What if changing the hearts and minds of people could be achieved by simply removing the word "hate" from the equation and focusing purely on love and positivity?

Activist Martin Luther King, Jr, once famously said, "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

Newtown resident Bill Donaldson understands that words can hold a great deal of power and leave an impression on people, so it is important to choose the words we use each day wisely. To spread the message of focusing on love instead of hate, he has created a nonprofit, Love Has A Home, Inc.

According to the organization's website, its mission "is to create a global movement through which love is the guiding principal in all human interaction, both with each other and with our planet."

Where It All Began

Mr Donaldson got his first dose of inspiration for Love Has A Home after running a retreat on his property in Vermont last September. The retreat was an opportunity for people who work in a field that helps others to recharge and have an opportunity to relax, unplug, and be in nature. During that time, Mr Donaldson and his seven retreat members spent many evenings sitting around the fire and finding their connections concerning the state of the world.

"The retreat was a great experience. We bonded really beautifully," he said. "Everyone was on the same page in terms of having the belief that love is powerful and can change the world more than anything else."

When the retreat had ended, and Mr Donaldson returned to Connecticut, he could not help but notice on his drive to work that everywhere he looked, there were negatively worded protest messages.

"I started noticing - and maybe they had been there before, and I hadn't paid attention - the signs on people's lawns that were all about resisting hate..." Mr Donaldson said.

During his commute he even saw a group in the center of Westport carrying a large banner that had the word "hate" written out in huge letters, as if being the predominant point.

"Just seeing the word 'hate' was a negative message to me. Even though I understood it was for good, it didn't leave a good feeling, and I didn't like seeing the word 'hate,'" Mr Donaldson said. "Then it just hit me: I need to do something to get a positive message out there."

When he got to his office that day, he began cultivating how to make his idea become a reality. He chose the name Love Has A Home for its cozy, warm feeling and quickly obtained the web address and trademark for it.

Mr Donaldson reached out to the seven people from the retreat he had met the previous week and asked if they would be on his Board of Directors. Each person said yes and expressed that they were excited to support him on this project.

"Everything fell into place so nicely that I knew I was on a good track," he said. "It all just really came together."

As the founder and executive director for Love Has A Home, this is not Mr Donaldson's first experience working with a nonprofit. Part of why he was able to establish the group so fast was because he has over a decade of experience working in nonprofits. He was president and treasurer of a statewide nonprofit that serves mediators in Connecticut, as well as the current treasurer for Two Coyotes Wilderness School.

What he was not familiar with, though, was creating products for an online retail platform. To get started, he contacted a friend that works as a creative branding director who was able to connect him with a national design firm to create a logo.

Spoon & Fork Studios, based out of Jersey City, created the Love Has A Home logo with hand drawn font and original artwork. The logo, Mr Donaldson says, has a quilting pattern that is supposed to represent people connecting and coming together.

The slogan for the group is "Love Has A Home Here" and lends itself to allow the last word be interchangeable with a town name or other location (e.g., Love Has A Home in Newtown).

How To Help

The logo has now been incorporated into a line of products - including banners, buttons, shirts, lawn signs, tote bags, hats, and car magnets - that are on sale through the Love Has A Home website.

Mr Donaldson says the product line not only helps spread the message of love, but also raises funds that go directly back into the group. He hopes to raise enough money to create programs for people to connect with nature and with one another, as well as to support other individual platforms that share the organization's message. Right now, Love Has a Home is looking to help support a local woman with a therapy mini horse who visits patients in hospitals.

"[The horse] brings so much joy and love wherever he goes - it's a great fit for us," Mr Donaldson said.

Love Has A Home has also partnered with Two Coyotes Wilderness School. Both groups support one another's mission to connect children with nature and mentors.

"There are so many great leaders that have used peace to achieve things: Nelson Mandela; Martin Luther King, Jr; [and] Mother Teresa," Mr Donaldson said. "We need more love in the world, so we are going to put more love out rather that fight against what we don't want."

Love Has A Home will be hosting "An Evening of Love and Celebration" at the Westport Women's Club on Friday, May 11, from 7 to 9 pm. Products will be available for purchase, and Mr Donaldson will speaking to attendees about the group's mission of spreading love.

To learn more about Love Has A Home, visit lovehasahome.org; follow the group on Facebook and Instagram; or e-mail info@lovehasahome.org.