Make-A-Wish Central and Western North Carolina

Our vision is to grant the wish of every eligible child - a goal that's born from the idea that a wish in an integral part of a child's treatment.

Each wish requires an incredible amount of brainpower, creativity, time and generosity. So, our need is great in two key ways. First, we need resources to provide each wish. Second, there is a tremendous gap between the number of wishes we're granting today and the number of wishes we need to grant in the future to achieve our vision.

Make-A-Wish Central and Western North Carolina relies on charitable donations from individuals, corporate supporters, and Foundation partners who believe in our mission to grant the wish of every eligible child in our 51-county territory. And with hundreds of volunteers statewide, our network encourages communities and organizations to share in the power of a wish through donations of dollars, in-kind goods, and services so that each wish is customized and personalized for each wish child.

Make-A-Wish Central and Western North Carolina has a dedicated staff of 20 individuals who serve in varying program and development roles. In addition, hundreds of trained volunteers with wish granting and other capacities, including Board leadership, fundraising and event management, and other work that is vital to the organization.

Each year since 1985, Make-A-Wish Central and Western North Carolina has granted more wishes than in the previous year. This accomplishment comes as a result of sizable investments in leadership, the development of key programs and resources, innovation, and a collaborative effort from chapter staff, volunteers, and partners in the community.

Additionally, we have realized the importance of staying abreast of changes in healthcare, technology and philanthropy, including the demand for reporting social impact. The results of our impact surveys demonstrate the degree to which wishes generate hope and optimism in our constituents. Wishes are a source of emotional strength for children; ninety percent of sampled wish parents indicate that their child's wish increased the child's ability to cope with illness. Parents also say that it brought normalcy back to their homes, reinforcing family ties for their fight against the child's illness. Health professionals use wishes as strategic tools to help their patients improve their quality of life and/or survive their illnesses. Additionally, they strongly believe that wishes have the power to influence the physical health of ailing children. Nearly all wish parents, volunteers and health professionals report increased gratitude, while about 9 out of 10 of those sampled report an increased sense of compassion and desire to give back or help someone else's family.