Information on Make a Wish Foundation
The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a nonprofit organization that has been fulfilling the wishes of children from ages 2 1/2 to 18 who have life-threatening illnesses. Many chapters exist throughout the United States, but are mostly situated in big cities and are not present in every state. Its international counterpart, Make-A-Wish International, serves more than 36 different countries, granting wishes to seriously ill children and giving them a reason to smile again.
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History
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The Make-A-Wish Foundation was founded in 1980 when it granted the wish of a 7-year-old boy named Chris, who was battling leukemia. His dream was to become a police officer. His wish was granted when he spent a day touring the Arizona Department of Public Safety, fitting right in with his own police uniform. Sadly, Chris passed away the next day, but his family drew comfort from the knowledge that he had his wish granted. Since that first wish, this foundation has reached almost 200,000 children worldwide. The organization has continually depended on the help of more than 25,000 of volunteers, who are either trained as a wish granters, a fundraiser, a special events coordinator or in numerous other roles.
Process
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The only way a child can be referred to Make-A-Wish is by medical professionals, parents or the children themselves. To qualify, the child must never have had a wish granted by any other organization. A child must also meet the requirements for medical eligibility by having proof from their physician that she has an illness that is putting her life in jeopardy. A team of wish volunteers is assigned to a child to help plan and grant her wish. The volunteers stay with the child through the entire process, making sure everything goes smoothly.
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Wishes
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The range of wishes is as varied as the children who choose them. The wishes can be broken down into four main categories: "I want to go ...", "I want to meet ...", "I want to have ..." or "I want to be ..." Some of the most popular wishes include going on vacation to Hawaii or Walt Disney World, meeting a favorite celebrity, going on a shopping spree and being a pirate. The child is given no limit as to what to wish for, and the wish team tries its hardest to grant it. Wish children are always asked for a backup wish in case their other wish cannot be granted.
Funding
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Since Make-A-Wish is a nonprofit company, it relies heavily on fundraising and donations. Donors have many different options, whether it's a one-time donation to fund an entire wish by adopting a wish" or a monthly amount of their choosing. Besides the foundation organizing traditional fundraising events such as Gala Balls through each chapter, individuals and groups can volunteer to raise money for the foundation. The options are endless, whether a school wants to have a bake sale or a business wants to host an event. Donors can also donate airplane miles, electronics and other items that are in high demand. A list appears on the foundation's website.
Volunteers
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If you fit the role of a community leader, consider becoming a committee member where you can represent the message of Make-A-Wish through your local chapter. If you have a special talent to offer, such as being bilingual or are handy with tools, you can help out this way. If you feel like you have what it takes to help grant wishes, you may consider being a wish granter. Being a wish granter requires a significant time commitment and can be emotionally difficult.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit dandilion image by Wojciech Gajda from Fotolia.com
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Comments
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I think this is nice wat they do :)
