Make-A-Wish Foundation
Encyclopedia
The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization
founded in the United States that grants wish
es to children (2.5 years to 18 years old) who have life-threatening medical conditions. The charity now operates in forty-seven countries around the world through thirty-six affiliate offices.
The president & CEO of this charity is David A. Williams
.
The first wish was granted to Christopher James Greicius who wished to be a police officer. Chris died soon after.
trips in 1999, amid criticisms from animal rights groups. The Foundation explained that the decision was based on the danger of having a child in a weakened state handling firearms.
In response, three other similar organizations were formed: Hunt of a Lifetime
, which arranged hunting trips for terminally ill children; Catch-a-Dream, which was conceived by Mississippi outdoorsman Bruce Brady, and formed by his loved ones following Brady's death from cancer, to grant hunting experiences to ill children; and Life Hunts founded by the Buckmasters American Deer Foundation.
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
founded in the United States that grants wish
Wish
A wish is a hope or desire for something. Fictionally, wishes can be used as plot devices. In folklore, opportunities for "making a wish" or for wishes to "come true" or "be granted" are themes that are sometimes used.-In literature:...
es to children (2.5 years to 18 years old) who have life-threatening medical conditions. The charity now operates in forty-seven countries around the world through thirty-six affiliate offices.
The president & CEO of this charity is David A. Williams
David A. Williams
David A. Williams is the president and chief executive officer of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He was appointed to this position in 2005.-Education:...
.
The first wish was granted to Christopher James Greicius who wished to be a police officer. Chris died soon after.
Hunting controversy
The Make-A-Wish Foundation ceased granting huntingHunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
trips in 1999, amid criticisms from animal rights groups. The Foundation explained that the decision was based on the danger of having a child in a weakened state handling firearms.
In response, three other similar organizations were formed: Hunt of a Lifetime
Hunt of a Lifetime
Hunt of a Lifetime is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fulfilling hunting and fishing related wishes of children under 21 with life-threatening illnesses.- History :...
, which arranged hunting trips for terminally ill children; Catch-a-Dream, which was conceived by Mississippi outdoorsman Bruce Brady, and formed by his loved ones following Brady's death from cancer, to grant hunting experiences to ill children; and Life Hunts founded by the Buckmasters American Deer Foundation.
In popular culture
- In the game Portal, The Aperture Science Corporation (led by a mentally unstable CEO) has a "Take-a-Wish" Tier of Research and Development, whose goal is to buy wishes off of the parents of terminally ill children and redistribute them to wish-deprived but otherwise healthy adults. It was a colossal failure.
- In one episode of Chappelle's ShowChappelle's ShowChappelle's Show is an American sketch comedy television series created by comedian Dave Chappelle and Neal Brennan, with Chappelle hosting the show as well as starring in various skits. Chappelle, Brennan and Michele Armour were the show's executive producers. The series premiered on January 22,...
, Dave ChappelleDave ChappelleDavid Khari Webber "Dave" Chappelle is an American comedian, screenwriter, television/film producer, actor, and artist. Chappelle began his film career in the film Robin Hood: Men in Tights in 1993 and continued to star in minor roles in the films The Nutty Professor, Con Air, and Blue Streak. His...
visits a terminally ill child and plays a videogame called Street HoopsStreet HoopsStreet Hoops is a streetball video game released in 2002. The game has real life streetballers such as 1/2 Man 1/2 Amazing, Hot Sauce, and Headache, and is a less dramatic, more realistic game than NBA Street, as the characters cannot jump completely over the hoop. Like NBA Street, it is possible...
with him. - In January 2008, the satirical news site The OnionThe OnionThe Onion is an American news satire organization. It is an entertainment newspaper and a website featuring satirical articles reporting on international, national, and local news, in addition to a non-satirical entertainment section known as The A.V. Club...
produced a parody video claiming that Make-a-Wish Foundation was bankrupted due to a child's wish for "infinite wishes." The video was apparently so convincing that some people believed it was real and it had to be debunked by the urban legends web site Snopes. - Two Australian shows, The MansionThe Mansion (TV series)The Mansion is an Australian television comedy based upon news and current affairs. Hosted by Michael Chamberlin and Charlie Pickering and featuring Kate McLennan and Justin Kennedy, It premiered on The Comedy Channel on Thursday 3 April 2008 at 8:30 pm.The Mansion first aired on 26 January 2007...
and The Chaser's War on EverythingThe Chaser's War on EverythingThe Chaser's War on Everything is an Australian television satirical comedy series broadcast on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation television station ABC1. It has won an AFI Award. The cast perform sketches mocking social and political issues, and often feature comedic publicity stunts...
, did very similar sketches about the Make-a-Wish Foundation, the latter causing an unprecedented amount of controversy. - Once a year, the sports news show SportsCenterSportsCenterSportsCenter is a daily sports news television show, and the flagship program of American cable network ESPN since the network launched on September 7, 1979. Originally broadcast only daily, SportsCenter is now shown up to twelve times a day, replaying the day's scores and highlights from major...
has a daily segment for a week in which they showcase sports related wishes for sick children made possible with the help of Make-A-Wish. See List of SportsCenter segments and specials - Four children were also guest-stars on the show Cake BossCake BossCake Boss is an American reality television series, airing on the cable television network TLC. Set at Carlo's Bakery in Hoboken, New Jersey, the show mainly follows Buddy Valastro, his mother, four sisters, and three brothers-in-law, as they operate their business, with a focus on how they make...
, in which Buddy Valastro helped four children make one of a kind cakes before making a "Hot Air Balloon" cake for a reception for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. - Daniel Stark, a cancer survivor thanks to the foundation, appeared in the animated TV show Rocket PowerRocket PowerRocket Power is an American animated television series that aired on Nickelodeon.-Premise:Rocket Power involves the daily situations of a group of best friends named Oswald "Otto" Rocket, Regina "Reggie" Rocket, Maurice "Twister" Rodriguez, and Sam "Squid" Dullard, as they live in the fictional...
s series finale, "The Big DayRocket Power: The Big DayThe Big Day is the hour-long series finale of the Rocket Power animated television series. The series' conclusion was sponsored by the Make-A-Wish Foundation and aired on Nickelodeon on August 2, 2004.-Plot:...
". - A special episode of Achievement HORSE with Rooster Teeth ProductionsRooster Teeth ProductionsRooster Teeth Productions is a production group from Austin, Texas that specializes in the creation of live action shorts, animated peices and machinima, or films created using real-time, interactive engines from computer and video games. The name Rooster Teeth is a euphemism for Cockbite, an...
had Michael Jones vs. Ian, who made his wish to play H-O-R-S-E on Halo: ReachHalo: ReachHalo: Reach is a first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie and published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox 360 console. Reach was released in North America, Australia, and Europe on September 14, 2010. The game takes place in the year 2552, where humanity is locked in a war with the...
with them.
See also
- Disney Worldwide Outreach ProgramDisney Worldwide Outreach ProgramThe Disney Worldwide Outreach Program is Disney's charitable division, helping charitable organizations throughout the world, as well as local initiatives.-History:...
, a partner of the Make-A-Wish Foundation - Sunshine FoundationSunshine FoundationSunshine Foundation is an American non-profit organization founded in 1976 by a then Philadelphia Police Officer, , to answer the dreams of chronically ill, seriously ill, physically challenged and abused children ages 3 – 18 whose families cannot fulfill their requests due to the financial strain...