One hundred years into its campaign to encourage Americans to be more kind to animals, the American Humane Association (AHA) is showing no signs of slowing down. Be Kind to Animals Week,” which began Sunday, first emerged as a response to the initial carnage of World War I. During AHA’s 38th annual meeting in 1914, the organization voted in favor of establishing a “Humane Sunday which shall be devoted to the consideration of humanity to all living creatures.”

Humane Sunday has historically been followed by an entire week of animal-welfare advocacy, a tradition that endures to this day. This year the association is placing a particular emphasis on education.

“To reach children and adults nationwide, American Humane Association is embarking on a yearlong campaign, starting with a national media tour,” the association said in a statement.

“Building a better world for animals starts with teaching our children the value of kindness,” says the website for Be Kind to Animals Week, and AHA has created educational materials for students from preschool through fifth grade to foster the development of a gentler generation.

Those interested in AHA’s cause can explore ways to help animals at home and abroad, along with signing the association’s kindness pledge. And social media-savvy advocates can take to their favorite networks and keep tabs on the #kindness100 hashtag.

Report of the Day

Feeling short of breath? It may be because you’re living in one of the cities labeled “Most polluted” by the American Lung Association’s “State of the Air 2015” report.

Other Good Reads

Membership-management software provider Wild Apricot is launching a new podcast to spread the best tactics and insights on membership from the association and nonprofit communities, and you can check out the first three episodes here.

Food and dairy associations, take note: The largest milk processor in the United States is consolidating all of its white-milk brands into a single entity in an effort to kickstart its struggling business, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.

Last but not least, May 3-9 is also Public Service Recognition Week, an annual celebration of public servants that was established by the Public Employees Roundtable. For more information on the week’s events, click here.

(American Humane Association)