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Frequently Asked Questions FAQS... About Us
FAQS... About Wishes
FAQS... About Supporting Wishes
FAQS... About Volunteering
FAQS... About Referring a Child
FAQS for Parents and Families...
FAQs... About Us How did the Make-A-Wish Foundation begin? In April, 1980, a seven-year-old child with leukemia, Chris Greicius, had his dream of being a police officer realized as officers of the Arizona Department of Public Safety honored him with a custom-made uniform, helmet, badge, and even a helicopter ride! Chris's delight in the fulfillment of his dream inspired the beginnings of the Make-A-Wish Foundation . . . now the largest wish-granting organization in the world. How is the Make-A-Wish Foundation structured? Since its founding, the Metro New York chapter has granted nearly 7,000 wishes. In Fiscal Year 2007, we touched the lives of a record number of 744 wish children and their families by granting 481 wishes for local children, 25 wishes for children outside of our territory and by facilitating 238 wish assists for children who reside in other areas, but whose wishes took place in New York - that's one wish every 12 hours, making Metro New York one of the most active chapters in the national network of 67 Make-A-Wish chapters across the country."How did the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro New York begin? In 1983 thirteen volunteers joined together to grant the wish of another 7 year-old: Steven's heartfelt wish was to meet 'Daisy Duke' (actress Catherine Bach) of the popular Dukes of Hazzard television show. The wonder and joy of witnessing Steven's wish-come-true in the magic of Ms. Bach's visit to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center was contagious... and a new local chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation was born.What area does the Metro New York chapter cover? the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro New York provides wishes for eligible children in the five boroughs of New York City (Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island) and in Nassau County on Long Island. Our Chapter offices are located in Lake Success on the Queens-Long Island border; and we maintain a satellite office in Manhattan.How many wishes has the Metro New York chapter granted? The Metro New York chapter has granted over 6,000 wishes since its founding in 1983. In Fiscal Year 2004, the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro New York spent 78% of its revenue on wish-granting and related program expenses. Only 10% was spent on administrative costs and 12% was allocated to fundraising. Any child who is between the ages of 2 1/2 and 18 (at the time of referral), who is verified by a physician to have a life-threatening medical condition, and who has not previously been granted a wish by any wish-granting organization, is eligible for a wish.How can I refer an eligible child for a wish? Eligible children may be referred by a parent or legal guardian, doctor, social worker, or other involved medical professional. Children can even refer themselves! For information please call 516-944-6212 x125. Funding comes from individual contributions, special events, schools, corporate donations and sponsorships, foundation grants, workplace giving programs and planned gifts. Each chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation is responsible for raising and managing the funds needed to grant the wishes of children within their area.How can I obtain more information about the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro New York? Financial statements for the Metro New York Chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation are available by contacting us at 516 944 6212 ext. 111 or e-mailing us at tflaherty@metrony.wish.org FAQS... About Wishes Who is eligible to receive a wish? To be eligible for a wish from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, a child must be between the ages of two and a half and 18 years at the time of referral and have a life-threatening medical condition that will be verified by their physician. Any child who has already been granted a wish by the Make-A-Wish Foundation or another wish-granting organization is not eligible for a second wish.Are a family's income or financial resources considered? The income of a family plays no part in determining a child's eligibility for a wish.What do most children wish for?
Is the family included in the wish? Every effort is made to include the child's immediate family in the wish experience.Are there restrictions on a wish? A wish is limited only by the child's imagination. To be sure each child gains the maximum benefit of a wish experience, we work with the child's physician to determine the appropriateness and the timing of the wish. Make-A-Wish volunteer wish teams work with staff to coordinate the details of each child's wish . . . making sure each wish is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that incorporates the child's hopes and dreams. Once a child's medical eligibility is confirmed, our wish volunteers contact and visit with the child and family. The child's wish begins with the opportunity to envision his or her most heartfelt desire as our volunteers ask: "If you could have anything you wanted . . . go anywhere . . . meet anyone . . . have anything, what would that be? Inviting a child to imagine happiness in the midst of difficult times is an important part of the life-enhancing process that the wish experience offers.What is the average cost of a wish? The average cost of granting a wish in the Metro New York chapter is $7,500. This varies, as the wishes themselves vary from a Barbie bicycle with special accessories, to a dream of seeing the castles of Europe. Once we know a child's most heartfelt wish, we do our best to make that wish come true.Does the family have to contribute toward the wish? Wish expenses are fully covered by the Make-A-Wish chapter granting the wish. This will often include travel expenses, lodging, meals, and even spending money. Our objective is to provide the child and family with memories of joy that are not clouded with the worries of expenses. Funding for wishes comes from individual contributions, special events, schools, corporate donations and sponsorships, foundation grants, workplace giving programs and planned gifts. Each chapter of Make-A-Wish Foundation is responsible for raising and managing the funds needed to grant the wishes of children within their area. Link to Supporting Wishes or FAQS About Supporting WishesFAQS... About Supporting Wishes How can I make a contribution to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro New York? Contributions can be made by
mail, by telephone or on-line. http://cart.charityweb.net/wish2/cart/giving.htm There are many ways to help
fund wishes. Whether you are a corporate CEO considering sponsorship of
a major event or a third grade student coordinating a class project, our
staff will provide the information and support you need. Please browse
through our Supporting Wishes section and consider the many options we
offer for corporate, individual, and student involvement. Are there other ways I can help to support wishes? Make-A-Wish Foundation offers opportunities to join our work in various volunteer capacities. We offer programs for students and schools and we can help you to initiate workplace giving at your place of business.What are your sources of funding? The work of Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro New York, Inc. is funded entirely by contributions from individuals, corporations, and foundations and by monies raised through special events. We also rely on 'in-kind' contributions of goods and services to defray costs of wish granting and fund raising. We do not use - or permit others to use on our behalf - telephone marketing, door-to-door solicitations, or similar fundraising approaches.Does the Make-A-Wish Foundation use telemarketing? Make-A-Wish Foundation does not use - or permit others to use on our behalf - telemarketing, door-to-door solicitations, or similar fundraising approaches.Is my contribution tax-deductible? Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro New York is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization; and all contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.Does Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro New York meet the Better Business Bureau's Charity Standards? Yes, Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro New York, Inc. meets Better Business Bureau Standards for Charitable Solicitations (last audit, June 2006). It is one of the first charities in New York State to qualify to use the BBB's Wise Giving Alliance seal. To obtain a report from the BBB, contact them at www.newyork.bbb.orgFAQS... About Volunteering Does Make-A-Wish Foundation offer volunteer opportunities? Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro New York depends on the help of volunteers in every aspect of our work. Volunteers are involved in wish granting, fundraising, special events, outreach efforts, publicity, and helping out in the office.What are the benefits of volunteering with Make-A-Wish Foundation? Whatever volunteer position you assume at Make-A-Wish Foundation, you will know that your work helps to bring hope, strength, and joy to a child at a very difficult time in his or her life. You will meet and work with our dedicated staff and volunteers in a supportive and challenging atmosphere.Benefits of Becoming a Make-A-Wish Volunteer What roles do volunteers fill and how is placement determined? Our Wish-Granting Volunteers work directly with children and families to fulfill wishes. Wish Assist Volunteers greet and assist out-of-town families whose child's wish brings them to the New York area. Other areas in which volunteers help with our mission: Community Outreach, Community Advocacy, Interpreters, Special Events and other fundraising coordination; administrative assistance to our office staff. Link to Volunteer Job DescriptionsWhat type of training will I receive? All volunteers will participate in a basic orientation session and special training for the specific volunteer role to which you are assigned. You will have on-going opportunities to attend 'in service' trainings throughout your volunteer career with Make-A-Wish Foundation.What is the time commitment expected of volunteers? Volunteer commitments vary, depending on the position you accept. We make every effort to match your availability and level of commitment with the needs of your volunteer assignment. As a Make-A-Wish Volunteer, you are given the important task of making a child's wish come true. It is important work; and we expect a high level of commitment and professionalism from all our volunteers. In return, the Make-A-Wish Foundation makes a commitment to you: We promise to provide quality training and the support and resources needed to do the work entrusted to you.Are volunteers directly involved with the children and families? Wish Granting Volunteers have the highest level of involvement with children and their families. They make the initial contact with the family, determine the child's most heartfelt wish, and coordinate the details of granting the wish with Make-A-Wish staff members. As a new volunteer, you will receive training and be mentored by an experienced volunteer to ensure that you are knowledgeable and comfortable in meeting and talking with the children and their families.Are there volunteer positions that would not be so emotionally demanding? There are many volunteer opportunities that do not involve direct contact with our wish kids and their families. In addition to wish granting, our volunteers are involved in fund-raising and special events, outreach efforts, publicity, and helping out in the office. Please see our Volunteer Job Descriptions. If you have a special skill or talent you would like to offer, please contact our Volunteer Development staff to see how you can become involved. We're so glad you asked! To
begin the process of becoming a Make-A-Wish Volunteer, please request
for an application form by contacting our offices at the address below.
You may also contact our offices by phone at 516/944-6212 x 103 or by
email: fkravitz@metrony.wish.org Download the volunteer application in electronic form (Adobe Acrobat) Download the volunteer application in electronic form (Microsoft Word) How long is the application process? It usually takes two months from the time your application is received until the time you can begin as a Make-A-Wish Volunteer.FAQS... About Referring a Child How is a child referred for a wish? There are several ways to refer a child to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. You can call the Metro New York Chapter offices at 516/944-6212. Referrals can be made online via our National site (www.wish.org) or referral forms can be faxed (medical personnel only) to (516) 883-1835.Eligible children can be referred by a parent or legal guardian or by a medical professional involved in their care. We also accept self-referrals by children who contact us directly. How is eligibility determined? Any child facing a life-threatening medical condition who is between the ages of two and a half and 18 at the time of referral and who has not previously been granted a wish by any chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation or by any other wish-granting organization is eligible for a wish.Is a child who has already received a wish from another organization eligible for a Make-A-Wish Foundation wish? Children who have had previous wishes granted by the Make-A-Wish Foundation or by other wish-granting organizations are not eligible for a second wish.Does the family's financial status matter? No. It is only the child's medical condition that determines eligibility for a wish. We understand that even financially comfortable families have neither the time nor the emotional energy to plan their child's wish experience or a dream vacation while meeting the demands of medical treatment schedules and other day-to-day demands of their child's illness. And sometimes a child's wish is for something money cannot buy . . . meeting a favorite celebrity, becoming CEO for a day, or carrying the Olympic torch.Can we count on Make-A-Wish Foundation to protect the child's privacy? Make-A-Wish Foundation respects the privacy of the children and families it serves. All medical information is considered confidential and is not discussed with outside parties unless it is required for the wish and the child's parent(s) or guardian(s) have given their consent. FAQS for Parents and Families... Does accepting a wish mean that we're giving up hope for our child's recovery? Make-A-Wish Foundation has sometimes been incorrectly portrayed as an organization that grants wishes only to children who are dying. Our eligibility criteria stipulate that a child must be diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition, not a terminal condition. The process of making a wish is life-affirming and full of hope. For many children a wish experience becomes a turning point, renewing their courage and determination to fight for a future. Our wish children who are now adults would attest to this!Are families reluctant to accept a wish because it feels like taking charity? There are several reasons why a family might hesitate to call us. A family might feel, for example, that they could grant a wish for their child themselves. We have found, however, that a family simply does not plan a fantasy vacation or event when challenged by a life-threatening medical condition with its intense and disruptive treatment schedules and extreme stresses.If our family can afford to pay for our child's wish, will accepting a wish be unfair to less fortunate families? All medically qualified children are eligible for a wish, regardless of their income. Even if a family can afford to fund the wish themselves, we seek to bring elements of surprise, magic, and fun to the wish experience that many families could not achieve. We have never had to turn a wish down because of a lack of funds, and take pride in fulfilling a wish for every eligible child, regardless of race, or economic status.When should I refer my child for a wish? The timing of each wish is based on the medical and emotional needs of the child and family. Referrals can be made any time after your child's diagnosis is confirmed. We will work closely with your family and your child's medical team to determine the best time for granting your child's wish. We also coordinate closely with your child's medical team to ensure that treatment protocols are never interrupted or jeopardized.How is my child's wish determined? Once a child's eligibility for
a wish is confirmed, our wish-granting volunteers will schedule a time
to meet with you and your child to determine his or her wish. Our volunteers
are specially trained to help your child explore the different types of
wishes and to identify her or his most heartfelt wish. This initial part
of a child's Make-A-Wish experience can generate hopeful expectation and
give your child something to look forward to. Who pays for our child's wish? Make-A-Wish Foundation covers the entire cost of your child's wish. There is no cost to the family.Will my family's privacy be respected? Make-A-Wish Foundation takes great care to guard the privacy of the children and families we serve. Your child's medical information is considered confidential and is not discussed with outside parties unless it is required for the wish. Your consent is required before we can obtain or share any information regarding your child or your family.How do I determine if my child is eligible for a wish? If your child is between the
ages of 2 1/2 and 18 and has been diagnosed with a life-threatening medical
condition (determined by your physician), he or she may be eligible for
a wish. The medical professionals working with your child will be able
to give you more information. Or you can contact our offices at 516-944-6212.
How do I refer my child for a wish? There are several ways to refer your child for a wish. You can call the Metro New York Chapter offices at 516-944-6212. Referrals can also be made online via our National site (www.wish.org), or referral forms can be faxed by your physician or other member of your child's medical treatment team to 516-883-1835.Refer an Eligible Child |
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Make-A-Wish Foundation of AmericaPrivacy Policy
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