Parents and volunteers observe that a wish come true makes kids feel stronger and more energetic.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\u201cWe have known it in our hearts for so long,\u201d says Kari. \u201cGiving hope matters! Illness suddenly turns a child\u2019s life upside down. They have lost what little control they ever had. They\u2019re constantly at the doctor\u2019s office for treatments and they\u2019re getting poked and prodded. But when the volunteers come in and speak with the kids, the kids transform when they start to think of the future. Their souls begin to heal even when their bodies are very sick. They begin to dream and they see what\u2019s possible. Their mental and emotional outlooks change. The studies show that. The wish is a turning point for so many kids.\u201d<\/p>\n
The children are not the only ones who benefit from the powers of a wish. Families report a sense of unity, healing, and relief while undergoing the Make-A-Wish process.\u00a0 \u201cPeople often don\u2019t think about it but one ill family member can affect everyone.\u201d Kari elaborates, \u201cThe siblings start acting out when they don\u2019t get the attention of the sick child; parents are stressed because of bills and frustration; parents may become depressed and feel hopeless. Marriages suffer. We\u2019ve had parents tell us that wishes have saved marriages and instilled hope in downtrodden families.\u201d<\/p>\n
Volunteers also walk away from the experience transformed. Volunteers are directly responsible for waging war against hopelessness. \u201cVolunteers feel empowered that they can do something to help someone. They can make a significant difference in someone\u2019s life. They can see <\/em>joy on the face of a child who was sick, tired, and uncertain before,\u201d says Kari.<\/p>\nTo continue improving the health of children through wishes fulfilled, volunteers are in constant demand. Working directly with the families can be emotionally taxing on volunteers; it\u2019s not for everyone. For those who would like to help behind the scenes, office volunteers are always appreciated. \u201cOffice volunteers free up time for other staff members so that we can reach more children,\u201d Kari explains. \u201cWhen we have office volunteers to help stuff envelopes, make copies, and other small things like that our team members can put their skills to the best use possible. Everyone gets more done, faster. We exceed our goals when we have the help of volunteers.\u201d<\/p>\n
The ability to exceed goals and expectations is what makes Make-A-Wish a singular nonprofit. Staff members think outside of the box to create the most uplifting experience possible for a child who needs to make progress towards physical and mental health.<\/p>\n
Kari recalls a few of the most memorable wishes in recent history, \u201cThere was a girl a few years ago who wished to grant more wishes. It was a beautiful, selfless wish.\u201d A formal fundraiser was organized in her honor. Through the funds collected, the young girl was able to grant the wishes of three other children. She met each child that she sponsored in a ceremonious event. \u201cIt was her dream fulfilled to help others. It was so beautiful,\u201d Kari says. The young girl was able to take control and help others instead of submitting to the hopelessness that commonly accompanies a life-threatening condition.<\/p>\n
Even seemingly typical wishes can provide strength for a child. Disney vacations compose nearly 50% of wishes on an annual basis yet each is unique. One little girl was an avid Snow White fan. She did not want to go to Disney simply to meet Snow White and ride the Tea Cups. She needed to have a talk with Snow White\u2019s wicked stepmother. \u201cShe wanted to tell the wicked stepmother to lay off of Snow White,\u201d Kari laughs. \u201cSo we arranged for the wicked stepmother to meet us at the airport. The girl met the stepmother and firmly told the woman that she should be nicer to Snow White. When we arrived to Disney World, the little girl sat down with Snow White and told her that everything would be okay and her stepmother would be nice to her now. The girl spent the rest of the day with Snow White, cheering her up. \u201d Even the simplest wish can show a young mind\u2019s desire to tackle issues like social injustice and peace. \u00a0That young girl was able to create positive change in an issue that bothered her. She felt empowered and proud of her accomplishment.<\/p>\n
To help fulfill the dreams of children with life-threatening medical conditions, contact your local chapter of Make-A-Wish for a list of upcoming volunteer and fundraising opportunities.<\/p>\n
Atlanta residents can look forward to plenty of exciting fundraising events this holiday season. Just check out their calendar of events<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\tJacobi, 12, suffers from sickle cell disease. His Make a Wish request was to go on a shopping spree.\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\tBelle, 6, suffers from vanishing bone disease. She wished to be a princess and have princess birthday party.\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\tFelicity, 5, is battling Ependymoma. Her Make a Wish hope was to go to Disney World.\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\tMaddie, 9, has Neuroblastoma. She asked Make a Wish to send her and her family on a Nickelodean cruise.\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Make-A-Wish operates on a simple premise: every child deserves the hope, strength, and joy that comes with a dream fulfilled. The idea of Make-A-Wish spread like wildfire after the first wish was granted in 1980. \u00a0Seven year-old Chris Greicius yearned to become a police officer. His battle with leukemia posed a threat to his dream. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":440,"featured_media":5850,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_s2mail":"yes","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1717,5,3354],"tags":[98],"class_list":["post-5810","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-giving","category-people","category-team-yardi","tag-yardi-corporate-philanthropy"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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![\"Jacobi,](\"https:\/\/www.yardi.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2013\/04\/Jacobi-300x225.jpg\" "\\"Jacobi,")
Make-A-Wish operates on a simple premise: every child deserves the hope, strength, and joy that comes with a dream fulfilled.<\/p>\n![\"Jacobi,](\"https:\/\/www.yardi.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2013\/04\/Jacobi.jpg?w=128&h=96&crop=1\")
\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t![\"Belle,](\"https:\/\/www.yardi.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2013\/04\/Belle.jpg?w=128&h=96&crop=1\")
\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t![\"Felicity,](\"https:\/\/www.yardi.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2013\/04\/Felicity.jpg?w=128&h=96&crop=1\")
\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t![\"Maddie,](\"https:\/\/www.yardi.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2013\/04\/Maddie.jpeg?w=128&h=96&crop=1\")
\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t