The following is a list of national and international organizations whose web sites
indicate that they are nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations that grant "wishes" to
children with serious or life-threatening illnesses. Many of these organizations
have state or local chapters. Wish organizations that serve specific states
only can be found in the DRM Regional Resources Directory. (Click on name to be taken to their website)
Children's Wish Foundation International
CWFI fulfills wishes for children under the age of eighteen suffering from a life-
threatening illness. Unlike other wish granting organizations, we do not have
a minimum age, however, if the child's health allows it, we try to wait to fulfill
the wish until the child is old enough to fully enjoy and remember the experience.
P.O. Box 28785, Atlanta, GA 30358
Phone: 800-323-9474 Fax: 770-393-0683
Florida Angel Trips, Inc.
www.floridaangeltrips.org
What we do at Florida Angel Trips Inc. is organize travel packages to Florida.
Packages may include attraction tickets, the beach, lodging, food as well as
travel accommodations. The packages depend solely on the terminally ill individual's
request. Our purpose for Florida Angel Trips Inc. is to provide everlasting
memories for the family members of loved one's who have been diagnosed with
a terminal illness no matter what the age!
Give Kids the World - Give Kids The World partners with more
than 300 wish-granting organizations to make the Central Florida wish a reality.
Families that visit Give Kids The World must be referred by one of these wish-granting
organizations. Children ages 3-18, battling a life-threatening illness as deemed
by a medical doctor, are eligible, regardless of income. A welcome
reprieve is just a phone call away. Contact your local wish-granting
organization to learn if your child is eligible for a wish, or call 1-800-995-KIDS,
and Give Kids The World can refer you to the wish-granting organization in your
community. email: wish@childrenswish.org
- Wish granting -The Wish Granting Program is a very special program
that can, under the right circumstances, provide small miracles for children with short life expectancies and their families.
This program is open to children ages 4-17.
- Respite Housing-Enduring the stress and uncertainty
of a seriously ill childs medical treatment can be mentally and physically exhausting. By providing families the opportunity
to getaway from the stressful routine of doctor appointments and medical treatments for a week or even a few days allows children
with life-threatening illnesses and their
families time to rejuvenate them-selves and even have a little fun.
- Hospital Housing--Hospital Housing assists families
with finding a place to stay when they must travel far from home for medical treatment. Through our partnerships with many
hotels across the country, Grant-A-Wish/The Children's Promise Foundation seeks lodging for families where daily commuting
for medical care is not possible
- Dreamsurfer Network--The Dreamsurfer
Network is an on-line education and support network for critically ill teens. The Network provides a community of friendship
and understanding by linking teens from throughout the world in an encouraging, confidential and counselor-supervised setting.
The password protected site allows participants to openly express their thoughts and feelings with others experiencing similar
circumstances. Besides the opportunity to meet other teens, the Web site features a library, games, chat sessions, general
medical information and periodically, the site hosts an Internet based camp! A trained counselor with a master's in social
work helps to manage the Web site and monitor the chat sessions.
- Hospital Dream Boxes-Grant-A-Wish maintains two Dream Boxes in each participating
hospital critical care clinic. When children are under-going stressful and often times painful treatment, the medical staff
have the children choose a special focus toy from the Focus Dream Box to encourage them and keep
their minds captivated
during this difficult time. After their treatment, the children may then take a toy home from the Prize Dream Box. Working
together,
the two Dream Boxes have a positive and often profound effect on the way children cope with hospital treatments.
- Support Group Sponsorship-Teenagers and children with life-threatening illnesses
can greatly benefit from knowing other children with similar circum-stances. The groups provide peer support as well as an
opportunity to just have some good old fashion fun. Grant-A-Wish offers logistical assistance to existing support
groups
in order to help them be effective. This includes opportunities ranging from helping them find meeting space to offering off-season
retreats using the accommodations at The Children's House By The Sea. |
Kids Wish Network (813) 891-9374 or toll free at (888) 918-9004 Kids Wish Network is a federally recognized 501(c)3 nonprofit charitable organization whose sole mission is to grant wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses. Its headquarters are at 160 Scarlet Boulevard,
Oldsmar, FL 34677.Kids Wish Network is currently registered in all 50 states.
Make-a-Wish Foundation of America -  Children under the age of 18 with a life-threatening
illness are potentially eligible for a wish. After a child is referred to the Make-A-Wish
Foundation®, the Foundation will contact the child's treating physician to determine if the
child is medically eligible for a wish, based on the medical criteria established by the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America. In addition, a child cannot have received a wish from another wish-granting organization. How Wishes are Granted The Make-A-Wish Foundation accepts referrals
for potential wish children from parents or guardians of the child, medical professionals,
or the children themselves. If you believe you know a child that might qualify for
a wish, please contact your local Make-A-Wish®
chapter or with
adolescents having a life-threatening or terminal
disorder by allowing their special wish to become reality. 1) Child must be diagnosed
as having a life-threatening disorder and 2) Child must be under the age of 21. Immediate
families are included in the granting of wishes, whenever possible. For information on A Special Wish location nearest you
323-634-0080 Working with more than 850 hospitals worldwide, the Foundation provides an impressive menu of both in-patient and outpatient programs and services. We address the needs of seriously ill children and their families
through six core programs, some directed specifically to the hospital environment, others
designed to support a childs eventual return to home and daily routine. Understanding
that when a child is sick the whole family suffers, our programs always incorporate
the entire
- Wishes-Starlight grants wishes to all kinds of seriously
ill children, and includes loved ones
- Fun Centers--is a mobile entertainment unit containing a TV monitor,
VCR and Nintendo game system. Fun Centers roll right up to the side of the bed, or almost anywhere, to provide much needed
play time during a childs hospital stay.
- Kids Activity Network-brings families together through an array of local
activities and events. A family can enjoy a professional sporting event, experience the thrill of a theme park, see live plays
or the latest hit movie, or attend one of the many theme parties each chapter organizes throughout the year. These special
events allow families to reconnect with each other and for parents and children alike to meet others who
are facing similar
challenges.
- Refer a Child--Before
referring a child to the Sunshine Foundation you must have permission from that child's parent(s) or legal guardian(s).After
we receive the referral, we will mail an application to the child's parents within two weeks
- How are dreams granted? -Along with the
application, we must also
receive a letter from the child's doctor and a recent copy of the family's 1040 tax return.
Once all of these documents are received, the child's application is processed and goes for approval
- Dreamlifts Sunshine
has sponsored more than 69 Dreamlifts, which
included over 80 chartered airplanes. This is Sunshine's way of giving groups
of seriously ill, physically challenged and abused children that special day in their favorite place...the Magic Kingdom®.
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