Before the apples and fundraisers, though, Kim served an LDS mission to the Dominican Republic where she learned Spanish and how to serve others in different cultures. After her mission, the California native enrolled at BYU, met and married her future husband and graduated in recreation management.

Along the way, Kim earned a cosmetology certificate and a real estate license. For the past 30 years, Kim has been a realtor.

Kim’s fundraising projects have help dozens of people. Her first fundraiser happened in 2007 and served to help build orphanages in Uganda for the Ssejinja Children’s Foundation. She organized an extravagant gala with a goal to raise $6,000. Much to her surprise, she raised $30,000.

“I literally got lost in organizing the gala, which became a huge event. I loved doing it,” she said. “When finished, I decided I could do big things.”

Courtesy Kim Hamilton

Over the years, Kim has raised money to support the needs of her children’s athletic teams and her church’s young women’s programs. “I just felt I need to help out,” Kim said. “Galas and auctions have become my thing.”

In 2017, Kim met a single parent who could not work. Her 12-year-old daughter Elizabeth was a stage 4 Lymphoma patient. Kim prayed, asking how she could help this young woman and her mother. “I decided to push my limits on this one,” she said. By selling caramel apples for $12 each, they raised over $3,000 for Elizabeth, who’s now in remission.

Also in 2017, one of Kim’s friends was going to Puerto Rico to help victims of the devastating Hurricane Maria.”Because my friend was fearless and wanted to go, I decided to sell caramel apples,” she said.

They quickly earned over $1,000 and sent the money along with several suitcases of supplies. With the money, Kim’s friend was able to put two roofs on damaged homes.

In 2018, a miracle happened. While a Haitian Catholic priest was desperately praying for help with his orphanage, Kim’s family and extended family happened on a “mistake” sale that offered first-class tickets to Haiti.

Courtesy Kim Hamilton

When they arrived at the orphanage full of disabled children and adults, the priest was overjoyed and told them his story — about praying for help — and here they were. He couldn’t believe the magnitude of blessings as he watched the group bring in wheelchairs, clothes, diapers, hygiene kits, towels, medical supplies and other essentials.

Kim’s 16-year-old daughter, Kamryn Hamilton, accompanied them on the trip. “I couldn’t stop looking out the window of the bus and wondering what I was going to see. I couldn’t believe places like this actually existed,” Kamryn said.

They spent several days at different orphanages, delivering supplies and blessings. It was a magical time of growing up for Kamryn.

“The people were so loving,” Kamryn said. “It made it so easy to be there but hard to say goodbye.” When her mother asked how she felt about the trip, she answered, “This was the best vacation we’ve ever been on!”

The most recent project, in which they raised enough funds to build a complete house in the Dominican Republic, was finished at the end of 2022. They had sent money to help build another house before, but Kim wanted to build an entire house from the ground up.

“At about $10,000, I thought that’s good enough,” Kim said. “Then, I remembered a quote from Dr. Laura: ‘The temptation to quit will be the greatest when you are about to succeed.’ That quote changed everything from then on.”

As they kept selling gourmet apples, Kim decided to try using social media.

“When I started this fundraiser for the home in the DR, I was hesitant, and just plain scared. I needed a pep talk and a push to take the first step and make the first post to Facebook,” she said. “There was such an outpouring of love and support. We had lots of support from my real estate office and so many others.”

In the end, they raised almost $17,000 to build a house for the Dominican Starfish Foundation.

Last Tuesday, Kim and Kamryn returned from the DR where they met and spent time with the family of five who is receiving her home. “I am so excited for them. They were so grateful,” Kim said. “They are my little family.”

What started out as a hobby, making gourmet caramel apples with Utah honey crisp apples, has become an opportunity to help others in Utah, Haiti, Dominican Republic and other places.

“It’s the secret caramel that we dip the apples in,” Kim said.

Typically, Kim does 300 apples — 30 at a time in one batch over a three-to-four-month period beginning in September. This year, the number went to 1,000 apples for her biggest season to date.

“I guess I like my life in chaos, but there are people who need help, and all of this gives me a sense of fulfillment,” Kim added. “When I look back on these projects, knowing in the end when you see them come full circle and ending up being answers to prayers, it is wonderful.”

For Kim, helping others by making a difference has become an integral part of her life and the lives of her family. They all help — particularly Kamryn. Many people have called her and asked how they can help.

Kim’s gourmet honey crisp apples, can be found at https://hamiltonhomesrealestate.com/kimsgourmetapples or by finding Kim Leininger Hamilton on Facebook.