Wishing It Forward
When she was just three years old, Jordan Flint was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. When she was referred to Make-A-Wish, she decided her wish would be to go to Walt Disney World! Her wish was granted in 2009, and she had an amazing time meeting her favorite characters, enjoying the rides and spending time with her family.
Jordan is now 17 and still loves being involved with Make-A-Wish. She and her family have enjoyed attending Art Parties and Wish Night, our annual black-tie gala, for the last decade. Many of the art pieces Jordan has created at Art Parties have been used in auctions to raise funds to help other kids walking a similar journey.
In addition to her involvement with Make-A-Wish, Jordan loves giving back to the community through the Girl Scouts. She is currently pursuing her Gold Award, the highest achievement within the Girl Scouts of the USA, which is earned by only 5.4 percent of all eligible Girl Scouts. To achieve this award, Girl Scouts must create projects that serve the greater community. Jordan chose to create a project that would benefit Make-A-Wish – “Treasure the Moments with Make-A-Wish.” She knew that because of the pandemic, more children across North Texas were waiting for their wishes to be granted than ever before, and she wanted to bring them joy in the waiting.
Jordan created “treasure boxes” to send to these kids that included activity books, toys, stuffed animals, personalized Make-A-Wish Thinking Putty and more that children can enjoy as they anticipate their upcoming wish. Each box was even designed like a treasure map to mirror the wish journey! She customized the gifts by age and gender so they would be appropriate and meaningful for each recipient. She raised funds from friends and family members to purchase the items for a total of 402 boxes and secured many items as in-kind donations.
Last month, the time finally came to pack and mail the boxes! In a sea of blue Make-A-Wish shirts, over 60 volunteers assembled the boxes, filled them with all the goodies and got them ready to mail. It was such a special and fun day, and Jordan was incredibly excited to send a little joy to waiting wish kids.
“Not many people can relate to what these children are experiencing,” said Jordan. “I want them to remember that they’re not alone.”
All 402 boxes were delivered quickly, and wish kids across North Texas were so excited to receive these unexpected treasures:
“Jordan put such a huge smile on Alyssa’s face. Her wish is to go to Paris, and we were all set to do so last summer until, of course, we were put on hold because of COVID-19. We are patiently waiting and look so forward to her wish being granted. Gestures like Jordan’s reiterate what a MASSIVE impact Make-A-Wish makes on its recipients.” – Family of wish kid Alyssa
“Thank you so much for your treasure box! What an amazing surprise for a little boy! You made his whole day! All your gifts were perfect for Evan; thank you for the card, and mostly, thank you for your thoughtfulness! I know you worked hard on these boxes and your heart and love was shown through these beautiful Treasure the Moments gifts! Thank you for letting my boy feel so special!” – Family of wish kid Evan
“You could tell a lot of families just needed something to brighten their day. It made me realize how worthwhile all the effort that we put into the project. It connected me back to so many current wish kids who I haven’t gotten to see lately too,” said Jordan.
We’re so thankful for Jordan and the huge impact her project had on the lives of so many fellow wish kids! We are so proud of the work she has done and grateful for her continued involvement with Make-A-Wish North Texas. Best wishes to Jordan as she continues the pursuit of her award!