Make-A-Wish Foundation® of America History
 |
The Make-A-Wish Foundation was inspired in 1980 by the love that a family and friends had for a seven-year-old boy named Chris, who had leukemia. Chris dreamed of becoming a police officer for a day, and his family and friends in the state highway patrol made his wish come true - complete with his own helmet, goggles, badge and a regulation uniform tailored especially for him. Chris' mother and those who helped to grant his wish created Make-A-Wish in his memory, enabling his legacy to live on. Make-A-Wish is the largest wish granting organization in the world with 69 chapters in the United States and its territories and 28 international affiliates on five continents. With the help of generous donors and more than 25,000 volunteers, the Make-A-Wish Foundation has granted more than 12,600 wishes a year and more than 148,000 wishes to children nationwide since its inception.
|
|
The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the
wishes of children with life-threatening
medical conditions to enrich the human
experience with hope, strength, and joy.
|
Central and Northern Florida Chapter History
The Central and Northern Florida chapter was incorporated in 1994. After two years of hard work on the part of the founding Board of Directors, a provisional charter was granted to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central Florida. In 2001 the chapter grew to include an additional 36 counties of Northern Florida and became the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central and Northern Florida.
The chapter merged with the former Sarasota/Tampa Bay Chapter (now the Suncoast region) in September 2006. The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Sarasota/Tampa Bay was founded in 1986. The volunteers and staff granted over 1,300 wishes to the children of the Sarasota/Tampa Bay area in their 20 years as a chapter. The former chapter continues to thrive as part of the larger Central and Northern chapter.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central and Northern Florida now serves 54 counties including the Central, Northern, Space Coast and Suncoast regions of Florida. Staff work in Maitland and three regional offices in Brevard County, Tampa and Sarasota.
There are over 1,000 Make-A-Wish volunteers. To date, over 2,700 wishes have been fulfilled in Central, Northern, Space Coast, and Suncoast regions.
Who We Serve
Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central and Northern Florida serves children over the age of 2 1/2 and under 18, at the time of referral, with a life-threatening medical condition. The Foundation is committed to ensuring that it never has to decline a qualified wish referral nor limit the scope of a child's imagination for his/her wish due to the lack of funds. Click here for more information on how to refer a child.
Vision Statement
People everywhere will share the power of a wish ®
The Make-A-Wish Foundation ® operates under a unique set of values:
- Life-affirming. We understand the powerful therapeutic value of the wish experience for the child and the entire family.
- Child-focused. A wish must be of the child's expression, not anyone's expression in place of the child.
- Family-friendly. The wish granting experience involves as many family members as possible.
- Community-based. All wishes are delivered by local volunteers.
- Focused on human enrichment at all levels. Wish granting gives the medical community another tool to help sick children fight or cope with their illnesses, and provides uplifting experiences to everyone involved in (or familiar with) the wish experience.
Hours of Operation
Central Florida Office, Maitland: Monday through Friday: 8 a.m. to 5p.m.
Suncoast Office, Tampa, Monday through Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Suncoast Office, Sarasota, Monday through Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Best to call first.)
|
Although every wish experience is unique,
there is a standard process for granting
a Make-A-Wish experience.
Step 1: Referral-
A child may be referred by the following sources: Self-referral, the child's parents or legal guardians, the medical professional treating the child.
Step 2: Medical eligibility-
The child's treating physician determines whether the child is medically eligible and able to participate in the wish.
Step 3: Deciding on a Wish-
A team of trained wish-granting volunteers visit the wish family and find out the child's one true wish.
Step 4: Granting the Wish-
With the child's imagination driving the process, the wish granters set out to create an unforgettable wish experience, which uplifts the spirits of the child, family, and the entire community.
|