By Charlie Pogacar
If you believe the U.S. has never been more divided, you’re not alone. One Connecticut man is seeking to change that, and he recently enlisted the humble pizza box to help the cause.
When Branford, Connecticut resident Ken Engelman sat at a table inside Frank Pepe Pizzeria earlier this year, a proverbial light bulb went off inside his head. What if pizza boxes featured a tagline he came up with—“Please Be Kind!”—and further spread the word of his campaign?
It was only appropriate that Pepe’s became the first pizzeria to adopt “Please Be Kind!” stickers in September 2025. Each Pepe’s pizza box now comes with the stickers, which are supplied in part through Engelman’s organization, Community Volunteers United. To Engelman, pizzerias are a natural megaphone for the “Please Be Kind!” campaign.
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“Pizza is joy. It’s what brings people together,” he said. “Families, coworkers, students, seniors—it bridges generations. And I’ve never seen people fight over pizza.”
The wheels were set in motion years ago, when Engelman—who is a marketing and advertising professional by day—and his wife adopted a rescue dog, Jersey Girl. The adoption process got Engelman plugged in with the local shelter, and it eventually led him to organize fundraising efforts (including an annual event he dubbed “Woofstock”). The experience led Engelman to become a prolific community organizer in Connecticut—so much so that he launched Community Volunteers United to better streamline local volunteer efforts. Along the way, he became known as a go-to resource for nonprofits looking to raise money.
As the 2024 election cycle spiraled, Engelman felt called to create change in a new way. One day, when he was volunteering as a poll worker, he couldn’t take his eyes off the political lawn signs outside the voting location. “What if these symbols of division could be repurposed into reminders of kindness?” he wondered.
He asked local candidates to donate their used signs after the election. With the help of a crafter at his local Home Depot, Engelman created a stencil reading “Please Be Kind!” and began spray-painting it across hundreds of old signs. Within weeks, more than 700 of them appeared across 70 Connecticut towns, turning political clutter into colorful calls for civility. Eventually, Engelman added stickers into the mix, the first 3,000 of which were generously donated by a local company—Robinson Tape & Label, Inc. of Branford.
The message resonated far beyond Engelman’s expectations. One particularly powerful example happened in a supermarket parking lot. He was erecting more signs when a man approached him and told him he had just been cut off in traffic. The man’s initial instinct was to honk his horn and rage toward the other driver. At that moment, a “Please Be Kind!” sign caught his eye, and it helped his cooler head prevail.
“People started reaching out to share deeply personal stories—about loneliness, loss, even depression—and how seeing those signs helped reset their mindset,” Engelman said. “That’s when I realized how powerful three simple words could be.”
To Engelman, the move to pizza felt natural. “It’s the one food that’s shared in homes, offices and community centers,” he said. “Every box can spark a conversation about empathy and respect.”
Local businesses have embraced the idea. Pepe’s was first to add the stickers to its takeout boxes, and Engelman says at least 15 other restaurants have since joined in. Stickers are also being placed near door handles at restaurants, ensuring customers see the message as they enter. Engelman hopes the initiative will grow beyond Connecticut. He’s even written to major pizza box manufacturers, asking them to include “Please Be Kind!” on their standard box designs—a simple gesture that could reach millions daily.
Engelman sees further possibilities for pizzerias, including the organization of “Kindness” nights—a special event dedicated to spreading the message. Pizzerias could hand out stickers, display signs and create a welcoming and positive atmosphere. Engelman, who is a media expert by trade, encourages pizzerias to not only try this, but to contact local media outlets to have them come cover the event.
He insists the movement is not about branding, but about belonging. “Kindness is so much larger than me or my nonprofit,” Engelman said. “This is something any [pizzeria operator] can adopt in their own life by sharing the message…This could be something that unites everybody, because nobody wants to be treated poorly.”
Engelman encourages pizzeria operators to email him at [email protected] or visit the Community Volunteers United website for more information as to how they can get involved.
