Small Acts of Kindness Can Change the World

Inspiring the next generation of Global Humanitarians

Welcome to The Candy Bomber Foundation

We are a living mission platform that carries forward the extraordinary legacy of Col. Gail S. Halvorsen, the original “Candy Bomber” of the Berlin Airlift. Through community events, education programs, and service projects, we inspire new generations to understand that kindness is a choice, service is a privilege, and hope can be delivered on the smallest of parachutes.

What began as spontaneous acts of compassion during one of history’s darkest hours continues today in communities across America, where children and families learn that they too can be agents of hope and change.

About the Foundation

Impact at a Glance

Human-centered metrics that show how kindness multiplies across communities

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12,500+

Lives Touched

Children and families engaged through events and programs

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145

Community Events

Celebrations bringing together families and neighbors

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3,200+

Students Reached

Young minds inspired through STEAM education programs

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8,400

Service Hours

Volunteer hours dedicated to kindness in action

From Berlin to Your Backyard

In 1948, during the Berlin Airlift, a young Air Force pilot named Gail Halvorsen made a promise to children living behind barbed wire. He would drop candy attached to tiny parachutes from his aircraft. What began as a simple gesture became a symbol of hope that transcended borders, politics, and war.

Today, that same spirit of spontaneous kindness lives on. Through community events, hands-on education, and service projects, we show children that they don’t need an airplane to make a difference. They just need courage, compassion, and a willingness to act.

The parachutes may look different now, but the mission remains the same: to prove that small acts of kindness can change the world.

Col Gail Halvorsen

How We Serve

Three pillars of engagement that bring Col. Halvorsen’s legacy to life in communities across America

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Community Events

Our community events are more than gatherings—they’re catalysts for connection. Through candy bomber festivals, commemorative celebrations, and family-friendly activities, we create spaces where strangers become neighbors and neighbors become friends.

Explore Community Events

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Education & STEAM

Our education programs transform Col. Halvorsen’s story into immersive learning experiences. Students explore aerodynamics, engineering, history, and ethics while discovering that science and compassion are not separate—they’re interconnected.

Discover Education Programs

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Service Projects

Service projects give families and youth the opportunity to practice what Col. Halvorsen preached: that kindness requires action. Through organized initiatives, volunteers learn that making a difference doesn’t require grand gestures—just consistent, intentional care.

Joint Service Projects

Stories That Inspire

Colonel Halvorsen is the most generous, humble, optimistic, and kind man on the planet. He even has energy in his walk as he is always looking for the one who needs a handshake or a hug. Such a great man! So thankful to see him being celebrated for all those good qualities we should all work harder to acquire. May his legacy live on as this foundation takes hold and blesses the lives of youth in America! God bless you Gail Halvorsen!

Marjorie Stewart

I love that this foundation has created an organization to educated people, young and old, about aviation and what amazing benefits it has on the community and to be able to learn about such a rich history! 🙂

Anna Marie Jensen