It was the week before Christmas 2019. Jill and Ryan Merolle were eagerly awaiting the arrival of their daughter—a longed-for rainbow baby after multiple miscarriages. On the morning of December 18, Jill visited her doctor for a routine checkup. Tragically, later that afternoon, she delivered their full-term baby girl, Hailey, who was stillborn.
“My husband and I started Hailey’s Day of Kindness on the first anniversary of her loss,” Jill shares. “We were inspired by another loss family who encouraged their community to spread kindness—an idea we embraced as a meaningful way to transform our grief into something positive while keeping Hailey’s memory alive.”
What began in 2020 as a small, heartfelt initiative has grown beyond their hometown of Cranford, New Jersey. Jill’s close friend from Marist College, Beth Graham, introduced Hailey’s Day of Kindness to her town of Rochester that year. Beth provided lunches for NICU nurses and made bracelets that said “Hope,” which she distributed to parents with babies in the NICU at Rochester Hospital.
Beth grew up in Ridgefield, and her mother, Kathy Graham, who has known Jill for many years, was deeply moved by Jill and Ryan’s selflessness in the face of such profound heartache. Inspired by their generosity, Kathy brought Hailey’s Day of Kindness to Ridgefield.
As Vice President and Branch Manager at Fairfield County Bank, Kathy started there. She organized a drive to gather baby clothes and essentials for Birthright, a Danbury-based organization that supports pregnant women facing financial challenges. That first year, employees donated over 100 baby outfits, diapers, and other baby items, and the bank contributed $500 to help fund car seats.
“It has been incredibly uplifting,” Kathy tells us. “And so this year I thought, why not make Hailey’s Day of Kindness a town-wide event?”
Kathy approached First Selectman Rudy Marconi, who enthusiastically supported the idea, as did the nonprofit Compassionate Ridgefield. With the bank’s assistance, banners promoting Hailey’s Day of Kindness were printed, one of which Marconi displayed outside his office at Town Hall.
The Ridgefield community wholeheartedly embraced the initiative. Organizations and individuals alike came together, planning acts of kindness—some requiring donations or purchases, while others were cost-free—that brought joy and support to countless people in the community and beyond. A sampling of Ridgefield’s acts of kindness on December 18:
- Born to Thrive: donated all funds raised on that day to the NICU at Danbury Hospital.
- Boys & Girls Club of Ridgefield: created over 200 holiday cards for seniors at Ridgefield Station.
- Fairfield County Bank: for the fourth consecutive year, employees donated baby items to the nonprofit Birthright. The bank also donated $500 for car seats.
- HamletHub: published articles to raise awareness in the community for Hailey’s Day of Kindness.
- The Iris Fund: directed all donations from December 18 toward their Valentine’s Day bouquet distribution for mothers and families in local hospitals.
- Jesse Lee Church: organized shoebox donations and delivered them that day.
- Kindness over Muscular Dystrophy: the Curran boys stacked wood for their grandfather.
- Lion’s Heart Teen Volunteers and Leaders: decorated bags for Meals on Wheels.
- National Charity League, Nutmeg Chapter: mother-daughter teams created handmade bookmarks with messages of hope for Founders Hall members and baked treats for Laurel Ridge residents.
- SOAR Together and East Ridge Middle School Student Council: delivered flowers to those spending the holidays alone.
- Ridgefield Chorale: donated $10,165 from their concert funds to Ability Beyond.
- Ridgefield Father’s Club: donated to Ridgefield Social Services emergency fund.
- Ridgefield Social Services: hand-delivered close to 130 gifts to seniors, including gift cards to Marshalls and Stop and Shop and shoeboxes filled with stocking stuffers from Jesse Lee.
- Rotary Club of Ridgefield: stocked the pantry at Ballard Green.
- RVNAhealth: staff participated in a food and toiletries drive to assist vulnerable patients in their Chronic Care program.
- Ruby’s Pantries and Scott’s Ridge Middle School Student Council: organized their largest food drive to date, collecting 690 items for Ruby’s Pantries.
- Jillian Fernandez: created the Hailey’s Day of Kindness banners that were displayed on Town Hall and at Fairfield County Bank.
- Mia Gregory: donated to a local food pantry with her coworker, Patrick.
- Noah Chu: made appreciation cards for his teacher, bus driver, mail carrier, and favorite store owners—Deborah at Deborah Ann’s and Ann Lathrop at The Toy Chest.
- Peyton Lecher: wore a “kindness” bracelet she made and worked with students to create blankets for hospitalized children.
“Ridgefield is a compassionate town, and this highlights how much we care about others,” Kathy shares, reflecting on the overwhelming response to Hailey’s Day of Kindness. “I really admire people who, despite difficult circumstances, choose to do something positive and help others.”
December 18, falling as it does in the midst of the bustling holiday season, serves as a powerful reminder to slow down and focus on what truly matters: compassion, generosity, and community. What began as a tribute to one family’s profound loss has blossomed into a celebration of hope and kindness.
“Hailey’s Day of Kindness has truly grown beyond our expectations, touching the lives of countless people, including many we’ve never met,” Jill says.
Even in the face of tragedy, Hailey’s Day of Kindness proves that light can emerge from the darkest of times. Join the initiative this December 18, 2025, and help spread kindness, one small act at a time.