People usually are nice and caring in the small, tight-knit town of Manitou Springs, says ex-mayor, Ken Jaray.

But not always. The booming tourism industry that the local economy heavily relies on for revenue also can be a bane for residents as they navigate traffic overload, parking inconveniences, and crowded sidewalks and shops.

“We need to work a little harder to be kinder to ourselves, our visitors, our interactions with our government,” Jaray said.

That’s why the retired attorney who served as mayor from 2017 to 2019 started the Manitou Springs Community Foundation in 2020, which focuses on inspiring and strengthening community connections, stewardship and well-being. It’s one of 10 local nonprofit organizations he’s founded.

Last year, the foundation received a $10,000 donation and started what the organization calls the Infectious Generosity Fund. A City Council proclamation in January kicked off the initiative.

“Someone gifted it and we wanted to pay it forward,” Jaray said.

The multi-year fund has completed 11 projects to date to “encourage the attitude and practice of kindness, following a worldwide movement to positively influence society,” he said.

The project released its latest endeavor this week: the Manitou Springs Guide to Local Philanthropy: Opportunities for Giving, Connecting and Kindness.

The free online guide, described as “a comprehensive, practical, first-of-its-kind resource designed to make local giving and volunteering easier and more effective,” contains a nonprofit directory along with information about volunteering in the community and how to get involved with local government and town events.

Users also can learn about the art and science of kindness and ways to practice “infectious generosity.”

Jenna Wells, executive director of Visit Manitou Springs, a collaborative group that promotes the town, describes the information as “an incredible resource guide for locals.”

The hope is that more people will volunteer and perhaps connect with the machinations of running the town, Jaray said. Not just residents but also those who fall into the category of what he calls “lovers of Manitou” — people from around the region who spend time at the old-fashioned arcade, attend a festival, go shopping or run the Manitou Incline, for example.

Among its work, the Infectious Generosity Fund also has distributed money to residents to do with what they wish.

The “Pay It Forward” program has been popular and produces feel-good stories, Jaray said. Among three students who each recently received one hundred bucks in cash, two gave the money to the Flying Pig Farm in Manitou Springs, a community learning farm and garden for children and adults.

Of the five people who each received $100 in another giveaway this year, a teenager in turn handed over his windfall to the local food pantry.

“He wrote a note that said this really made him feel part of our community and a bigger sense of belonging to give back and do something really positive,” Jaray said. “It really makes a difference for the receiver and the giver.”

And a 90-year-old man who received $100 from the project gave his money to a homeless person who was standing on the street.

“He parked his car, went over and listened to the man’s story, then gave him the $100,” Jaray said. “He said he felt like that was a more significant experience of an act of kindness than just driving up and handing it to him.”

Other efforts are more visible. Tourists and passersby might notice the “Be Kind” banners on street poles on Manitou Avenue and yard signs that say, “The Power of Kind.” Or they might come across rocks painted with inspiring messages.

Overall, what’s noticeable since the program began this year is that “people have a better ability to communicate, perhaps disagree in an agreeable manner,” Jaray said. “It changes the way people interact with each other.”

Responding kindly, even when someone has been unkind, is a learned behavior, he said. But the rewards have been proven.

“Volunteering and giving back is a great way to feel a part of the community; it creates a sense of belonging and a stronger sense of happiness,” Jaray said. “Research shows you could be up to 40% happier.”

Jaray also is featured in a TEDx talk about the motivation behind the guide following last year’s elections and the public discord that followed, and his foundation’s intentional work to effect lasting change through the kindness movement.

“This is my passion — to try to make our community a better place,” he said.

The talk can be found on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pf-8cWnSyz4.

The guide is available at https://peaklivingmanitousprings.org/philanthropy-guide.