How do you protect the people doing the work without taking resources away from the people you serve?
Rachel Kuhn stepped into A Special Wish Foundation of Central Ohio carrying a promise her grandmother made in 1982: give children with life-threatening illnesses and their families a moment of joy when they need it most.
But behind every carefully planned wish, from airport sendoffs to Disney trips to private character meet-and-greets, is a pediatric nonprofit racing against treatment schedules, poor prognoses, donor uncertainty, and the pressure to never let a qualifying child sit on a waitlist.
You’ll hear how Rachel and Wish Director Rebecca Brown are learning to protect the heart of local wish-granting while building the structure, funding, accountability, and team capacity needed to keep saying yes to families who cannot afford to wait.
Rachel Kuhn is the Executive Director of A Special Wish Foundation of Central Ohio, a nonprofit dedicated to granting wishes for children with life-threatening illnesses. Continuing the legacy her grandmother began in 1982, Rachel leads the organization with a focus on compassionate service, sustainable growth, and ensuring every eligible child receives a meaningful wish experience. She is joined by Rebecca Brown, the foundation’s Wish Director, who works directly with families to create personalized experiences that bring hope and joy during some of life’s most difficult moments.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
00:01:33 — The behind-the-scenes work no one sees between a child qualifying for a wish and the moment it goes viral
00:03:13 — Why a wish isn’t just a trip but a deeply personal dream shaped by treatment, timing, and hope
00:05:39 — Why avoiding a waitlist matters and the intense financial and emotional pressure it creates
00:07:24 — How nonprofits balance serving two important audiences: families in need and the donors who fund it all
00:12:18 — What to change when staying lean to save donor dollars starts burning out your hardworking team
00:15:02 — Why passion alone can’t sustain a nonprofit without strong business fundamentals backing it up
00:17:57 — How a MrBeast-level opportunity brought massive exposure and overwhelming pressure
00:27:07 — Why the organization is rethinking leadership, delegation, and growth on the path to 50, then 100 wishes a year
Learn more about Rachel Kuhn, Rebecca Brown, and A Special Wish Foundation:
https://www.aspecialwishfoundation.org/
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This episode was produced by Story On Media:
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