Make-A-Wish Foundation facts for kids
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| Formation | April 29, 1980 |
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| Type | 501(c)(3) non-profit organization |
| Purpose | Fulfilling the wishes of children with critical illnesses and emergency situations |
| Headquarters | Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. |
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Region
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International |
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President & CEO
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Leslie Motter |
The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a special non-profit group in the United States. It helps make dreams come true for children with serious illnesses. These children are usually between 3 and 18 years old. Make-A-Wish started in 1980. Its main office is in Phoenix, Arizona. The organization has many local offices across the U.S. It also works in almost 50 other countries worldwide.
Contents
The Make-A-Wish Story
How Make-A-Wish Began
The idea for Make-A-Wish started with a 7-year-old boy named Christopher James Greicius. In 1980, Chris was battling leukemia. He had a big dream: to become a police officer. People in his community in Phoenix, Arizona, worked together to make his wish come true. This kind act inspired the creation of Make-A-Wish. The foundation was officially started later that same year.
Growing Around the World
Since it began, Make-A-Wish has grown a lot. In 1986, it started to expand outside the U.S. The first international office was Make-A-Wish Foundation UK. By 1993, Make-A-Wish International was formed. It first helped children in five countries outside the U.S. Today, Make-A-Wish helps children in 50 countries. It has granted over 550,000 wishes worldwide. More than 43,000 volunteers help make these wishes happen.
How Wishes Are Granted
A child can be considered for a wish if they are between 2 and a half and 18 years old. They must have a critical illness. Make-A-Wish staff work with the child's doctors and family. They decide if the child is medically able to receive a wish. A child also cannot have received a wish from another similar organization.
Each Make-A-Wish office has its own rules for granting wishes. They work closely with the child's doctor. This helps them find the best time to grant the wish. They consider the child's medical treatments. Most wishes fall into five main types:
- I wish to go (like a trip to a special place)
- I wish to be (like a police officer or a princess)
- I wish to meet (like a famous person)
- I wish to have (like a new computer or a treehouse)
- I wish to give (like donating to a charity)
The professional wrestler John Cena has granted the most wishes. He has helped make over 650 wishes come true.
How Make-A-Wish Is Run
A group of people called the national board of directors helps guide Make-A-Wish. They decide the organization's goals and plans. They also make sure the money and resources are used wisely. The board helps Make-A-Wish be open and honest. They also make sure it follows all laws.
The senior leadership team manages the daily work. This team includes leaders for different areas. These areas include granting wishes, raising money, and managing operations. The president and CEO leads the overall plan. This includes working with the board and finding new ways to help.
As of September 2023, Make-A-Wish received a top rating from Charity Navigator. This group checks how well charities use their money. Make-A-Wish earned a four-star rating, which is the highest possible.
Images for kids
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U.S. Marines helping a child's wish come true.
See also
In Spanish: Fundación Make-A-Wish para niños
