A tender-hearted little boy named Jackson Ptacek in Noblesville, Indiana, recently set out on a mission to spread kindness to others.

The child approached his parents a few days before Christmas and told them about his plans, WKYC reported in January.

He explained he had been “thinking about something for a lot of days” and wanted to collect stuffed animals for children who did not have one of their own, according to his mother, Abbi.

“I asked him earlier, too, ‘Why do you want to do this?’ He said, ‘If a kid feels sad, I want them to be able to get their stuffed animal and feel happy,'” she recalled.

According to the Douglas Cuddle Toy website, stuffed animals can help distract from pain, create a feeling of comfort, and also help relieve stress.

Jackson’s parents eventually asked their relatives and friends to send unused teddy bears or donations to shop for the toys and the mission turned into “Jackson’s January of Joy.”

The family decided to give the toys to first responders to have for children whom they might encounter during their shifts, and to Fueled for School, a group offering meals to needy students.

In a social media post on February 14, the Noblesville Fire Department said Jackson had collected approximately 500 stuffed animals.

“Thank you Jackson for all of your hard work! The stuffed animals are being distributed to our apparatuses and will be available to comfort children on calls,” the post read:

In addition, the charity group Turn Away No Longer said February 8 that Jackson donated 75 stuffed toys for children in foster care.

“Thank you Jackson, you are an inspiration to us all. Keep shining your light,” the group wrote alongside a picture of the little boy with a big smile on his face:

“Just a small stuffed animal, hopefully, it brings some joy to these kids and let them know that they are loved, and people really care for them,” Abbi told WKYC.