HomeFeaturesFeatures › Women Who Move the Valley 2013 - Page 6

AFM0113-Features-Mandi-Ross

Mandi Ross, CEO of the Ross Group at Keller Williams Professional Partners and Founder of The Kids 4 Kids Foundation

Some would advise to never mix business and pleasure. Mandi Ross is one exception. In the midst of building her own business in the real estate market, Ross, CEO of the Ross Group at Keller Williams Professional Partners, recently spearheaded a nonprofit, The Kids 4 Kids Foundation (K4K), dedicated to equipping kids with a desire to help others. “I had an idea to create a foundation to help teach kids how to give,” Ross says. “It’s pretty much how to get out there and impact the community and how to give and have a servant’s heart and know when others are in need.”

Initially built for her children and the children of her staff and clients, K4K is just getting started. “My hope is to have a K4K club in every school,” Ross says. The inspiration behind the nonprofit is her son, Hayden. Seven years ago, Hayden was born premature and underwent several surgeries at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. When Phoenix Children’s asked the Ross family for a contribution to help fund the West Valley location of the hospital, which was close to her then-home in Surprise, she thought, “You know, there’s something bigger here that the kids can do to help out and build that hospital.”

K4K received its 501(c)3 designation in 2012. Its first pledge was to the West Valley Phoenix Children’s Hospital. “We pledged $25,000 and, in the first 90 days, the kids [there are about 20] raised $10,000. They got to go in and give the check,” Ross says.
—Kirstina Bolton