Latest Stories
Invisible Children: The Charity Behind KONY 2012
Posted by Charity Navigator on 2012-03-14 15:58:00
In March 2012, the charity, Invisible Children, released a video called Kony 2012. The video became an Internet sensation with 75 million views on YouTube in just a few days. But the video's tremendous popularity brought the charity a mixed bag of praise and scrutiny.
Read MoreI wish to go to the 2012 NBA All-Star Game.
Posted by Make-A-Wish Foundation on 2012-03-07 16:58:00
Gazing out at the colossal Amway Center from his premium viewing suite, Noah gets an adrenaline rush. It hits him – his wish is here. No doctor calls. No appointments. No chemotherapy. Just a weekend filled with star-studded surprises and activities, ultimately ending with his one true wish – to watch his favorite basketball athletes in the 61st Annual NBA All-Star Game. It exceeds any expectation Noah has set.
Noah is ecstatic to watch one of the most anticipated games of the year. But, nothing can prepare him for his surprise meeting with all the East and West players during SaturdayÂ’s NBA All-Star Jam Session. HeÂ’s watched them on the court from afar, and now theyÂ’re here in front of him, talking with him.
The big night is here – the NBA All-Star Game. Noah looks out from his suite, cheering and watching in anticipation. It’s a close game, but the West wins. The crowd goes wild.
The weekend is over. ItÂ’s time to leave Orlando, but the memories will never leave Noah. He attends a final photo shoot with both teams to commemorate his wish, but his experiences from the entire NBA All-Star weekend will forever be in his mind and heart.
I wish to go on a <em>Disney Cruise Line®</em> vacation.
Posted by Make-A-Wish Foundation on 2012-03-07 02:58:00
A young honorary pirate helps Captain Jack Sparrow escape a band of angry buccaneers. “You’ll always remember this as the day you almost caught Captain Jack Sparrow,” Gabriella’s favorite pirate says as they leave pursuers in their wake. By the end of the Club Pirate Show, Gabriella has lived an unforgettable adventure.
GabriellaÂ’s appearance in Captain JackÂ’s show is just the beginning. Her entire Make-A-Wish® experience is a grand escape from her medical woes, which include a stroke and a heart transplant. After sharing her love of Disney movies and magical princesses, Gabriella asked wish volunteers to send her, her brother and her parents on a Disney Cruise Line® voyage to soak in the sun and breathe the fresh ocean air.
Though the trip was postponed until doctors confirmed Gabriella was strong enough, she was bursting with excitement when finally cleared for her adventure at sea. She and her family swam in the ocean, enjoyed waterslides and met all the princesses. The siblings made each day last as long as possible, staying up all night eating ice cream. Her 4-year-old brother PJ enjoyed feeding and kissing the dolphins the most, though.
For a girl who has spent so much of her life in hospitals, the trip is a source of strength for any challenges ahead.
“They gave her something more interesting to talk about,” Gabriella’s mother, Kristi says about the Make-A-Wish volunteers. “Before, she’d talk about her heart condition. And now all she wants to talk about is her wish.”
These exuberant moments not only renew Gabriella and her family – they alter their outlook on life.
“We’re much more appreciative today. We appreciate our time together,” Gabriella’s mother, Kristi, says.
While continuing to stay optimistic , Gabriella and her family now dedicate their time to speak at wish events to encourage others to share the power of a wish® .
“I love the Make-A-Wish Foundation® . I wish everyone knew how important their work is. What they do for the kids is a miracle,” Kristi says.
I wish to go to Chicago to see trains, planes and automobiles.
Posted by Make-A-Wish Foundation on 2012-03-07 02:58:00
Planes soaring over skyscrapers, trains rattling over apartments, cars zooming through traffic – this is Chicago. For Charlie, transportation isn’t just the way to reach a destination: It’s a gateway to a dream adventure and a unique view of the city.
Charlie – who wasnÂ’t supposed to live past his first birthday – continues to beat the odds while dealing with partial facial paralysis and epileptic seizures. When Charlie shared his wish with Make-A-Wish® volunteers, they knew it was time to create an unforgettable way for Charlie to experience these modes of transportation. So the wish team, its donors and sponsors – including Southwest Airlines – jumped into action.
Charlie’s arrival in this magnificent city starts with the famous “El,” the elevated train system that snakes throughout the city. He joins Chicagoans on their way to work and play. It’s perfect for Charlie to gaze at parks, old houses, really tall buildings and the chaotic Chicago streets as he heads to Chicago Midway International Airport.
At the airport, management staff, police officers and Southwest Airlines personnel welcome CharlieÂ’s one-of-a-kind visit with gift bags and a personalized bright-orange safety vest, which is required to be worn when down on the tarmac. Charlie wears the jacket as he rides on a pushback tug to move a plane from the gate out to the runway. He boards another plane and tours the cockpit and then heads to the air traffic control tower, learning the complicated ballet of the taxiways and runways. His hosts commemorate his experience by giving him a mounted runway light with his name engraved on it.
Then itÂ’s time for the Chicago Fire Department to honor Charlie with lunch and tour of the fire trucks, complete with a fire hose demonstration.
Since thereÂ’s nothing like seeing the city from the air, the Chicago Police Department arranges a helicopter tour for Charlie. Hovering over the vast Windy City was the highlight of CharlieÂ’s day.
Charlie is buoyant as he climbs out of the helicopter. And so is every volunteer who made time to be part of his wish. Dozens of people throughout Chicago felt the impact of a Make-A-Wish experience – for Charlie, and for themselves. While Charlie couldn’t think of the words to express his excitement over this adventure-filled day, his adopted mother, Kathy, said it’s “the most loving experience he has ever had.” She adds the trip was a “week of freedom from worry, and being cared for by strangers whose only motivation is a love for kids.”
Deadly Tornadoes Hit The Midwest and South
Posted by Charity Navigator on 2012-03-03 09:58:00
On February 29 and March 2, 2012, series severe tornadoes hit the Midwest and South killing more than two dozen people. The storms also caused considerable damage to homes
Special 10th Anniversary Webinar
Posted by Charity Navigator on 2012-03-01 07:58:00
Join us for a Webinar on Wedneday April 18
I wish to go to NHL All-Star Weekend.
Posted by Make-A-Wish Foundation on 2012-02-22 13:58:00
During his visit to the 2012 Tim Hortons NHL® All-Star Game, Vinnie transforms. He sheds his usual quiet reserve Â… and his newly discovered verve brings joy to his parents.
ItÂ’s VinnieÂ’s first time in Ottawa. He makes the most of the experience; heÂ’s envisioned it every day since he told Make-A-Wish® volunteers that his one true wish is to see the NHL All-Star Game.
Vinnie and his family start their weekend with an ice-skating session at Rideau Canal – the world’s longest skating rink. They explore NHL exhibits and functions throughout the city.
Then Vinnie gets a surprise at Scotiabank Place, home of the Ottawa Senators: James Duthie, NHL host for TSN in Canada, escorts Vinnie to meet several players, coaches and hockey personalities. He even tries on a Stanley Cup ring. By the time he returns to his seat to watch the 2012 Molson Canadian NHL All-Star Skills CompetitionTM, Vinnie shakes with excitement.
Vinnie is back at Scotiabank Place the next day for the 2012 Tim Hortons NHL® All-Star Game. Before the game, Vinnie visits the All-Star team dressing rooms. There, he meets his favorite player, Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks. Kane presents Vinnie with a signed stick, t-shirt and hat, prized possessions he will savor for a lifetime.
Then, itÂ’s game time. In his seats, donated by the NHL, VinnieÂ’s eyes stay glued to the ice as the best NHL hockey players skate, shoot, check and save. HeÂ’s fixated, silent, deep in concentration as the spectacle unfolds.
As he watches, Vinnie receives another gift – compliments of John Tortorella, coach of the New York Rangers. ItÂ’s a stick signed by Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos. Coach Tortorella heard about Vinnie, and wanted to give him something special. ItÂ’s proof that a Make-A-Wish® experience not only touches the lives of the wish kids, but everyone else involved.
To Kane, Tortorella and Stamkos, the sticks and memorabilia are gifts for a courageous new friend. To Vinnie, they’re prizes from real-world superheroes – each with the power to replenish him with strength and immense bravery for the tomorrows ahead.
I wish to go to the Super Bowl.
Posted by Make-A-Wish Foundation on 2012-02-06 15:58:00
ItÂ’s moments before kickoff. The referee tosses the coin in the air. Heads or tails? Kick or receive? Giants or Patriots?
The anticipation is almost too much for David. HeÂ’s gone through so much to make it to Super Bowl XLVI. HeÂ’s survived leukemia, sat out a year of football to regain his health, battled to return to his team.
David is one of a dozen Make-A-Wish® kids at the Super Bowl XLVI matchup between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots. TheyÂ’ll watch the teams give their all to claim the title. For each, the gridiron is more than spectacle – itÂ’s inspiration, strength and optimism. And the Super Bowl is the absolute pinnacle of the football world. An unforgettable experience for each child, each family.
This chance to watch Super Bowl XLVI live is a new beginning for David. HeÂ’s already triumphed over leukemia. His return to the high school football team inspired his teammates to a state championship.
This moment is the first of his future. David pictures himself as an oncology nurse Â… with the first-hand knowledge to care for young patients, just like himself. He had the strength to overcome leukemia, and that strength guides him toward the path of helping others.
Each Super Bowl XLVI wish came true thanks to the Make-A-Wish® America relationships with the National Football League and Chevrolet.
I wish to meet Tom Brady.
Posted by Make-A-Wish Foundation on 2012-02-02 19:58:00
Synopsis: EricÂ’s wish came true when he traveled in a limousine to Massachusetts to meet New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. Eric spent a weekend at the Courtyard Marriot Boston Raynham and enjoyed watching the Patriots beat the Dallas Cowboys. He also connected with the six other wish kids and their families who met other Patriots players, and visited the Patriots Hall of Fame before returning home.
In moments of struggle and hardship, most of us try to rise above by imagining what our heroes would do or say in times. For some, these heroes are family members, religious entities, or comic book characters – for others, like Eric, strength and courage exist in the famous athletes we usually only see on the big screen.
Searching for strength in dealing with his condition, 18-year-old Eric wished to meet New England Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady. With the help of Make-A-Wish® America volunteers and sponsors, Eric was soon a world away from the worries of his treatments while riding in a limousine to Massachusetts to meet his hero.
As he stands alongside Brady, EricÂ’s joy is undeniable. Here is the guy Eric watched on television winning Super Bowls. He exudes strength, power, confidence. If he can stand near Tom Brady, who is ever-willing and excited to meet him, too, Eric can do anything, even endure his treatments. ItÂ’s this dash of hope that makes such an everlasting impact on wish kids like him.
After meeting Brady, Eric watches him in action as the Patriots beat the Dallas Cowboys 20-16 at Gillette Stadium. But EricÂ’s experience continues. Eric and his family stay at the Courtyard by Marriot Boston Raynham while they connect with other wish families for lunch at CBS Scene restaurant. Eric is one of seven wish kids who meet Patriots players that day. A visit to the Patriots Hall of Fame completes his Make-A-Wish® experience.
New England Patriot’s Tom Brady is known for his Cinderella story starting out as a sixth-round draft choice and seventh-string quarterback to finally taking his team to three Super Bowl Championships –with a potential fourth this February. To those of you who aren’t football fans this simply means Brady beat the odds, a great inspiration for wish kids who struggle to do the same.
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