view full screen
Press "ESC" to exit at any time
For the optimum experience
®
Learn More
one wish at a time
Make-A-Wish transforms lives
Power of a Wish
my little sister, Bella
Wish kid & leukemia survivor
This project is dedicated to
every 34 minutes.
grant wishes that change the lives of the kids we serve.
game-changer.
Tens of thousands of volunteers, donors and supporters advance the Make-A-Wish® vision to grant the wish of every child diagnosed with a critical illness. In the United States and its territories, on average, a wish is granted We believe a wish experience can be a This one belief guides us and inspires us to wishes that change the lives of the kids we serve.
How to Navigate
Many pages contain clickable and hoverable elements
Indicates there's a related FAQs page
Will take you to back to the previous page
Will take you to back to the Table of Contents
Learn About
Explore
FAQs
Get Involved
Our Events
Wish Impact
Wish Types
Wish Process
Our Partners
Our History
Our Reach
Getting Involved
The Wish Experience
Our Chapter
View full screen
Connect with Us
Ways to Help
Share This Report
A wish experience can be a game-changer for a child with a critical illness.
wishes find a way to make the world better.
Whatever the odds, whatever the obstacles...
Wishes are more than just a nice thing.
our vision to grant the wish of every eligible child.
This one belief guides us in everything we do at Make-A-Wish®. It inspires us to grant wishes that change the lives of the kids we serve. It compels us to be creative in exceeding the expectations of every wish kid. It drives us to make our donated resources go as far as possible. Most of all, it's the founding principle of And they are far more than gifts, or singular events in time. Wishes impact everyone involved - wish kids, volunteers, donors, sponsors, medical professionals and communities. The impact varies. For wish kids, just the act of making their wish come true can give them the courage to comply with their medical treatments. Parents might finally feel like they can be optimistic. And still others might realize all they have to offer the world through volunteer work or philanthropy.
Our Mission
"It's been more than 30 years since my son Chris received his wish, and I am still amazed and inspired how one little boy's dream to be a policeman "
the lives of so many people.
has touched
Read His Story
— Linda Pauling, mother of Chris, the boy whose wish inspired the founding of Make-A-Wish®
2018
1985
Make-A-Wish® creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. We are on a quest to bring every eligible child's wish to life, because a wish is an integral part of a child's treatment journey. Research shows children who have wishes granted build the physical and emotional strength they need to fight a critical illness. Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Make-A-Wish® is the world's leading children's wish-granting organization, serving children in every community in the United States and in 50 countries worldwide. Hover over the timeline below to learn about important dates in Make-A-Wish®'s history.
1983
1980
PLAY VIDEO
Chris Grecius, age 7, smiling in his official police uniform
Chris with his mom, Linda, on the day he received his uniform and wings
Chris Grecius, 7, was diagnosed with leukemia. More than anything else, he wished to be a police officer. Caring people in his community granted his wish...and set in motion a phenomenon that would create an unprecedented kind of charity. This 10-minute video was released in celebration of our 35th anniversary back in 2016 and takes a look back at Chris' journey through our founders' eyes.
Counties in Central & Western North Carolina
Forsyth Gaston Graham Guilford Haywood Henderson Hoke Iredell Jackson Lincoln McDowell Macon Madison Mecklenburg Mitchell Montgomery Moore
Alamance Alexander Alleghany Anson Ashe Avery Buncombe Burke Cabarrus Caldwell Caswell Catawba Cherokee Clay Cleveland Davidson Davie
Polk Randolph Richmond Rockingham Rowan Rutherford Scotland Stanly Stokes Surry Swain Transylvania Union Watauga Wilkes Yadkin Yancey
National Reach
Our chapter is just one of 62 chapters located in the United States. Learn more about our chapter affiliates.
Referral Trends
There is a gap in the number of wishes we grant each year and the number of eligible referrals.
100% Local
Our mission is delivered on the grassroots level. Your support goes directly to families right here in our local community.
View Counties
View list of counties
Our chapter grants the wishes of children who live in the 51 counties we serve - from Alamance County westward.
referring a child
FAQs about
57
60
62
73
41
31
ungranted wishes*
*Disclaimer: While there are a certain number of eligible wish referrals, we need the funds to be able to grant every wish
*FY= Fiscal Year (September through August)
Eligible Referrals
Wishes Granted
400 kids are diagnosed with a critical illness every year.
435
378
FY18
FY17
420
360
402
340
369
296
301
260
277
246
PROJECTIONS
FY19
FY16
FY15
FY14
There is a gap in the number of wishes we grant and the number of eligible referrals. Click through the graph below to see the progression over the last several years and learn more about our projected growth.
Wish & Referral Trends
62 chapters
Most have heard of Make-A-Wish®. Images of children with big smiles come to mind. But, did you know there are 62 chapters nationwide that focus exclusively on granting local wishes and raising awareness and philanthropic support in their geographic region?
Local Impact. National Reach.
450,000
Make-A-Wish® has granted nearly wishes worldwide since 1980
Did you know?
5
1
4
2
3
New Hampshire
Vermont
Massachusetts & Rhode Island
Connecticut
1. Metro New York & Western New York 2. Central New York 3. Northeast New York 4. Hudson Valley 5. Suffolk County
*Puerto Rico & Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands are not pictured.
Mid-Atlantic
New Jersey
*includes U.S. Virgin Islands
Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley
Hawaii
Rio Grande Valley
Eastern North Carolina
Middle Tennessee
Central & Western North Carolina
East Tennessee
Central & South Texas
Texas Gulf Coast & Louisiana
Central & Northern Florida
Southern Florida
South Carolina
Maine
Greater Pennsylvania & West Virginia
Virginia
Georgia
Alabama
Mississippi
Mid-South
Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana
Michigan
Wisconsin
Illinois
Missouri
Iowa
Minnesota
Kansas
Oklahoma
North Texas
Greater Bay Area
Central California
Tri-Counties
Greater Los Angeles
San Diego
Orange County & the Inland Empire
Southern Nevada
New Mexico
Arizona
Utah
Colorado
Nebraska
South Dakota
North Dakota
Wyoming
Montana
Idaho
Oregon
Northeastern California & Northern Nevada
Washington & Alaska
340 unforgettable wishes
wishes
76%
5%
1%
18%
There are four main kinds of wishes that our chapter grants and last year we granted to children in our community. Hover and click below to learn more.
“As a family, we have a new outlook on Alexis’ future. Having a child with a critical illness takes a toll on the heart of parents and loved ones, but this trip has strengthened us as a family together.”
Give Kids the World Village® and enjoyed all the incredible things...it has to offer for children with life-threatening medical conditions. Alexis and her sister loved meeting all the characters at the Village, and even had a special visit from Santa. The family had so much fun walking around all the parks including a stop at Animal Kingdom and SeaWorld®. For Alexis, the best part of the trip was a special visit from Elsa where they had a chance to play dominos and checkers, draw pictures, and take lots of photos together. After the trip, Alexis’ mom said...
Like many young girls, wish kid Alexis loves dancing, drawing and anything involving Elsa and the movie Frozen. Whenever she sees her favorite characters, Alexis lights up and beams with excitement. With so much joy and happiness, you would never know she was born with an immune system disease. When volunteer wish granters asked what she would like her wish to be, it was clear that meeting Elsa at Disney World® would be the perfect wish for her. Alexis and her family couldn’t wait for a week of fun in the sun. During the wish trip, the family stayed at...
immune system disease
I wish to go to Disney World®
Alexis, 3
Meet
Alexis
to a sporting event to the beach to DisneyWorld
I wish to go...
I wish to meet Stitch at Disney World®
Davis, 8
Davis and his family had a truly amazing experience and left the park with a new-found sense of hope and strength. The whole week was a new, wonderful experience for Davis and his family that gave them memories to last a lifetime. Davis' mom said,
“Make-A-Wish has been one of the most uplifting things ever for my family.”
his stay as “magical.” One of Davis’ favorite moments was being able to eat in a restaurant without the worry of having an allergic reaction because the chefs at Disney World are extensively trained in food allergy cooking. The family was thrilled to have the chance to eat at three restaurants on the trip, plus the chef at Give Kids the World was able to cook his safe food. Davis’ favorite part of the trip was his visit to 'Ohana's Best Friends Breakfast, where he was greeted by his favorite character Stitch. Davis’ eyes lit up the moment Stitch walked to their table and wrapped him up in a huge hug. During the trip, Davis said, “This experience made me feel a bit more like other kids.”
For eight-year-old wish kid Davis, life has never been “normal.” He has faced significant health challenges throughout his life including being diagnosed with an immune system disease, which drastically limits the things he is able to do. Due to his severe allergies, Davis has never been able to eat in a restaurant or go on a vacation. Davis couldn’t wait for his one true wish where he could go to Disney World® and eat in a restaurant with his favorite character, Stitch, from Disney’s “Lilo and Stitch.” While at Disney World, Davis and his family stayed at Give Kids the World Village® where they were comfortable in a place that felt like home while being surrounded by the excitement of Disney. Davis described...
his stay as “magical.” One of Davis’ favorite moments was being able to eat in a restaurant without the worry of having an allergic reaction because the chefs at Disney World are extensively trained in food allergy cooking. The family was thrilled to have the chance to eat at three restaurants on the trip, plus the chef at Give Kids the World was able to cook his safe food. Davis’ favorite part of the trip was his visit to 'Ohana's Best Friends Breakfast, where he was greeted by his favorite character Stitch. Davis’ eyes lit up the moment Stitch walked to their table and wrapped him up in a huge hug. During the trip, Davis said, “This experience made me feel a bit more like other kids.” “Make-A-Wish has been one of the most uplifting things ever for my family,” said Davis’ mom.
Davis
a celebrity an athlete a popstar
I wish to meet...
heart transplant
I wish to go on a shopping spree
Yesica, 6
of slippers and a princess crown. Yesica’s brother could not have wrapped up the day any better when he expressed, A wish, however, goes beyond one ‘best day ever’ and truly leaves an impact on the lives of wish children, their families, volunteers, supporters and entire communities even after the wish is granted. Now, every evening when Yesica says goodnight to her rainbow teddy bear, she will be reminded of her amazing wish and the joy that she felt.
“This was the best day ever!”
every single one. Next it was time to head to Target where she picked out a TV, karaoke machine, and Frozen bedding. After a busy morning, they stopped for lunch at Olive Garden where Yesica enjoyed her favorite meal: pepperoni pizza. After lunch, Yesica received one extra surprise: a trip to Build-A-Bear! This was truly the highlight of the day and the store employees went above and beyond. Yesica picked out a rainbow-colored bear, which she named Teddy Bear, and then they inserted two sound machines to press on each paw. The first one was recorded with herfavorite Frozen song and the other one was recorded with her mom’s voice saying “I love you Yesica.” She then washed and brushed her bear and picked an outfit which included Elsa’s princess dress, a pair...
Although the month of February is recognized as Heart Health Month, wish kid Yesica has to think about the health of her heart every single day. She was born with a heart condition that required her to eventually receive a heart transplant. Despite the challenges Yesica has faced, she continues to be a happy girl who enjoys spending time with her family, watching Frozen, and, just like so many little girls, going shopping! When thinking of her wish, she immediately knew she wanted to go shopping so she could buy everything her heart desired. Yesica and her family received the royal treatment as they were picked up for her shopping spree in a limo. Their first stop was Toys “R” Us where she met Geoffrey the Giraffe and had so much fun shopping for new toys. Her jaw dropped when she saw all the Frozen toys in the store, and she bought nearly...
favorite Frozen song and the other one was recorded with her mom’s voice saying “I love you Yesica.” She then washed and brushed her bear and picked an outfit which included Elsa’s princess dress, a pair of slippers and a princess crown. Yesica’s brother could not have wrapped up the day any better when he expressed, “This was the best day ever!” A wish, however, goes beyond one ‘best day ever’ and truly leaves an impact on the lives of wish children, their families, volunteers, supporters and entire communities even after the wish is granted. Now, every evening when Yesica says goodnight to her rainbow teddy bear, she will be reminded of her amazing wish and the joy that she felt.
Yesica
I wish to have...
a play-set electronics a shopping spree
leukemia
I wish to be a Carolina Panther
Levi, 5
Now, whenever Levi watches his favorite team play, he is reminded of all the unforgettable memories he made on his wish day.
“Levi lives for big moments. Seeing him with Luke, interacting and just being one of the guys is something for him to remember for years and decades to come.”
locker room where he found his very own locker full of swag: a backpack, hat, cleats, helmet, and, most importantly, his very own customized Panthers jersey. After getting dressed from head to toe in Panthers gear, Levi turned around to see his favorite player Luke Keuchly standing right behind him. The two started throwing the football and Levi immediately began to break out of his shell. After their warm-up, Levi followed Luke and a few of the other players outside into the stadium to watch the team practice. Levi soaked up every minute getting to know his new teammates, especially Luke. Levi’s dad explained...
Like many five-year-old boys living in North Carolina, Levi watches his beloved Carolina Panthers take the field every Sunday afternoon in the fall. He imagines what it would be like to catch and throw passes in Bank of America stadium and have adoring fans cheer your name. Unlike many young boys, Levi often watches these games from his hospital room as he undergoes treatment for leukemia. When given the chance to wish for anything, Levi knew he wanted to experience what it would be like to be a Carolina Panthers football player for the day. Levi was drafted onto the team as the youngest player ever for the Carolina Panthers. Following his big contract signing, he had the chance to walk around the team’s...
Levi
a princess a firefighter a superhero
I wish to be...
Bags to Wishes
World Wish Day
We celebrate World Wish Day on April 29 every year. This day marks the anniversary of the wish that inspired the founding of the organization.
From unique wishes to fundraising events, seasonal campaigns to news announcements, there is always something exciting happening at Make-A-Wish® Central & Western North Carolina. Get connected, stay up to date with what’s new and what’s coming up, and find out how you can help us change lives.Click on the months below to learn more about all that's happening!
Trailblaze Challenge
JUNE
Kentucky Derby Classic & More!
MAY
APRIL
W.I.S.H. Society
NOVEMBER
Pitchin' for Wishes
SEPTEMBER
GUTS
OCTOBER
Wish Ball
JANUARY
More Info
The Wish Ball is an evening of charitable giving to fund the mission of Make-A-Wish®. The event includes an incredible cocktail hour, elegant dinner, music and dancing, as well as silent and live auctions. Most important, The Wish Ball has raised more than two million dollars over the years to help us make every eligible child's wish come true.
January Charlotte
$20,000
In the tournament’s inaugural year over was raised!
April Greensboro
The Bags to Wishes Cornhole Tournament, hosted at LeBauer Park, features an NCAA bracket style cornhole competition, as well as food, drinks, music, kids’ activities and more. It is a family friendly event with fun for all ages. All proceeds raised will go directly to Make-A-Wish® Central & Western North Carolina.
May Greensboro
A busy month!
Other May events include Fairways Fore Wishes & Make-A-Wish® Golf Classic
The evening includes beer & wine, southern cuisine, a horse-show, silent auction and a live stream of all the action at Churchill Downs. Most important, The Kentucky Derby Classic is an evening of charitable giving, raising funds to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions in our community.
Kentucky Derby Classic
June & October Foothills Trail, outside of Lavonia, GA
You are invited to join us on an amazing journey, the Trailblaze Challenge. Throughout the year, we offer four hikes at two different trails on one life changing day! The trek provides participants an opportunity for adventure, fun and fitness while making a direct impact on the lives of children in our community battling life-threatening medical conditions.
September Charlotte
Join Andrew Roby and Harris Teeter for the annual family-friendly Pitchin' for Wishes Cornhole Tournament benefiting Make-A-Wish®. Since 2008, The Roby Family of Companies has been building a better community with the success of this Tournament, a Guinness World Record™ setting event, which has raised more than $500,000 for various charities, including Make-A-Wish®.
October Charlotte
GUTS is a friendly pumpkin carving competition organized and created by CRAFTED, a marketing agency in Charlotte, North Carolina. The primary goal of this event is to unify the creative community in support of the kids who fight the real fight every day at Make-A-Wish®.
Honored for their career success, significant contributions to the community and their personal commitment to philanthropy; the W.I.S.H. Society celebrates the accomplishments of an extraordinary group of local women. Society Honorees join forces with Make-A-Wish® to adopt the wishes of central and western North Carolina's bravest, most inspiring children: wish kids.
November Triad
Hear directly from wish families and community members about the true impact of a wish
Testimonials
1.5 DAYS
Click on the numbers to learn more about the power of a wish and the impact Make-A-Wish® has made since 1980.
optic tumor
I wish to coach the Carolina Panthers
Braylon, 6
- Dave, wish dad
- Lori, wish mom
of community volunteers reported an increased sense of compassion and 84 percent felt an increased faith in humanity.
of parents observed that the wish experience marked a turning point in their own children's response to treatment
"Then Make-A-Wish® comes along…and it reminds you that you are at a point where you can dream again."
“Being able to have this time away from our everyday life and escape and forget about the sickness she deals with recharged us all. It gave us all a renewed sense of hope.”
74%
95%
A wish is much more than just a nice thing. And its reach extends far beyond a single event, or moment in time. Wish kids, parents, medical professionals, volunteers, and others say that wish experiences can change the lives of everyone involved, forever.
Hodgkin's lymphoma
I wish to be a zookeeper
Parker, 7
"Giving back and supporting the chapter is what matters most."
- Cynthia, volunteer
Wish is Granted!
Wish Approval & Scheduling
Wish Discovery & Visit
Initial Interview
Eligibility Determination
Referral
Make-A-Wish® exists to create lasting, permanent change for kids facing critical illnesses. Once a child is eligible, volunteers and staff take care of every detail to bring the child's dream to reality. Click on the buttons below to learn more about the wish granting process.
Q: What can a child wish for?
Q: Who can refer a child?
A: A child with a critical illness who has reached the age of 2½ and is younger than 18 at the time of referral is potentially eligible for a wish.
A: Potential wish kids, medical professionals, parents, legal guardians and family members with detailed knowledge of the child's current medical condition can initiate the referral process.
A: The child's imagination is always the driving force in determining, designing and coordinating the wish experience. Wish requests typically fall into one of four categories, but every wish is unique and powerful.
Q: Who is eligible?
Eligibility
We rely on wish referrals from caring individuals to help us reach more kids with critical illnesses every year and grant them a wish that changes lives, forever. The eligibility consideration process is initiated when a wish referral inquiry is submitted to the local chapter. Learn more about who is eligible for a wish, who can refer a child and how the referral process works.
?
What can a child wish for?
Who can refer a child?
Who is eligible?
Charlotte, NC
Hemby Children's Hospital
Levine Children's Hospital
Winston-Salem, NC
Brenner Children's Hospital
Asheville, NC
Mission Children's Hospital
What Doctors Have to Say
Referrals by Hospitals
Medical Impact of a Wish
The service area for our chapter includes the following major medical centers, for whom without their care, kids would not be able to experience the transformative power of a wish.
Mission
Hemby
Brenner
Levine
Our Partner Hospitals
necessary to cure
heal.
"
in order to
"It isn't always
— James B. Fahner, MD, FAAP Chair, Make-A-Wish® Medical Advisory Council
Impact of a Wish Study
When children are battling a critical illness, so much of normal childhood is taken away from them — it is exhausting, both emotionally and physically. A wish is something that gives kids the opportunity to look outside their illness — it restores a sense of childhood back to the child and normalcy back to the family. Research shows, and physicians agree, wishes can help improve a child's quality of life and produce better health outcomes. Members of the Make-A-Wish® Medical Advisory Committee share the life-changing impact wishes have — beyond just medicine — on their patients and their families. View the study below.
Medical Impact
It isn't
Download the Study
Read More
In 2015, Make-A-Wish® Israel conducted a study to measure how wish-granting experiences influence medical outcomes of children with critical illnesses. The results revealed wishes not only increased hope, they also improved the children's physical and emotional health. The wishes made the impossible, possible — helping children replace fear with confidence, sadness with joy and anxiety with hope. Learn more about how Make-A-Wish® is helping children improve their emotional health more visibly and successfully than any other organization.
continued...
If the impossible can happen once, kids can believe in their ability to live with or even overcome their illnesses.
real purpose
That’s the of a wish.
*Shoshani, A. Mifano, K. Czamanski-Cohen, J. (2015). The effects of the Make a Wish intervention on psychiatric symptoms and health-related quality of life of children with cancer: a randomized controlled trial. Quality of Life Research, 25(5), 1209-1218. doi 10.1007/s11136-015-1148-7
We don’t grant wishes for short-term smiles. We grant wishes to positively impact long-term health results*. Make-A-Wish® was the subject of a study to measure how wish-granting experiences influence the medical outcomes of children with cancer. Sixty-six children were evaluated using three different verified, respected, widely used assessment tools. The tools quantify hope, positive emotions, health-related quality of life and anxiety. “It is possible that wishing enabled these children to dream about that seemed unobtainable, out of reach, and thus created an experience of achieving the impossible,” researchers wrote.
10
90
103
75
89
32
6
23
69
FY15 FY16 FY17
120 100 80 60 40 20 0
Every wish experience begins with a referral and our partner hospitals are the main source of referrals. In additon to the hospitals in our chapter territory, we receive referrals from other area hospitals, including Duke Children's Hospital and UNC Children's Hospital. Click on the buttons and hover over the graph to learn more about referral trends.
Referrals by Hospital
Hear from More Doctors
without the burden of disease.”
Levine Children's Hospital Charlotte, NC
pediatric oncology
- Jennifer Pope, MD
“For me, the impact of a wish is enormous. What I see as a physician when a child describes the wish planning, and then experiences the wish, is a child
“A wish gives me the chance to give a family something from all of us as a community. It comes from the medical community...the whole population saying, “Your child is not forgotten.”
Children's National Health System, Rare Disease Institute Washington, DC
pediatric geneticist
Debra S. Regier, MD*
“It’s an unsaid power wishes give children. These kids are living longer, living better. They’re having more fun in their life…and it all started with one experience, and that was their wish”
Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus, OH
pediatric neurology
Anup Patel, MD*
“My favorite wish is the next one…and the one after that…because as with life, a wish has less to do with what has been and more about what is coming up."
Medical City Children's Hospital Dallas, TX
pediatric gastroentorology
Kendall Brown, MD*
“For me, the impact of a wish is enormous. What I see as a physician when a child describes the wish planning, and then experiences the wish, is a child without the burden of disease.”
Jennifer Pope, MD
*All members of the Make-A-Wish® Medical Advisory Committee
Many medical professionals who work with Make-A-Wish® chapters across the country say the wish experience is an integral part of their medical treatment plan. Hover over their pictures below to hear what they have to say about Make-A-Wish®.
89%
ambassador
volunteer
donor
parent
Host an event or create an online fundraiser
Make a gift in support of the chapter and our mission
Serve as a wish granter, or help with an event
There are many ways to get involved and make an impact. Join us in our wish granting efforts and help transform lives of children in our community. Click the buttons below to learn more about the impact of a wish and how you can help.
Connect
Volunteer
Fundraise
Donate
I wish to have a greenhouse
Jason, 11
Application of Interest
Wish Granter Requirements
Volunteer Descriptions
of community volunteers reported an increased sense of compassion and 84 percent felt an increased faith in humanity
We invite you to share the power of a wish whether you can give a few hours each month or a few days each year! From Volunteer Wish Granters, fundraisers and special event volunteering to internship opportunities, we have the perfect fit for you! Volunteers are matched to positions based on their ability, interest and position availability. Interested in learning more? Click the buttons to download a .pdf with additional information.
Strengthened Communities Volunteers feel an increased sense of compassion and desire to help others in their community. They feel a renewed faith in humanity. They trust others more and feel more optimistic about the future. They feel a greater long-term commitment to philanthropy. Ninety-five percent of community volunteers reported an increased sense of compassion and 84 percent felt an increased faith in humanity. *
I wish to go to Seattle
Aubrey, 16
donating
Learn about additional ways of giving including matching gifts, our Wish It Forward program, and more
Other Ways to Donate
Donate Airline Miles
Make a secure one-time gift or set up an annual donation through our Wishful Giving Donors program
Support Our Wishes in Flight® Program by donating your airline miles to help fund wish travels
Make a Gift
When you donate, you're giving children renewed strength to fight their illnesses, bringing families closer together. and uniting entire communities. You can change lives.
I wish to visit my best friend in Lake Tahoe
Zoey, 5
Support our mission by hosting a fundraising event
Organize a Fundraiser
Fundraise your way for Make-A-Wish® by starting your own online fundraiser
Online Fundraising
Don't know where to begin? Find inspirational fundraising ideas that have already been successful
Fundraising Ideas
A program for kids, managed by kids. Teachers and parents serve as advisors, but ownership belongs solely to the kids involved
Kids for Wish Kids®
Find inspirational fundraising ideas that have already been successful
When it comes to raising funds for Make-A-Wish®, the only limit is your imagination. See how people throughout North Carolina have dreamed up some incredible ideas.
Donating
Wishes
Referring a Child
Check out frequently asked questions about the wish experience, referring a child, and how to donate. Click on the circles below to learn more.
A: Yes, the wish experience extends to the entire immediate family living in the home, knowing that parents and siblings want to share in the magic, too.
A: There is no cost to the family. Generous donations make it possible for us to make this commitment to wish families.
A: We like to say that a wish is only limited by a child’s imagination; however, some restrictions do apply to protect the safety of the child.
Q: Can the child's family participate in the wish?
Q: How much does it cost a family to have a wish granted?
A: Conditions that generally qualify children for our services include, but are not limited to, various forms of cancer, heart disease, Duchenne’s muscular dystrophy and organ transplants. Children with more chronic conditions like cerebral palsy, Crohn’s disease or spina bifida may qualify if their conditions are coupled with other complications and the combination is considered life-threatening.
A: No, Make-A-Wish® fulfills wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions. A great majority of the children we have helped are still alive today.
A: The child must be older than 2 1/2 and younger than 18 at the time they are referred to Make-A-Wish® Central and Western North Carolina to have a wish granted.
A: The wish children are referred to us by their parents, physician, social worker, teacher or neighbor. Some kids even refer themselves. Anyone can contact us about how to refer a child to Make-A-Wish®. But the family needs to be aware of and agree to the referral.
Q: What illnesses qualify a child for a wish?
Q: Are all of the children terminal?
Q: How old does a child have to be to have a wish granted?
Q: How do you find the children?
A: Yes. Make-A-Wish® Central and Western North Carolina is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. As such, financial contributions may be deductible for federal income tax purposes. Please consult with your financial advisor to determine the extent of tax deductibility.
A: 14.89% is used on fundraising, 3.62% is used on administration
A: 81.49% of all funds received go towards fulfilling wishes
A: We rely entirely on private donations from individuals, companies, foundations, schools and corporations. We receive no government funds or grants.
Q: Can my financial contribution be tax deductible?
Q: How are the rest of the chapter's funds spent?
Q: How much of Make-A-Wish® Central & Western North Carolina funds are spent on wishes?
Q: How are wishes paid for?
wishes & more
Contact Make-A-Wish® Central & Western NC via email, phone, or online form. We look forward to hearing from you!
Join us on social media to hear more wish stories, check out upcoming events and learn more about ways to get involved in our chapter.
Wish Experience
