Make A Wish

This was not the original blog post that I had planned for today; however, I I feel the need to call for Volunteers for an organization that I have grown to love.  The area in which I live is extremely short on Wish Granting Volunteers.  I'm sure other parts of the country are short staffed as well so I wanted to share information about how you can help!

I've been a Wish Granter with the Make a Wish Foundation for about a year now.  It has been a very rewarding and humbling experience.  I've gotten to know several families and grown to truly love and care about these kids.  As a Wish Granter, you make your own hours and take on as much or as little as you like.  I can tell you, I work full time, I am a mother with 2 toddlers at home, I have a commute that is over an hour each way, and I volunteer doing other things in my community as well.  If I can make time for this, you can to.  You serve as the liaison between the Make a Wish foundation and the family and child. You meet with the family, take the information about the child's wish, complete the paperwork, and send it to the Make a Wish foundation.  During the process, you keep in touch with the family and send small gifts (countdown calendars, cards, etc) to keep the child excited.  When the wish is granted, you deliver the product (trip itinerary, computer, etc.) as well as a cake and balloons to help them celebrate.  Seeing their excitement and their smiles is amazing.  These children and families are so strong.  To find out more about the foundation, go to http://www.wish.org/.  You can use the main website to search for your local chapter.  They should have volunteer opportunities on their page.  I hope you will consider giving back, whether it is with Make a Wish or giving back in other ways.