Elevating Wish Stories Through Strategic, Long‑Term Media Collaboration
During my time at Make-A-Wish Orange County and the Inland Empire, my colleague at Make-A-Wish Los Angeles and I developed and stewarded key media partnerships in our shared media market that helped amplify wish stories, strengthen community awareness, and deepen corporate engagement. These relationships became foundational to our chapter’s visibility and played a major role in promoting events, campaigns, and the mission year‑round.
KTLA – Make-A-Wish Wednesdays
My most significant media partnership was with KTLA, where we established a recurring monthly in‑studio segment called Make-A-Wish Wednesday. Each month, we highlighted a wish child, volunteer, or community supporter, giving our organization a consistent presence on one of Southern California’s largest broadcast platforms.
Beyond the monthly segment, KTLA became a true partner in our mission. They supported our Walk for Wishes events with free PSAs, their reporters emceed our gala, and they covered wish stories as the news cycle allowed. This partnership not only expanded our reach but also helped position Make-A-Wish as a trusted, local nonprofit with meaningful community impact.
Parenting OC Magazine & KOST 103.5
I also built a strong partnership with Parenting OC, collaborating on feature stories that celebrated local wish kids and their families. One of the most memorable projects was Taylor’s wish to be a singer. Her story landed on the cover of Parenting OC alongside Ellen K. from KOST 103.5 — who helped grant Taylor’s wish by bringing her into the studio for an interview.
Ellen K. continued to support our mission by promoting events on air and serving as an emcee at one of our galas. The following year, Parenting OC featured Taylor on the cover again as a follow‑up, reinforcing the long‑term storytelling impact of the partnership.
Local Radio Partnerships Across Orange County & the Inland Empire
To promote our community‑focused events, I established relationships with multiple radio stations throughout Orange County and the Inland Empire. These partnerships helped us share wish stories, highlight upcoming events, and reach new audiences across diverse communities. Through PSAs, interviews, and event promotion, local radio became an essential grassroots channel for expanding Make-A-Wish’s presence.
The Impact
These media partnerships were more than promotional opportunities — they were collaborative relationships built on trust, storytelling, and shared purpose. By cultivating consistent, meaningful engagement with broadcast, print, and radio outlets, I helped elevate Make-A-Wish’s visibility, strengthen community ties, and ensure that wish stories reached thousands of families across Southern California.