A little reason to celebrate
National Good Samaritan Day
Commemorative ยท March 13
National Good Samaritan Day honors ordinary people who stop to help a stranger, and invites everyone to offer a little unasked-for kindness.
National Good Samaritan Day falls on Saturday, March 13, 2027. That is 137 days away.
A Good Samaritan is someone who helps a stranger without being asked and without expecting anything back. The phrase comes from a parable in the Christian Gospel of Luke, where a traveler is beaten and left by the road, and a man from Samaria stops to care for him after others pass by. Over time the name has settled into everyday English as a plain description of a helpful passerby.
That is the spirit of the day. It points at the person who jump-starts a car in a parking lot, returns a lost wallet with the cash still in it, or waits with a confused child until a parent turns up. Most of these moments are brief and unrecorded. The helper often leaves before anyone thinks to ask their name.
Marking the day usually means doing one of those things on purpose. Some people carry groceries for a neighbor or shovel a stretch of sidewalk that is not theirs. Others write to thank someone who once helped them, which is a kindness of its own, since helpers rarely hear how things turned out.
The word Samaritan also has a second life in American law. Many states have Good Samaritan laws meant to protect people who give reasonable emergency help in good faith, though the details differ from place to place.
The parable never names the man who stopped. He is known only by where he was from and what he did.
Ways to celebrate
- Help a stranger with a small task, like carrying a bag or holding a door.
- Write a thank-you note to someone who once helped you.
- Return a lost item to its owner or a lost-and-found.
- Check in on a neighbor who lives alone.
- Share a story of a stranger's kindness that stayed with you.
Dates
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Friday, March 13 |
| 2027 | Saturday, March 13 |
| 2028 | Monday, March 13 |
| 2029 | Tuesday, March 13 |
| 2030 | Wednesday, March 13 |
Also on March 13
- National Coconut Torte Day
- National Earmuff Day
- National K9 Veterans Day
- National Jewel Day
- National Open an Umbrella Indoors Day
Categories: Commemorative days