We recently connected with Dr Mary Welsh and have shared our conversation below.

Dr Mary, appreciate you joining us today. Was there a defining moment in your professional career? A moment that changed the trajectory of your career?

.I tried to return to my professional work after the loss of my daughter, but I found no purpose, no joy, and no sense of impact. I knew the loss could not be the end of the story. To heal personally—and to help my family heal—we simply wanted to help another child smile in Susie’s honor. What began as grief became an enlightening turning point—one that reshaped my work around compassion, collaboration, and meaningful impact.

What began as a small, heartfelt act quickly deepened. Each nonprofit partner we connected with shared their unmet needs and how even simple acts of comfort were making a meaningful difference for the children in their care. Hearing those stories clarified something for me: this work mattered, and it was needed.

From that point forward, the path unfolded naturally. As a firm believer in continuous learning, I began challenging not only my own thinking, but also the siloed approaches that often limit impact. With guidance from a collaborative community that led with both accountability and grace, I learned to think bigger, partner more intentionally, and lead with empathy.

That experience reshaped my professional identity. Passion, purpose, and engagement became inseparable from leadership—and I carry forward a belief that still anchors our work today: it’s okay not to be okay. We all are at times, and meaningful change begins when we acknowledge that and choose compassion anyway.

Dr Mary, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

For those who may not be familiar with my work, I’m a nonprofit founder, educator, and community builder whose professional path was reshaped by personal loss and a deep belief in compassion-driven leadership. My background is in organizational leadership, systems work, and human-centered engagement, and I’ve spent years teaching, mentoring, and helping organizations think more intentionally about how they serve people—not just efficiently, but ethically and with care.

Susie Q’s Kids was founded in honor of my daughter, Susie, who spent much of her adult life navigating illness and hospital settings. Through her experience—and ultimately through our loss—I came to understand how powerful small acts of comfort can be during moments of fear, grief, and uncertainty. After her passing, I struggled to return to traditional professional work. I knew I wanted to do something that mattered, something that brought comfort and dignity to children facing trauma.

What began as a simple desire to help another child smile evolved into Susie Q’s Kids—a nonprofit dedicated to providing comfort, hope, and emotional reassurance through Comfort Bags and related initiatives delivered via trusted community partners. We work with schools, healthcare providers, first responders, shelters, foster care agencies, and nonprofits to ensure support reaches children safely and responsibly during life’s most difficult moments.

What sets our work apart is the way we blend heart with discipline. We are deeply relational, but also systems-driven. We track impact, value accountability, and design programs that scale responsibly without losing their humanity. We also engage youth through our “Kids Helping Kids” model, introducing young people to service, empathy, and civic responsibility in ways that respect their voice and choice.

What I’m most proud of is not just the number of children we’ve comforted, but the culture we’ve built—one rooted in compassion, collaboration, and gratitude. I want people to know that this work is about more than bags or programs; it’s about showing up for children and communities with intention, integrity, and care. When passion meets purpose, meaningful engagement follows—and that’s where real impact begins.

I often hear Susie’s voice saying, “You’ve got this, Mom. I’m so proud.” Our loved ones are never really gone—they live on in the way we show up for others.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

What began as grief became an enlightening turning point—one that reshaped my work around compassion, collaboration, and meaningful impact.

My therapist once laughed gently and asked why I kept bringing people into my therapy sessions—as if it were show and tell. I told her I had my reasons. If you want to know me, you need to know them. They also needed to learn that therapy is good, that talking helps, and that healing doesn’t happen in isolation.

During one of those sessions, my young grandson—who had lost an uncle at two and his aunt at three—climbed onto my lap from his coloring. He handed me a tissue and said, “Gramma, tears are from heaven. We never wipe them off—we rub them in.”

In that moment, resilience took on a new meaning. It wasn’t about avoiding pain, but about honoring it, speaking openly about what hurts, and allowing space for healing. Perspective matters. Talking matters. And it really is okay not to be okay.

We speak through both our voices and our actions. I’ve always believed in the power of storytelling—not as performance, but as a way to open dialogue, create understanding, and invite others to share what’s on their hearts.

When people feel seen and heard, real healing can begin. I listen closely, sit with what’s shared, and—when appropriate—offer pathways for hope and healing through the framework of our nonprofit. That belief shapes how I lead, how I serve, and how I’ve learned to navigate my own journey—and guide others through theirs.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

As my grandson once reflected my own words back to me, I was reminded that everyone has a voice. The children who share their stories, the youth who advocate for change through their service in our Kids Helping Kids model, and the nonprofit partners who walk alongside families on difficult journeys—all of those voices matter.

My reputation has been built through communication grounded in consistency, integrity, and collaboration. I’ve learned that trust isn’t established through grand moments, but through listening carefully and showing up—again and again—for people and partners who rely on you. Through Susie Q’s Kids, we listened closely to schools, hospitals, first responders, and nonprofit partners, and designed programs around their real needs rather than assumptions.

We follow through on commitments, track outcomes, and hold ourselves accountable to both compassion and structure. Over time, that reliability fostered strong word-of-mouth referrals and long-standing partnerships. I believe reputation grows when purpose is matched with execution—and when you remain open to learning, improvement, and shared leadership.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://susieqskids.org/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susieqskids
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marywelsh29
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Z1LqrCiO0M
• Other: Greatnonprofits (nonprofit rating program) https://greatnonprofits.org/org/susie-qs-kids-inc

  Charity navigator (nonprofit rating program) https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/832545476

  Candid (nonprofit rating program) https://app.candid.org/profile/9773816/susie-qs-kids-inc-83-2545476

  Alignable (business networking) https://www.alignable.com/sterling-heights-mi/susie-qs-kids-comforting-kids-in-need-building-partnerships-engaging-meaningfully-wherever-there-is-a-need?user=1809182