Organization Details:

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

Description and/or History:
Make-A-Wish Foundation is a single mission organization whose sole purpose is to fulfill the heartfelt wish of a critically ill child. The purpose of a wish is to provide this child and his or her family with a respite during a time of pain and suffering. It is a time for the whole family to come together and share in the positive power of a wish.
• General: The Make-A-Wish Foundation is the largest wish-granting organization in the world with 67 chapters in the United States and its territories and 27 international affiliates spanning five continents. The Metro New York chapter is one of the busiest Make-A-Wish® chapters in the country, based on the number of wishes granted and operating budget.

• Founded: On April 29, 1980 in Phoenix, a young boy with leukemia realized his heartfelt wish to become a police officer. His dream served as the inspiration for the largest wish-granting organization in the world. He was given a custom-made uniform, helmet and badge and spent the day as a police officer. The Metro New York chapter, which serves the five boroughs of New York City and Nassau County, Long Island, began in 1983 when 13 volunteers joined together to grant the wish of 7-year-old Steven, whose heartfelt wish was to meet Daisy Duke (actress Catherine Bach) of the popular “Dukes of Hazzard” television show. Ms. Bach's visit to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center was contagious... a new local chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation was born based in Lake Success, Long Island with a field office in Manhattan.

• Wishes Granted: The Metro New York chapter has granted more than 7,000 wishes since our founding. In Fiscal Year 2007, we touched the lives of a record number of 744 wish children and their families by granting 481 wishes for local children, 25 wishes for children outside of our territory and by facilitating 238 wish assists for children who reside in other areas, but whose wishes took place in New York - that’s one wish every 12 hours!

• Wish Referrals: Most referrals are made by parents or guardians, members of the medical community or children themselves. Medical eligibility is determined by the child’s primary care physician, who must sign a medical authorization.

• Funding: Funding comes from individual contributions, special events, corporate donations and sponsorships, foundation grants, workplace giving programs and planned gifts. According to its fiscal year 2007 audit results, the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro New York spent 78% of its revenue on wish granting and related program expenses. Only 10% was spent on administrative costs and 12% was allocated to fundraising.

• Standards: The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro New York meets Better Business Bureau Standards for charitable solicitations as of the 5/07 review, and was one of the first charities in New York State to qualify to use the BBB’s Wise Giving Alliance seal. Make-A-Wish policy prohibits telemarketing and door-to-door solicitations. The Make-A-Wish Foundation is featured in America’s Greatest Brands, a hardcover book which profiles leading companies from a brand marketing perspective each year and has received Charity Navigator’s highest rating - 4 Stars – in 2007.

Contact person: Maria Casey, Director Of Volunteer Resources, (516) 944-6212 x 105, (email)

Address:

1111 Marcus Avenue, Suite LL22 Lake Success, NY 11042 (See a map)