Since 1981, millions of people have been inspired by Make-A-Wish’s® mission to “create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.” And more than 7,000 of those children were located in Central and Northern Florida.
Since 1994, our local Make-A-Wish chapter has relied on the kindness and generosity of individuals, corporations, and other community members to help us fulfill our mission.
If you are looking to support a charity that gives back to deserving families right here in Central Florida, look no further than Make-A-Wish Central and Northern Florida®!
Why Support Make-A-Wish?
Wish families deal with the same ups and downs of parenting as any other family: they take their children to school and extracurricular activities, go on vacation, and eat dinners together. However, they are also battling life-threatening illnesses, attending doctor’s appointments, dealing with hospital admissions, and more.
By granting wishes, Make-A-Wish of Central and Northern Florida is able to give back to these deserving children, giving them hope, joy, purpose, and the strength to fight.
A wish offers much more than a fun trip or shopping spree; wish experiences play a crucial role in a child’s mental health. In fact, 95% of parents reported that the wish experience improved their child’s emotional wellbeing and made them feel more “joyful, confident, and hopeful” about the future.
When you support this noteworthy cause, you’re not just sparking a change in the life of a child, you’re helping to build your local community. Whether you work as a volunteer, attend an event, or make a donation, you’re helping to connect families throughout Central Florida with a community that cares for them.
How To Support Make-A-Wish Orlando
There are a variety of ways to support Make-A-Wish Central and Northern Florida!
Whether you’re a club, corporation, fraternity or sorority, or just an individual hoping to make a difference, here are 5 ways to support Make-A-Wish.
1. Donate
One of the easiest ways to support Make-A-Wish is by making a one-time or monthly donation. Even a small donation can make a huge impact, and every dollar helps us create life-changing memories for a child.
Furthermore, all donations made to our chapter stay within the region. That’s right! When you donate to Make-A-Wish Central and Northern Florida, you’re helping grant wishes to real families in Orlando, Tallahassee, Jacksonville, and the surrounding areas.
Make-A-Wish also accepts in-kind donations, such as stocks, airline miles, hotel loyalty points, vehicles, building materials, and more.
If you own or run a business, you can even become a corporate sponsor through our Champions of Hope program.
2. Start a Fundraiser
From lemonade stands to bake sales, the only limit to a Make-A-Wish fundraiser is your imagination!
We provide the website so that payments are simple and secure—the rest is up to you! Whether you’re requesting charitable donations in lieu of birthday gifts or hosting your own walk, fundraisers are a fun way to support a great cause.
You can also generate buzz by hosting your own event. If you’re a gamer, put your existing social media following to use by hosting a charity stream. You can even Adopt-a-Wish to choose exactly how your donation is used.
3. Purchase From Our Partners
Another way to support Make-A-Wish is by making purchases you were already considering!
We have several promotion partners across the country that will make donations when certain products are purchased. And for Florida residents, you can support our organization while also sharing your love for Disney by purchasing a specialty license plate.
Follow us on Facebook for more information about local promotions.
4. Attend an Event
The events hosted by Make-A-Wish of Central and Northern Florida don’t just help us raise awareness and funds, they’re a fun way to celebrate our amazing Wish Kids!
In addition to externally hosted events, we host two flagship events every year: the Walk For Wishes and the Wishmaker’s Ball.
Each year, hundreds of guests show up to each of these events and the majority of them return year after year.
5. Volunteer
Perhaps you’re looking for a more “hands on” approach? Consider one of our many volunteer opportunities!
- Welcome Caller – Welcome children to the Make-A-Wish program with a welcome call.
- Wish Discovery Volunteer – Help critically ill children determine their wish and complete the relevant paperwork.
- Wish Enhancement Volunteer – Help reveal the selected wish to the child with a party.
- Events Volunteer – Help at events and assist with granting wishes.
- Office Volunteer – Assist with “behind the scenes” work, such as filing, writing notes to Wish Families, and more.
- Skills Based Volunteer – We grant a wide range of wishes and are always looking for qualified volunteers to offer building, graphic design, photography, and more.
You Can Make a Difference
When you donate, organize a fundraiser, attend an event, or volunteer with Make-A-wish of Central and Northern Florida, you’re helping to change the lives of critically ill children in your own community.
Granted wishes provide noticeable mental health benefits for our Wish Kids that extend to their entire families.
If you’re looking for a way to support a great cause such as Make-A-Wish Central and Northern Florida, we’d love to hear from you! Visit our website for more information.