When you need someone to talk to and you’re at a fair or similar event, or maybe even on a city street, look for a Grandma Stand.

The idea of a Grandma Stand started in 2012 in New York City. A man named Mike Matthews was inspired by his 95-year-old grandmother, Eileen, to set up a simple booth on a streetcorner with a sign that read, “Talk to my 95-year-old grandmother.” The idea was such a success it has spread to Omaha, Nebraska; Denver; and McKinney, Texas, with expansion planned into Boston, and even internationally to Berlin, Paris, London, Canada and Mexico.

The inspiration continues to be Eileen, even though she is no longer with us. The goal is very simple: bring more kindness into the world. And it is working — in addition to the usual day-to-day troubles, people especially like to discuss what it was like to grow up not knowing a grandmother.

The Grandma Stand in McKinney is a good case in point; follow this link to read about that experience: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/mckinneys-grandma-stand-offers-holiday-comfort-connection-and-free-advice/ar-AA1S3nFY.

As much of the world needs compassion, it will be interesting to see if this idea continues to spread.