This is the first nonprofit board I've had the pleasure to serve on and I could not have been more fortunate. I'm so impressed with how professionally everything is. Given that this is a huge learning experience for me (I come from a technology background), I've been blown away by the board's organization, professionalism, commitment, and dedication. There are a wide variety of members from many different types of professions, all of whom bring an intense amount of passion to their volunteer service every time we meet.
And then of course there's the mission of Make-A-Wish overall. The joy brought to the children who receive wishes is so heartwarming. We have a wish inspiration story at the start of every board meeting and it just puts a smile on your face, brings tears to your eyes or both.
As to the employees of this chapter, they are professional and long tenured. They love their work and the people they work with. And the annual fundraising gala/auction is a very well done event. Every year I've invited people, they're always so impressed with how fun the event is, the scale, the items to bid on and the stories told throughout the night.
I'm one lucky human to have been able to serve on the board.
I am a student in the Certification Program for Fundraising Management at the University of Washington Tacoma. We were assigned to bring to class an example of a website that effectively clearly displays what they do, who they serve, their results, history, mission, supporting statistics and budget. I was quite taken by the creative annual report that not only told the story of a child, but creatively provided valuable statistics that donors want to see in a simple effective manner.
Congratulations you are my choice for the top website award!
Thanks for what you do and how you convey that message.
Betty Perry
Gig Harbor, WA
PS My neighbors and friends lost 2 sons to cancer within a 5 year span. Both were recipients of their wish. There is nothing so devastating then seeing a child suffer, and there is nothing so touching then seeing that sick child live their wish.
I have been a Wish volunteer for more than 15 years. Apart from being a dad and a grandpa, serving as a Wish volunteer is the most enriching experience of my life. Everyone involved in the Wish process has a single agenda: bringing joy to a seriously ill child and her/his family. Extraordinarily wonderful.
I love being a volunteer for Make-A-Wish. I started volunteering a year ago, and cannot wait to continue for many many more years. It is my ultimate goal to work for a non-profit company, and while I am not there yet, it meets my passion of helping people on so many levels to be able to volunteer with such a wonderful organization!
This has been the most life changing year for me as a volunteer with Make A Wish. Knowing that I've been able to make a child's dream come true. Knowing that for one week this beautiful child is able to enjoy a week free of doctors, needles, treatment and the knowledge of their sickness brings joy to my life! I must also add that the Washington/Alaska office is one of the most caring well orginiazed group I have ever worked with.
I have been volunteering for this foundation for almost 3 years. I have worked on 5 wishes and participated in several fund-raising events. I truly believe in the power of a wish and have personally witnessed the joy it can bring to a child who is enduring challenging times. I believe getting a child excited about a wish can distract from unpleasant treatments, bring a child and his or her family joy during a difficult time and even help a child to recover with new hope and inspiration for the future. The staff is very warm and helpful and I hope to continue volunteering for Make-A-Wish for years to come.
I have been volunteering with the Make A Wish foundation for nearly 10 years. Wish Granting is my true passion in life, I just love it! There is nothing that compares to granting a child's heartfelt wish. The wish affects everyone involved in so many ways. The foundation is full of amazingly supportive staff that are so friendly and energetic.
I have been a Wish Granting volunteer for the Make-A-Wish Foundation for almost a year and it has been the most fulfilling "job" I have ever had. Working with the families, staff and fellow volunteers has been an amazing experience. Everyone is so helpful and kind, we all just want to help wish children and their families in any way we can. Each wish child is so special and unique, you feel so fortunate to have met them and to hear their story. Working as a Wish Granting volunteer is so easy, fun and fulfilling - I can't imagine a better volunteer experience.
Volunteering for Make-A-Wish has been one of the greatest experiences of my life, it is such an amazing opportunity to put a smile on a child's face and bring what joy I can to their lives. MAW does everything they can for the kids and their families and being a part of such a wonderful organization is simply an honor!
I have been a volunteer with Make-A-Wish for over 5 years and can honestly not think of a better way to devote my free time!! The people I have worked with and the families I have been blessed to meet along the way have really had a strong impact on me, and have taught me things I will carry for the rest of my life. I absolutely love being a part of this amazing foundation :)
This has been one of the best experiences. Working with everyone at the Make-A-Wish foundation has been amazing and am looking forward to many more wishes.
I've had the privileged to volunteer with the Make-A-Wish Foundation for over a year now and I can't get enough! The experiences they create, the stories they share and the children and families they help are absolutely incredible. From the online training programs to the actual carrying out of wishes, working with Make-A-Wish has been a complete gem. The staff are organized, helpful and most of all, fun! What are you waiting for? Become a volunteer today and help create everlasting memories for children. I promise you, you won't be sorry!
This experience has been one of the best. I see the joy that lights up a child's eyes and you can see the pain disappear for just a little while. I have worked with the organization for a little while now and I can say that it has definitely made me a better person. Seeing the strength that these kids have is motivating to me that my problems are not that big. It has absolutely been a joy to work with the great people at Make-A-Wish Alaska & Washington and I would certainly recommend it to just about anyone.
Working with Make-A-Wish, I have realized the power and energy that granting a wish can have in the life of a child and their family. The everlasting memories provide families with photos and experiences that the families cherish for many years to come. The organization is first class with great communication, training and experiences that are meaningful to all involved!
Working with the Make-A-Wish Foundation is a complete joy. It is so gratifying to be able to bring smiles and great memories to our special wish children and their families, especially considering all that they go through when dealing with their life-threatening illness. The kids and families are truly amazing- you learn so much from them. Staff at Make-A-Wish makes it easy to navigate even the most complicated scenarios; and it is obvious that they are all invested in the mission of the Make-A-Wish Foundation and do all that they can to support our efforts. As I tell my friends, I feel like the Fairy Godmother- who would not have fun granting wishes?
I've loved working with Make a Wish over the past year. I've had the opportunity to meet many great kids and their amazing families. The program really empowers volunteers to choose their level of involvement. An email is sent out as needed from the local make a wish chapter with a short description of different volunteer opportunities. Roles range greatly from envelope stuffing to working with kids to giving speeches at charity events to many other options, and you can take on as much as you'd like. There's never any shortage of kids, and you can also choose which cities you'd like to work on. The staff is very supportive, and the kids and their families are so happy and thankful. A great experience.
My experience as a Wish Granting volunteer for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Alaska & Washington has been nothing but wonderful and life-changing. From the detailed training we receive and the Make-A-Wish staff we get to interact with, to meeting the "Wish Kids" and planning and granting their heart-felt wish, I've never done anything so fulfilling that directly helps the cause of an organization. It's so awesome to be so closely connected with the mission of Make-A-Wish, because I get to meet the kids receiving a wish, get to know them and finally play a key part in granting their wish--it's like being a real-life fairy godmother!
As a volunteer wish-granter, I have the opportunity to live the Make-A-Wish mission to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. I get the opportunity to meet with a wish child, find out what their wish is, and then work with the staff to make the wish come true! I have seen first-hand how the wish experience enhances the quality of life for these sick children, and I am truly honored to be a part of this organization.