGrowsBrains #EmpathyMatters

🌍 Today is World Day of Social Justice—a reminder that our journey toward a fair and inclusive society begins with empathy. In the sandbox, social justice might look like making sure everyone gets a turn with the toy tractors or an equal share of the sand. When children recognize and understand the feelings of those who are left out, they take their first steps toward becoming citizens who stand up for fairness and inclusion. At Roots of Empathy, our mission is to nurture caring, peaceful, and civil societies through the development of empathy in children and adults. Every act of fairness today shapes the just world of tomorrow. #WorldDayofSocialJustice

Did you know? 💭👶 Over the school year, students watch their “Tiny Teacher” grow — and in the process, they begin to care deeply for the baby. They start to recognize that we’re all just bigger babies, with feelings and needs that deserve care and understanding. As Roots of Empathy parents share stories about caring for their baby, students learn about feelings, needs, and what helps babies feel safe and loved. When fathers volunteer in ROE classrooms, students see male nurturance modelled in real time. Neuroscientists tell us that experiences on the green blanket — where emotion and cognition come together — are biologically embedded. Learn more about how Roots of Empathy works: rootsofempathy.org

Children thrive when they experience positive relationships, build a strong sense of self, and grow in emotional literacy. As our Founder, Mary Gordon shares, understanding and managing emotions creates the foundation for well-being, mental health, and reaching full potential. This is the heart of nurturing empathy in every classroom — and shaping more inclusive communities for the future. 💚 Help bring Roots of Empathy to more children, donate today: rootsofempathy.org/donate/