This week, we are doing our best to pour a little extra gratitude into our blog posts, by expressing our love and gratitude for all of you Random Acts partners and supporters. Today, as people are celebrating Thanksgiving across the United States, we turn our attention to three people to whom we can never say “thank you” enough: Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles, and Misha Collins.
It is impossible for us to imagine Random Acts without these three, primarily because Misha Collins is the architect, Co-Founder, and Board President of Random Acts. But it is also thanks to the bonds, friendships, and “family” of the Supernatural community — the TV show with Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles at its heart from the beginning — that Random Acts came to be.
Since Misha founded Random Acts in 2009, Jared and Jensen have joined in and supported many of our initiatives. And that support goes far beyond simple monetary donations. In true Random Acts spirit, these men give of their time and their creativity in support of sending kindness into the world. But for this particular post, we would like to focus on the most notable ways they supported Random Acts together this year.
Jensen, Jared, and Misha at SDCC 2019. Photo courtesy of TV Insider.
Last year, all three men pushed themselves to new heights to run the Seattle Marathon during our 2018 E4K event, and raised over $110,000 to fund a childhood hunger campaign. Thanks to that funding, Random Acts has been able to do wonderful acts all year to combat childhood hunger. And this year, Jared, Jensen, and Misha partnered with Hot Topic to create a special t-shirt celebrating the show’s run. The proceeds from that partnership — over $280,000 — went to Random Acts, helping us support needed hurricane relief efforts for those affected by Hurricane Dorian.
For the sake of time, we will not name all of the countless acts which these three generous spirits have done for, and through, Random Acts this year. But suffice to say, all of us in this Random Acts community are incredibly grateful to them.
Supernatural creator Eric Kripke has frequently used the term “lightning in a bottle” when it comes to the show and its longevity. That lightning sparked much more than a successful television show; it brought together three kind-hearted men who motivate each other — and us — to keep looking to, and doing our part to create, good in the world. Thank you, Misha, for bringing us all together and for reminding us every day how much kindness really does matter. And thank you, Jared and Jensen, for supporting our mission and for inspiring us to keep going. We’re thankful for you and glad to #GetKind with all of you!