Episodes
Hazel's Home: A Community's Heartfelt Gift
In 2017, the New Richmond community in Wisconsin rallied around Hazel, a young girl with a severe seizure disorder, to build her an accessible home. Her family's request for help was met with overwhelming support from over 50...
The Starbucks Barista Who Bridged Silence with Sign Language
In 2015, Starbucks barista Katie Weibel made a profound impact in Seattle by deciding to learn American Sign Language (ASL) to connect with a deaf customer, Ibby Bashir. Her sincere effort, driven by a genuine desire to make ...
Burgers for a Cause: The Heart of Austin's Response
In July 2025, Central Texas faced devastating flash floods, prompting a remarkable response from the Austin community. P Terry's Burger Stand took charge, announcing that all profits across its 36 Texas locations on July 10 w...
A Vision of Friendship: Cody's Extraordinary Gift
The podcast episode spotlights Cody Miller, whose selflessness transformed his friend Chris Gardner's life. Facing blindness, Chris could see again, thanks to Cody's incredible offer of a liver stem cell donation—an emerging ...
The Night Kindness Took the Field: Ruben's Touchdown
In this episode of Empire of Kindness, host Matthew McInnis shares a moving story from a high school football game in Virginia. The spotlight is on Ruben Martinez, a senior with autism, who had a heartwarming moment orchestra...
Community Power: How Durham Saved a Beloved Bookstore
The Regulator Bookshop in Durham, North Carolina, has been a cherished community landmark since 1976. In 2021, its future was threatened when developers eyed the property. In response, original owner Tom Campbell called for c...
Race for Kindness: The Boston Marathon Story
In the 2017 Boston Marathon, Ethiopian runner Mamitu Daska showcased an extraordinary act of kindness. Near mile 22, instead of focusing solely on her race, she stopped to aid American runner Sarah Hall, who was struggling wi...
Coffee and comfort: Kindness in the fire
Common Ground, a coffee shop in Southern California, created a ripple of goodwill in the wake of a wildfire in 2021. Offering free coffee to first responders, the shop became a sanctuary for those battling the flames. This ac...
Hero Sandwiches: Kindness and lunch for kids
In 2019, Ashley Jiron, owner of a small sandwich shop in Albuquerque, New Mexico, noticed that children were accumulating lunch debt at schools, sometimes resulting in public shaming. In response, she offered free meals to st...
Kindness in a Kroger's: A young man notices a need
In a busy Kroger store in Houston, Texas, young employee Traveon Smith became a beacon of kindness. He noticed an elderly woman struggling with her shopping and devoted 45 minutes to assist her with grace and care. A fellow s...
After the fire: Kindness in a community
A house fire destroyed everything for this family. The kindness of the community they didn't know they had made a difference.
Kindness at 30,000 feet
In this episode of 'Empire of Kindness,' we explore an inspiring story of empathy on a Southwest Airlines flight in 2016. When a baby's cries filled the cabin, it wasn't irritation but kindness that resonated. A man in seat 1...
The Secret Santa of Kansas City: A Tale of Unseen Kindness
Matthew McInnis tells the heartwarming tale of Larry Stewart, whose journey into becoming Kansas City's Secret Santa stemmed from his own struggles. Fired and broke, a gesture at a diner in 1979 sparked Stewart's vow to help ...
Kindness and a backpack: A Homeless Man's Integrity
In this episode we examine a stunning act of honesty by a homeless man. We look at the integrity it took and the inspiring effects it had on others. Join us for a look at kindness and a backpack.
Choosing Kindness: A man and his dog
In this podcast episode from 'Empire of Kindness,' host Matthew McInnis shares a heartfelt story about enacting kindness towards a man and his dog. Stopping at a traffic light, Matthew encountered a man with a straightforward...
The Kindness of Pope Francis
In a special episode of The Empire of Kindness, we take a look at a modern icon of the pursuit of kindness. Pope Francis' passing will have a profound effect on millions of people. Maybe there are some things we can learn fro...
Sin City
Never forget that kindness can be found anywhere. This time we look at a surprising place to find and practice kindness: a casino.
Kindness is real too
In the Empire of Kindness podcast, host Matthew McInnis explores the importance of kindness in everyday interactions, focusing on customer service. Drawing on his years of experience, he illustrates how leading with empathy c...
Why kindness?
Welcome to The Empire of Kindness, where we explore the nature, value, and practice of kindness. Today we look at the basic value of kindness and why it matters. This is the start of our journey to see, hear, and record our e...