America’s Granddaughter & World Changer: Ruby Kate Chitsey

Official Kids Mag Hero from Harrison keeps bringing love and kindness to nursing home seniors

For all the fame, awards and recognition she’s received globally, nationally and in our own state of Arkansas, Ruby Kate Chitsey of Harrison is “just like everyone else,” said the freshman at Valley Springs High School. Ruby’s friends, teachers and family warmly support her and the nonprofit charity she founded, Three Wishes for Ruby’s Residents.

Official Kids Mag featured her as Kid Hero of the Month in the May 2019 issue with the story “A Super Power Called Kindness.” She was 11 then. Now she’s 15 and kind as ever.

Besides being its founder, Ruby is the CEO of Three Wishes for Ruby’s Residents. She and her Kid Board of kind and awesome kids, along with staff members and volunteers, make wishes come true for seniors in nursing homes in Arkansas and throughout the United States. These older folks are “low on family, happiness or funds,” as it says on the Three Wishes website.

So, what kind of wishes do the seniors ask for and get? A lot of money? A trip to Hawaii? Nope. They wish for simple things like a pair of comfy tennis shoes, circus peanuts, a pillow. And they’re always very thankful for Ruby’s gifts. They also love when she brings little kids in to visit. The children give residents small gifts in sacks they’ve decorated with their own drawings. They learn “how important seniors are and how caring and friendly they are,” Ruby said in a CNN program where she was named CNN Wonder Kid of the Year in 2022.

“I loved getting that award because it was a live event. It felt like more than just a medal because I met so many amazing people. I told Selena Gomez (an actress and singer) that I admired her, and she gave me the biggest hug. She said, ‘No, you are the amazing one. Look what you’ve done. I admire YOU!’”

In the CNN video, we get to see Ruby in action.

“I brought Elvis today,” she tells a whitehaired resident, whose face up lights up when Ruby hands her a cat on loan for the day. Elvis immediately nestles into the woman’s lap.

“He’s just as contended as he can be,” she says with a smile as she strokes the soft, gray fur.

Ruby loves working with seniors and told CNN, “They’re just like us. They’re just years older.”

“Ruby values humility,” said her mom, Amanda Chitsey, a nurse practitioner who works in several nursing homes in and around Harrison. “I’ve made it a priority to show her how to navigate success with grace. It also helps that she genuinely loves seniors. Recognition was never a goal but rather a consequence of her unique work at such a young age.”

It was on a visit with her mom to a nursing home that Ruby got the idea to grant wishes to residents. A sad-faced senior named Pearl was missing her pet dog. Ruby decided to use the money in her piggy bank to pay a pet sitter to bring the dog for a few visits with Pearl. Since that small start from a girl with a big heart, Ruby’s nonprofit, which she started in 2019, has spent over $500,000 to bring joy and practical help to seniors like Pearl. For touching so many lives, she’s been called “America’s granddaughter.”

Being the CEO of Three Wishes means devoting time to such activities as speaking nationally and locally, helping to make business and hiring decisions, and doing “small mall things, like cleaning, washing windows, organizing zing wishes and painting walls. My favorite role e is being inside the nursing home and speaking.” She spends anywhere from an hour to 20 hours urs a week at Three Wishes Community Center r in Harrison. “Last week someone needed a new w bed, so that took a lot of time.”

At school, Ruby is an enthusiastic ic cheerleader who loves being part of a team.

“I wanted to try something new, w, and it’s been a great experience.”

Her favorite subject is math.

As for hobbies, she said, “Kindness ness is my hobby.” That’s the title of a book she wrote that was just published in April and tells s the story of

Three Wishes for Ruby’s

Residents and how other kids can get involved. From “adopting” a resident and sending them greeting cards, to giving a donation small or large, to sending books (one Kid Board member, Oliver – also Ruby’s brother – has collected over 1,000 books for residents!), there are plenty of ways to help. help Check out the website to learn more. more

The kids volunteering volunteer on Ruby’s board live in many different dif states and find lots of creative creati ways to serve nursing home residents. residen

Ruby explained, “A Arsh loves to paint with seniors in Iowa, and a Ava Grayce leads kids to volunteer at nursing homes in Louisiana. Michael Mi helps make sure we’re representing representin all cultures and communities and is full of good ideas. Delaney is a beauty queen que and chose nursing home seniors as her platform. Sawyer loves to keep seniors sen busy and entertained. Leo is phenomenal pheno and helps in South Carolina.” In every state and community, people can host a shortterm Three Wishes project called a pop-up club. “We’d like to find a kid leader in each state,” Ruby said, “so if you hear of anyone, tell them to reach out.” What new things is Ruby Rub up to? Her current projects include weekly we field trips with local students to visit nursing nu homes and Wish Wheels. The nonprofit now has a van to deliver goods to area nursing h homes. And, she added, to make them “a happ happier place, we’re putting up huge canvas photos ph of kids and pets on the walls.”

Ruby’s lucky to t have a family of cheerleaders for her cause. “Her brothers, b Oliver and Max, Ma are Ruby fans,” said Amanda. “They’ve never been jealous or made fun of her ambition. They support her 100%. Her dad plays a big role in her success. He’s the ‘math tutor extraordinaire,’ cook, taxi driver, best friend and mentor. He helps Ruby stay focused on being as good student so she can continue her work in the nursing homes too.”

Ruby has advice for kids who are inspired to help people in need: “Take any free time you have to do something good for your community. It doesn’t have to be big. Just get out and try it one time. You’ll notice it does something good for your heart, too.”

To read more about Ruby and Three Wishes, her dozens of distinguished awards and international recognition, her kid and adult boards, humanitarian projects, and all the other things she and her team are doing to change the world, visit www.3wishesproject.org.

102 W. Stephenson Ave., Harrison, AR 72601870-517-5353

Three Wishes Community Center is open 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Ruby’s book “Kindness Is My Hobby: How to Change the World Right Where You Are” is available on Amazon.