A bit of pampering was the first wish that Shellie Ray Harrington and her daughter, Laynie Tipton granted through their Grand Wish Project.
They visited a woman at Medilodge of Monroe and polished her nails.
The women own and operate Ray 4 Hope, a Monroe, Michigan-based non-profit organization they started in 2019 after the passing of Harrington’s mother.
During the holidays, the organization runs a donation drive and provides nursing home residents with wrapped gifts, blankets and other items.
Last year, the program provided Christmas gifts to residents in all seven of Monroe County’s nursing homes.
In April, they started a year-round initiative they are calling Grand Wish Project.
Tipton said it grants personal wishes like having a day of pampering, celebrating a birthday or getting to enjoy a special meal like eating chicken wings from a favorite restaurant.
“We feel that even the smallest moments of kindness can make a lasting impact,” she said.
Nursing homes can request wish forms for their residents. Information about the outreach is listed online.
Each month, the organization will randomly select six residents and grant one special item or experience from their list.
“For larger opportunities to give, we randomly select six residents and aim to fulfill their entire wish list, creating a more comprehensive and memorable experience,” the organization posted on its website. “Building on this effort, we are excited to host our Grand Wish Day on Grandparents Day, September 13, 2026. On this special day, we plan to grant six grand wishes across multiple facilities, creating a shared celebration of joy, connection and community for seniors.”
Ray 4 Hope often partners with local restaurants and hosts “Dine to Donate” events to help with funding.
The Quarry in Monroe and Trapperz in LaSalle are hosting dining events on Tuesday, July 21 and 20% of all food sales will be donated to Ray 4 Hope.
From July 19-25, the organization is celebrating Christmas in July and will be collecting robes, slippers and body wash for men and women in preparation for the annual adopt a grandparent holiday program.
“As Ray 4 Hope continued to grow, so did my understanding of the need,” Laynie Tipton said in her social impact initiative paper she submitted as part of the Miss Monroe County competition. “I realized loneliness doesn’t disappear after the holidays, which inspired the creation of the Grand Wish Project, a year-round initiative that grants meaningful wishes for nursing home residents. Some wishes are as simple as enjoying a favorite meal they haven’t had in years, celebrating a birthday, meeting a therapy animal, or spending an afternoon painting nails and sharing conversation.”
Tipton said while the wishes may seem small, they remind each resident that their happiness still matters.
More information about the organization and its projects can be found online.
— Contact reporter Lisa Vidaurri-Bowling at lvidaurribowling@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: This Monroe non-profit grants special wishes for nursing home seniors
Reporting by Lisa Vidaurri Bowling, The Monroe News / The Monroe News
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By Lisa Vidaurri Bowling, The Monroe News | USA TODAY Network
