Inspire Kindness & One Wish Project
In 2020, we created the Inspire Kindness scholarship. Hannah Finn, the inaugural recipient from Andover, was the inspiration for this scholarship. At 14, Hannah started a nonprofit, One Wish Project, an endeavor that provides birthday celebrations for children in need who live in a local shelter. Hannah recognized the need and felt that every child deserves to have their birthday celebrated. Hannah baked a cake herself and through donations, buys gifts for the child, then delivers the cake and gifts to the shelter. Five years later, she has expanded from humble beginnings in Lawrence to include several shelters throughout Massachusetts. She has grown the nonprofit, which used to operate out of her home, to now having an office in Andover, MA and storage space at the Andover/North Andover YMCA.
Earlier this month, Boston’s Magic 106.7, partnered with Hannah to promote her nonprofit. Hannah had previously been interviewed for Inspirational Women, a podcast the station sponsors. For two weeks, the morning team at Magic would talk about One Wish Project and interviewed someone daily, including Hannah, her mom, Claudia Mintz, who handles the day-to-day work while Hannah is away at college, volunteers who now deliver the birthday cake and gifts for Hannah, and some of the recipients of the project. The initial goal was to have listeners donate by going to the One Wish Project Amazon List and choose items that are delivered directly to her storage space. Their goal of 200 toys was met on the first day of the promotion! By the end of the two weeks, over 2,400 gifts were donated.
We are honored to have Hannah as a scholarship recipient. Colleen loved birthday celebrations so we know she would have loved this. Hannah, who is currently a sophomore at University of Massachusetts – Amherst, is a Communications Major in public relations. Hannah hopes to start a One Wish Club next year at the University to get more students involved in community service. She is also hoping to join a Women in Business club. Hannah is hoping to study abroad in Australia in her Junior year.
Hannah is an amazing young woman who has already done so much good for others at such a young age and we expect she will continue to do great things.
To learn more about her One Wish Project please visit https://www.onewishproject.us/. You may also listen to Hannah’s interview at https://www.audacy.com/podcasts/morning-magic-with-david-sue-kendra-20620/check-in-with-one-wish-project-founder-hannah-1013605290 and other interviewees.
We wish Hannah continued success with her nonprofit and look forward to following her journey as she continues spreading kindness!
