How One Arkansas Realtor Is Running a Charity From Her Office

Danna Johnson, GRI, broker-owner of Johnson Real Estate Group, in Jonesboro, Ark., is celebrating 25 years of fundraising for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. An initiative that began with six real estate agents has evolved into an annual fundraising event called Have-A-Heart, which employs the help of hundreds of volunteers and averages about $400,000 in donations every year in just 12 hours, the National Association of Realtors reports.

This year marks the 25th fundraiser, and since its inception with Johnson at the helm, the annual event has brought in more than $6 million in donations. But Johnson hasn't stopped there:

In October 2022, Johnson launched Project Patricia in honor of her mentor, former Make-A-Wish CEO Patricia Brown. Johnson was 22 when she started her work with Make-A-Wish, and she says Brown shaped the very fabric of who she is and how she gives back to her community. “She always wanted to leave a legacy behind that involved children, so this is my way of giving back to her,” Johnson says.

Project Patricia, in partnership with a local organization called Together We Foster, has provided 60 first-night backpacks to foster children in need.

Read more