Ben 's Bells have been used as a symbol of hope and support for communities after tragedies strike . This was first seen in the organization 's hometown in January 2011 after a supermarket shooting that left six dead and twelve injured , including United States Representative Gabrielle Giffords . The day following the shooting , dozens of bells were hung around the crime scene to show support for those harmed by the attack . The bells , accompanied with notes to take them and spread kindness , aimed to help remind the community that there is still good in the world and serve as a reminder to be kind . Community support expressed through the sharing of Ben 's Bells was seen across the country after two significant school tragedies as well . On the first anniversary of the Virginia Tech shooting , volunteers traveled to Blacksburg to hang hundreds of bells around the campus in hopes of spreading love and hope to those struggling with this significant day . The presence of the bells on campus showed the students that they were supported by people across the country and served as a reminder that there are still good people in the world . This sign of hope and support for one another was also seen after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting . Ben 's Bells reached out to the Tucson community to collect 1,000 bells to bring across the country to Newtown , as an act of kindness to their community . This spurred the Tucson community to show support for Ben 's Bells and the intentions of its directors . According to Maré , “ tragedies are what bring it out in people , but people really understand kindness at a different level , they understand kindness is not a soft issue , that it ’s not a fluffy thing , that it ’s not a weakness . That kindness is , bottom line , the most important thing that there is ”
Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting
Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting
Ben's Bells