Page 98 - South Mississippi Living - December, 2025

GIVING BACK
Jennifer Walker 2025 Woman of the Year
Sherri Carr Smith Vicki Estapa Co-Chair Co-Chair
The Women Inspiring Strength and Hope (W.I.S.H.) Society is one of Make- A-Wish Mississippi’s most inspiring initiatives—created to recognize and celebrate women who are not only thriving in their professional fields but also making a profound impact
through their philanthropic leadership. Each honoree is a woman of influence, compassion, and vision, who accepts the invitation to partner with Make-A-Wish by raising the funds needed to grant wishes for local children facing critical illnesses.
These women know that a wish is more than a single moment—it is a turning
point. By coming together, they help make the impossible possible, giving children the chanceto replace fear with confidence, sadness with joy, and anxiety with hope.
Make-A-Wish Mississippi proudly hosts three W.I.S.H. Society campaigns each year—in Jackson, Hattiesburg, and along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Through these campaigns, dozens of women unite across regions of our state with one purpose: to bring light, hope, and unforgettable joy into the lives of Mississippi wish kids and their families.
Each campaign provides women in the community with the opportunity to
inspire others to do their part to have an impact on the lives of local children with a critical illness.
The 2025 Woman of the Year is member Jennifer Walker.
Make-A-Wish is currently accepting nominations for the 2026 W.I.S.H. Society, which will be announced in March 2026.
W.I.S.H. Society Gulf Coast
www.ms.wish.org communications@ms.wish.org
story by Victoria Snyder and Make-A-Wish Mississippi
98 | December 2025
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