Give Kids the World Village facts for kids
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| Motto | Where Happiness Inspires Hope |
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| Formation | 1989 |
| Founder | Henri Landwirth |
| Purpose | Resort for children with critical illnesses and their families |
| Headquarters | Kissimmee, Florida |
| Location | |
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Region served
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Worldwide |
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President
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Pamela Landwirth |
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Main organ
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Board of Directors |
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Budget
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$31.6 million US |
Give Kids The World Village is a special place in Kissimmee, Florida. It is a nonprofit resort for children with serious illnesses and their families. The resort helps these families by giving them a free place to stay. They also get tickets to fun theme parks nearby. Families can visit Give Kids The World if a wish-granting group, like Make-A-Wish Foundation, refers them. Over 250 such groups work with the Village.
The resort has 168 family villas. It covers a large area of 79 acres. Many of the villas were updated in 2014.
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How Give Kids The World Started
Give Kids The World was created by Henri Landwirth. He was from Belgium. Henri survived a very difficult time during The Holocaust. He spent five years in concentration camps. After this, he moved to the United States. There, he learned about managing hotels.
Henri ran a hotel near Orlando. He saw how much sick children wanted to visit Walt Disney World. He started helping their families find hotel rooms. One day, two sick children could not go on their trips. This was because hotel rooms were not ready in time. Sadly, both children passed away before their wish came true.
This made Henri want to build a special place. He wanted a resort where families could come right away. There would be no waiting list. No child would ever be turned away. This dream became Give Kids The World Village.
Exploring The Village Fun
The Village looks like a magical, whimsical place. It has 168 villas where families can stay. There is also the Gingerbread House Restaurant for meals. You can visit the Castle of Miracles and its Enchanted Carousel. Henri's Star Light Scoops opened in 2020 for ice cream treats.
Other fun spots include Julie's Safari Theatre. Matthew's Boundless Playground is also a favorite. Many other attractions are there for guests. A small team runs the Village. But thousands of volunteers help every year. About 1,600 volunteer shifts happen each week.
Every year, the Village welcomes over 7,000 families. These families come from all over the United States. They also come from 75 different countries. In 2016, the Village welcomed its 150,000th family.
How the Wish Program Works
Children aged 3 to 18 can get a wish. A doctor must say they have a critical illness. Over 250 wish-granting groups worldwide help. They arrange travel to Central Florida. Give Kids The World provides everything else.
Families get a free stay at the resort. They also get meals for a week-long vacation. Donated tickets are given for local attractions. These include Walt Disney World Resort, SeaWorld, and Universal Orlando Resort. Other Central Florida attractions are also included.
You can ask for tickets to other places too. For example, Busch Gardens in Tampa is an option. The Village is close to most popular attractions. This means families do not have to travel far. The child with the illness gets a special badge. This badge helps them get into shorter lines at many parks.
Give Kids The World works with many companies. These companies provide volunteers and donations. For example, Boston Market and Perkins Restaurant & Bakery have restaurants inside the resort. They provide food and volunteers. Families also get a free rental car from Avis Rent a Car. They pick it up at the Orlando airport. Almost everything at the Village is free for families. This includes rooms, food, ice cream, and activities.
Village During COVID-19
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Give Kids The World could not grant wishes. So, for the 2020 holiday season, the Village opened to everyone. This was for an event called "Night of a Million Lights." Three million lights were donated by Walt Disney World. These lights were from the old Osborne Family Light Show. It used to be at Disney's Hollywood Studios.
Some attractions were open during this event. These included the Enchanted Carousel. Kelly's Sunny Swing and Lori's Magical Flight were also open. A cup of ice cream was part of the ticket cost. Many villas were decorated by company sponsors. These included Crayola and Legoland Florida.
Who Helps Lead the Village
Many important people help guide Give Kids The World. They are part of the executive advisory board and board of directors. Famous people like author Ken Blanchard have helped. Anthropologist Jane Goodall and actor John Stamos are also involved.
Leaders from big companies also serve on the boards. These include Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, and SeaWorld. Others are from Walmart, PepsiCo, Hasbro, and Boston Market. Their help makes sure the Village can keep making wishes come true.
