Conversations with Jennifer Hunsinger

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Hunsinger.

Hi Jennifer, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Project Happiness LSMO was born during the 2016 presidential campaign. In 2016, I had really never experienced such a political divide in our country. It was very upsetting.

I had worked very hard in my own neighborhood for many years to create a close-knit culture where neighbors felt more like family. We hosted block parties, chili suppers, and lemonade stands. I feared that, once folks started placing political signs in their yards, things might change.

I thought that if we created signs with messages that made people smile, neighbors would avoid political signs altogether. We took the idea to our neighbors and it quickly caught on. We got together and created over 30 signs for the houses on our block. After receiving the permission of all the homeowners, we put up the signs.

WOW!!! Was it amazing to watch? Traffic slowed down. People were smiling and giving us thumbs up. By the next day, news stations were on our block, and we made the cover of the local paper!! Our grassroots effort to spread kindness had worked!!!

In the years to come, we continued to grow as interest in the signs increased. In 2019, we took the donations from the signs and turned our project into a non-profit.

2020 was a real game changer for Project Happiness LSMO. In March, when folks started to quarantine, we were flooded with requests. Our homemade signs offered messages of kindness, encouragement, and hope, and that’s exactly what we all needed. My two daughters, Georgia & Charlotte, and I made 1,500 signs that summer! The demand was so high that we placed a cooler at the end of our driveway

Every morning for people to come to pick up signs. They came from all around. Their smiles and waves, while we were stuck inside, helped my family through 2020.

We took donations for the signs and were able to do some pretty amazing things in Lee’s Summit! We bought $1,800 worth of new tennis shoes for local foster kids, paid off student lunch debt at our local elementary school, provided a brand new refrigerator for the local food pantry, bought Christmas for several seniors in our town, and the list goes on. Raising spirits and helping people in our community has been so much fun!

You can visit us at projecthappinesslsmo.org to donate and watch news clips of our project!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Our family just takes everything in stride. I never thought the initial idea of making the signs would result in becoming an official non-profit with by-laws, board members, and educating groups on the importance of kindness. We’ve learned a lot along the way! Fundraising is the biggest struggle.

With the rising cost of supplies, we are unable to contribute as much as we would like. We just keep going!! We have big ideas and we’ve created a community of supporters that always show up to help us reach our goals, we are blessed.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a mother and a wife first and foremost. But, daily you’ll find me working as a secretary for LSR7 schools. I’m most proud of the two beautiful girls we have raised as well as the life my husband and I have created right here in Lee’s Summit.

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
I didn’t have a mentor per se, I had a father with a curious nature that wasn’t afraid to just go for it! He taught me to be brave. If you have a big idea, GO FOR IT!!! Don’t wait for permission. Go after what you want in life.

Contact Info:

• Website: Projecthappinesslsmo.org
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/projecthappinesslsmo?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/projecthappinesslsmo/