Our Story

Olivia met Judy, Founder Kim's daughter, while in High School. Judy and Olivia rode the school bus together where they created a life-long friendship. The love Judy had for helping others inspired Olivia to want to do more. Since meeting the Adams family,  granting wishes and helping others has become a passion of hers.  Olivia earned her Bachelors in Business with a concentration in Marketing from Southern New Hampshire University. She enjoys spending time with her family and her sweet puppy Kahne!

Kim is the mother of two children with Down syndrome, whom she adopted as a single parent.  Over the past 28 years, Kim has actively advocated for both of her children, and many others. Kims advocacy was and still remains a full time job. Kim has granted wishes for individuals with Down Syndrome for the past 10 years. From raising money to purchase iPad’s to trips to Disney World, Kim has worked to grant all forms of wishes.  Besides raising her children and helping others Kim works part-time as a CT scan specialist. She has two licensing certifications, one as a radiology technologist and the other certification in CT.  Additionally, Kim received her BA in psychology from Fordham University and has been working in the medical field for over 40 years.

Katerina grew up in upstate New York in the same town as founder Kim and her daughter Judy with whom Katerina went to high school with. Katerina has always been interested in helping others and was part of a high school club that collected dimes to help Judy's "Dimes for Downs" fundraiser. It was then that Katerina realized the true meaning of helping others. Recently, Katerina has had the opportunity to get to know Kim and Judy and learn how she can help them help others. She has been an active supporter of fundraising efforts and enjoys to help anyway she can. Katerina graduated from SUNY Geneseo with a Bachelors in Biology and currently studies Nursing at Ulster County Community College. Outside of college, Katerina is an EMT where she is able to continue her passion of helping others.

Judy is the daughter of founder Kim Adams.  Judy has been supportive of her mom since the beginning of the organization.  At the age of 12 Judy started her own fundraiser "Dimes for Downs" to help her mom grant wishes. To date she has raised over 600,000 dimes.  Judy has been featured on Disney’s “Make Your Mark”, the Jimmy Fallon Show, the virtual “Pop up Show”, starred in the movie My Brother and did a visiting nurses of New York commercial.  As a baby Judy was the cover of Baby Talk Magazine.  Judy is very outgoing, energetic and eager to help anyone she can. She loves being able to be a part of helping others and granting wishes. 

Kaylia is originally from Mississippi’s gulf coast; but, currently, works as an Embryologist and Andrologist in the Jackson metropolitan area. She earned her Bachelors degree in Biological Sciences with a minor in Spanish from Mississippi State University. The love of the outdoors and thrill of adventure keep Kaylia traveling any chance she gets. Kaylia met Olivia, the president of the Gifts from the Heart for Downs, while working in Grand Teton National Park. Olivia’s passion for the organization inspired Kaylia to join in efforts to grant wishes and put smiles on the faces of individuals living with Down syndrome.