On National Nonprofit Day, Alec Brownworth, who leads music industry relations for Make-A-Wish, connects children with critical illnesses to artists, labels, management teams, and live events. His work supports wishes that range from meeting Jelly Roll or Ariana Grande to attending the Grammys or recording a song.
A personal connection to the mission
Brownworth has a direct family tie to the organization. “My brother was a wish kid,” he said. “We received a travel wish to golf in Hawaii.” His sibling later made a full recovery.
Research shows that children who have wishes granted can build the physical and emotional strength needed to fight a critical illness, which may improve quality of life and help produce better health outcomes.
Scope of the work
Since its founding in 1980, Make-A-Wish has granted more than 650,000 wishes globally, including 400,000 in the United States. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit grants a wish every 33 minutes on average, supported by roughly 20,000 volunteers in addition to staff.
Brownworth joined Make-A-Wish in April 2024 after roles at 300 Entertainment, Epic Records, and iHeartMedia. He describes his position as “a connector” between children, families, and the teams that can fulfill a wish.
How music wishes come together
This month, Brownworth is working to grant around 40 wishes. He said the process requires identifying the right decision maker. “Piecing it all together, you’ve got to get to the decision maker,” Brownworth said. “What label are they on? What management are they with?” He added that narrowing down those details leads to the right person.
Common music-related wishes include:
- Concert experiences and artist meetings, with Jelly Roll and Ariana Grande among frequent requests
- Trips to the Grammys, including nine children this year with support from The Recording Academy
- Behind-the-scenes looks at how concerts work
- Songwriting and recording sessions, such as a recent studio visit with Jason Derulo
Because many wishes involve live events, Brownworth checks whether an artist is touring and contacts the team if no dates are listed.
Raising awareness
Brownworth said one of his biggest challenges is making the entertainment and sports relations department more visible. “I just want people to know we exist. Let’s have those conversations. If you want to help a kid record a song, let’s talk about it. If you want to give a tour of your concert venue, let’s chat. There are so many cool opportunities.”
He can be contacted through wish.org.
