First Family Project 2025-2026
A campaign to harness the power of Kiwanis to support Make-A-Wish and Ronald McDonald House.
The Project
The serious illness of a child creates a crisis for the entire family – often leading to long stays in the hospital, fear about the future and disruption of family routines. On any given day, hundreds of families in Ohio are dealing with these realities -- facing the prospect of what can become a long ordeal.
These families are the focus of the 2025-2026 First Family Project, known as “One True Wish.” The project calls on Kiwanians across the Ohio District to support two nonprofit organizations that help families in medical crisis: The Make-A-Wish Foundation and Ronald McDonald House Charities.
Support Make-A-Wish: Grant a Special Experience
The One True Wish Project urges Kiwanis Divisions, Kiwanis Clubs and individual Kiwanians to support fundraising for Make-A-Wish, an organization that organizes special experiences for “Wish Kids” and their families throughout Ohio and beyond. Make-A-Wish is active in more than 50 countries around the world, has granted more than 550,000 special wishes and is supported entirely by donations.
The One True Wish project aims to raise $25,000 over the 2025-2026 Kiwanis year. The project encourages Kiwanis Clubs to undertake fundraisers for Make-A-Wish and to donate funds raised to the One True Wish project via the Ohio District Kiwanis Foundation.
Make-A-Wish focuses its effort on the “Wish Kids” – and looks to them to identify their “One True Wish.” The organization then arranges travel and specialized experiences designed to give the Wish Kid and the family the chance to “leave care behind” – at least for a little while. Families who have taken part in a Make-A-Wish trip typically describe it as “the experience of a lifetime” and the source of treasured memories.
Support Ronald McDonald House: Offer a Home Away from Home
The One True Wish project also calls on Ohio Kiwanians to support the six Ronald McDonald Houses in Ohio – located in
Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dayton, Akron and Toledo – as well as the one in Huntington, West Virginia, that serves families in Southern Ohio.
The project asks Kiwanis Clubs to organize volunteer support for the Ronald McDonald Houses -- to help prepare meals, stock pantries and help with other projects as requested.
The Inspiration Behind "One True Wish"
The One True Wish project was inspired by the life of Lauren Diane Hudson, who experienced repeated stays at Dayton Children’s Medical Center (now Dayton Children’s Hospital). Lauren and her family loved her special Wish Kid trip to Disneyland, Universal Studios Orlando and Sea World in 2001. Lauren passed away at Dayton Children’s Medical Center at age 12, January 8, 2002, surrounded by her family.
