The Mirth Project

10/12/2026

What happens to a young person who turns 18 in foster care?

And more importantly, what could happen if an entire community decided to change the answer?

That was the conversation we brought to Big Tables. Big Ideas. on September 29th.

We gathered community leaders, professionals, advocates, and, most importantly, young adults who have experienced foster care to explore one big question:

How can Columbus become the model city for what happens to a teen who turns 18 in foster care?

We talked about the barriers these young adults face, the systems that aren't working, and the opportunities we have to do something differently.

But the most important voices in the room belonged to the young adults themselves.

They shared their experiences, their challenges, their ambitions, and their ideas about what meaningful support should look like.

I left that morning more convinced than ever that Columbus has the people, resources, and generosity to make something extraordinary happen. What we need now is to turn conversation into action.

If you weren't able to join us, I hope you'll take some time to watch the student panel conversation. And if you were there, I hope you'll watch it again.

These young adults have something important to say, and we need to keep listening.

Watch the conversation here:
https://youtu.be/DxBnFCKG8jw?si=Df3MhheZ64btROqr

You can also watch other clips from the morning on our YouTube channel.

The Big Table was never meant to be the end of the conversation. It was meant to be the beginning.

Let's make Columbus the model city for what happens to a teen who turns 18 in foster care.

10/10/2026

What's better than one elf? TWO!!! 🎄❤️
Last year, we introduced a new way for our elves to make Christmas wishes come true. We call it Mirth Stories!

Sometimes, a teen's wish list includes something a little bigger. Something that might take more than one elf to make possible.
Like this young lady who dreamed of being a cheerleader!

She had already cleared the biggest hurdle. She made the team!
📣

But making the team and being able to participate are two very different things. Without the generosity of one very special elf, her dream of cheering alongside her teammates might have ended before it even began.

That's the magic of Mirth Stories. Sometimes we're not just giving a Christmas gift. We're giving a teen the opportunity to do something they've been dreaming about.

And this year, we're bringing Mirth Stories back!

You'll be able to read these special stories and choose one to adopt at our Mirth Project Elf Open House, October 24th and 25th!

Want to join us? Comment with your email address (or send us a private message), and we'll send you an invitation!

Year 10. More elves. More stories. More wishes coming true! ❤️🎄

10/08/2026

We have a young man in The Mirth Project community who could use a little legal guidance, and we're hoping someone in our network might be able to help!

First, let me tell you a little bit about him... He graduated from college, has a great job at OSU Hospital, and just received a promotion! We are incredibly proud of everything he's overcome and accomplished

He's also a father who has struggled to secure visitation with his children. Now that he's established more stability in his life, he'd like to revisit his case and make sure he's approaching it in the best possible way.

We're looking for an attorney with experience in family law who might be willing to sit down with him, review his case, as he wants to make sure he is bringing up all the right points.

He's not asking someone to take on his entire case. He's simply hoping for some guidance so he can advocate for himself effectively.

If you're willing to help, or know someone who might be, please comment below or send us a PM.

10/04/2026

Some volunteers join an organization. Others become part of its DNA.

Nicki Grohovsky has been with The Mirth Project since the very beginning. She’s an OG Elf, our Board Chair, a member of our fundraising committee, a supporter of The Net—and the person who is always willing to say, “Okay, how do we make that happen?”

At Christmas, I lovingly refer to her as my Christmas List Dealer. 😂

Nicki will take around 20 teen wish lists, hand them out to friends and colleagues, and somehow make sure every single one comes back filled with care.

She is also incredibly creative. She has amazing ideas, can make just about anything, and has a gift for taking an idea—hers, mine, or someone else’s—and figuring out how to bring it to life. So many things at The Mirth Project have Nicki’s fingerprints on them.

And then there are the thank-you notes. Nicki writes the most beautiful handwritten notes on behalf of The Mirth Project because my handwriting should probably never represent the organization. 😂

But what I appreciate most about Nicki is simple: she shows up.

She has shown up for this organization, for our teens and young adults, and for me for nearly a decade. Again and again and again.

Every nonprofit needs a Nicki.

Unfortunately, this one is already taken. ❤️

Thank you, Nicki. I adore you, and The Mirth Project simply would not be what it is without you.

09/30/2026

As you lay your head to sleep tonight.... watch this clip about today's BIG TABLE conversation with The Mirth Project ... and why awareness and action are so critical to making sure each human connection matters.
The Columbus Foundation

09/30/2026

We are so grateful to have Angela An as our moderator for Big Tables. Big Ideas. this morning!

Thank you to everyone who participated. Together we can make Columbus the model city for what happens to a teen who turns 18 in foster care.

09/29/2026

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! 🎄
Well… not really. But it certainly is starting to FEEL like it around here!

The Mirth Project at Christmas program officially opens October 1st, which is when we begin sending links to our teens so they can create their Christmas wish lists.

And this year is a big one.

The Mirth Project at Christmas turns 10! 🎉🎅
Ten Christmases. Thousands of wishes. So many incredibly generous elves. And we may just have a few surprises up our Santa suits for year 10!

Want to adopt a teen’s wish list this year? There are three ways to get one:

🎄 Come to our Mirth Project List Open House!
October 24th & 25th
Come select your own wish list in the comfort of our home while enjoying delicious bites and seasonal drinks. Comment your email below if you’d like an invitation!

🎅 Play our traditional Facebook wish-list game!
We post the lists. You comment “ME!” or “MINE!” and claim yours. Lists start going up Sunday, November 1st at 7:30 p.m.!

❤️ Let us choose one for you!
Just ask us to email you a list, and we’ll happily pick a teen for you.
It’s going to be another memorable season.
Year 10! Here we go, elves! 🎄❤️

09/27/2026

Always the best time The Seasoned Farmhouse!

09/27/2026

09/23/2026

Last Monday night, five of our Scholar House Three students sat around my kitchen table with members of our Net committee.

We ate a ridiculous amount of Italian food, laughed, and talked about what they wanted people to understand before they walked into The Big Table.

And I kept thinking: this is exactly why we’re doing this.

We can sit in rooms and talk about former foster youth. We can study the statistics. We can build programs and debate solutions.
But, honestly, we (myself included) need to stop thinking about what they need and start asking them exactly what would be amazing if it existed!!!

On Tuesday morning, September 29, these young adults will be in the room with Mayor Andrew Ginther, community leaders, business leaders, nonprofit leaders and people who simply care about Columbus.

And they will get to tell us what it actually feels like to turn 18 without the safety net so many of us never even realized we had.

Then we’re going to ask one big question:

How can Columbus become the model city for what happens to a teen who turns 18 in foster care?

You don't need to work in foster care to belong in this conversation.

In fact, I think that's the point.

If you care about what kind of city Columbus becomes, I’d love to have you at The Big Table.

Tuesday, September 29
8:30–11:00 a.m.
The Junto Hotel
Breakfast is on us. The conversation matters.
Come take a seat at the table.
[https://givebutter.com/big-table-2026-02fngk](https://givebutter.com/big-table-2026-02fngk)