MISSION STATEMENT

We grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.

THE MAKE-A-WISH® PHENOMENON

The Make-A-Wish Foundation® is the world's largest wish-granting organization. The Make-A-Wish Foundation of America grants a wish to a child with a life-threatening medical condition every 41 minutes. The Foundation serves every local community in the United States and has chapters in the territories of Guam and Puerto Rico. To locate the chapter serving your local community, please visit the "Find Us" section of the Make-A-Wish national Web site at www.wish.org.

THE BEGINNINGS OF THE MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION

On April 29, 1980, a vibrant, dynamic 7-year-old boy named Chris Greicius realized his lifelong dream of becoming a police officer. Chris' incredible day included riding in a police helicopter, receiving his own custom-tailored uniform, and becoming the first and only honorary state trooper in Arizona history. Many of those responsible for fulfilling Chris’ wish wanted to do the same for other children with life-threatening medical conditions. Together, they founded the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Since 1980, the Foundation has granted wishes to more than 135,000 children across the country.

SOURCES OF FUNDING

The Make-A-Wish Foundation finances its work through the generous contributions of individuals, corporate sponsors, planned gifts and grants. In-kind donations of goods and services also help finance the Foundation's mission. Approximately 80 cents of every dollar donated to the Foundation is used to grant wishes – a percentage that far exceeds the program service allocation standards set forth by the nation’s leading charity watchdog groups, including the Better Business Bureau. The Make-A-Wish Foundation does not raise funds by door-to-door or telephone solicitation.

ARE MY CONTRIBUTIONS TAX-DEDUCTIBLE?

The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. As such, contributions are deductible for income tax purposes. The Foundation's annual financial statements are prepared by Grant Thornton, LLP and are available on the Make-A-Wish national Web site at www.wish.org.

THE WISH PROCESS

Every wish is a unique and memorable experience for the wish child, the wish family and all those who participate in the wish. Below is the process through which the Make-A-Wish Foundation is able to create moments of hope, strength and joy for children with life-threatening medical conditions.

STEP ONE: The Wish Referral

A child can be referred for a wish by one of the following three sources:

• A medical professional treating the child (doctor, nurse, social worker, or child-life specialist)
• The child's parents or legal guardians
• The potential wish child

STEP TWO: Determining the Child's Eligibility

A child with a life-threatening medical condition, who is over the age of 2½ and under the age of 18 at the time of referral, may be eligible for a wish. The child's physician makes the final determination of whether a child is medically eligible to receive a wish.

STEP THREE: Choosing a Wish

After the physician confirms that the child is medically eligible to receive a wish, the child's local Make-A-Wish chapter assigns a volunteer wish team to create a magical wish experience for the child. During the wish team's visit, they ask the child what his or her one favorite wish is.

STEP FOUR: Making a Wish Come True

After the child has determined his or her wish, the child's wish granters and local Make-A-Wish professionals work to create it. Every effort is made to involve each member of the child's immediate family in the wish experience. Quite often, the impact of a wish experience will touch the lives of dozens, sometimes hundreds, of people who help to fulfill a child's wish.

VOLUNTEERING

More than 25,000 volunteers generously give of their time and energy to fulfill the mission of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Volunteers serve Make-A-Wish chapters across the country in a variety of capacities, including wish granting, office administrative support, special event planning and coordinating, Web site design, development and fundraising and much more.

KIDS FOR WISH KIDS®: A number of Make-A-Wish chapters across the country coordinate a Kids For Wish Kids program, which enables children to raise money in their schools to help wish kids served by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Kids For Wish Kids is truly unique because kids themselves manage it. Although each chapter does not have a Kids For Wish Kids program, there are opportunities in every Make-A-Wish community for young people to help make wishes come true. To find out how you can help wish kids in your community, please contact your local Make-A-Wish chapter.