History
It all started with a single wish…
Make-A-Wish traces its inspiration to Christopher James Greicius, an energetic 7-year-old boy battling leukemia who wishes to be a police officer. In 1980, his Phoenix community came together to make his wish come true. Little did Chris know that his wish would create a movement that would transform millions of lives.
Today, Make-A-Wish has been granting life-changing wishes for children and families for over 40 years. After the start of Make-A-Wish in 1980 in the United States, Make-A-Wish International was officially formed in 1993 to serve five countries outside the U.S. – and now helps to serve children outside the United States in over 50 countries on 5 continents through its 40 Affiliates.
With the help of our donors and more than 43,000 volunteers around the world, Make-A-Wish has collectively granted more than 520,000 wishes worldwide.
Thank you to his mother, Linda Pauling, the Greicius family and the founders for their tireless dedication to our mission!
Donate today and bring waiting wishes to life
Donate today and bring waiting wishes to life
Timeline
1980
1983
1985
1988
1990
1993
1996: The Make-A-Wish website, wish.org, goes live.
2000
2004
2010
2018
2020
Together, we create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.
To grant the wish of every eligible child.
Our values serve as the map to attain our vision of granting the wish of every eligible child.
They are a clear guide to our priorities, and lead the way in everything we do.
Child Focus:
We always put wish children first.
Integrity:
We are honest, transparent and respectful.
Impact:
We deliver life-changing work.
Innovation:
We are bold, imaginative and creative.
Community:
We are a diverse group of people working together towards a common goal.
At Make-A-Wish® International, diversity and inclusion are part of our DNA. Together, we will continue to build an inclusive culture that encourages, supports, and celebrates the diverse voices of our wish children, families, volunteers, supporters, and employees.
When we say we want to grant the wish of every eligible child, we mean it. And to do that, we want to foster an environment that is diverse and inclusive. They are the key drivers of creativity and innovation that will enable our wish children and families to reap the maximum benefit of a wish.
Our Mission
Together, we create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.
Our Vision
To grant the wish of every eligible child.
Our Values
Our values serve as the map to attain our vision of granting the wish of every eligible child. They are a clear guide to our priorities, and lead the way in everything we do.
- Child Focus: We always put wish children first.
- Integrity: We are honest, transparent and respectful.
- Impact: We deliver life-changing work.
- Innovation: We are bold, imaginative and creative.
- Community: We are a diverse group of people working together towards a common goal.
Diversity & Inclusion
At Make-A-Wish® International, diversity and inclusion are part of our DNA. Together, we will continue to build an inclusive culture that encourages, supports, and celebrates the diverse voices of our wish children, families, volunteers, supporters, and employees.
When we say we want to grant the wish of every eligible child, we mean it. And to do that, we want to foster an environment that is diverse and inclusive. They are the key drivers of creativity and innovation that will enable our wish children and families to reap the maximum benefit of a wish.
Donate today and bring waiting wishes to life
Donate today and bring waiting wishes to life
Around the World
After the start of Make-A-Wish in 1980 in the United States, Make-A-Wish International was officially formed in 1993 to serve five countries outside the U.S. – and now helps to serve children outside the United States in nearly 50 countries and territories on 5 continents through its 40 Affiliates. Click the dots below to check the list of our affiliates.
Make-A-Wish India: www.makeawishindia.org
Make-A-Wish Hong Kong: www.makeawish.org.hk
Make-A-Wish Japan: www.mawj.org
Make-A-Wish Korea: www.wish.or.kr
Make-A-Wish Malaysia: makeawish.org.my
Make-A-Wish Philippines: www.makeawish.org.ph
Make-A-Wish Shanghai: www.makeawish-china.com
Make-A-Wish Singapore: www.makeawish.org.sg
Make-A-Wish Taiwan: www.mawtpe.org.tw
Make-A-Wish Israel: http://www.makeawish.org.il/
Make-A-Wish Pakistan: http://www.makeawish.org.pk/
Make-A-Wish Turkey: http://www.birdilektut.org/
Make-A-Wish United Arab Emirates: https://makeawish.ae/
Make-A-Wish Australia: www.makeawish.org.au
Make-A-Wish New Zealand: www.makeawish.org.nz
Make-A-Wish Pacific Islands: makeawishpacific.org
Make-A-Wish Canada: www.makeawish.ca
Make-A-Wish Mexico: makeawish.mx
Make-A-Wish Panama: www.makeawishpanama.org
Make-A-Wish United States of America: www.wish.org
Make-A-Wish Argentina: www.makeawish.org.ar
Make-A-Wish Brazil: www.makeawish.org.br
Make-A-Wish Chile: www.makeawish.cl
Make-A-Wish Peru: makeawishperu.org
Make-A-Wish Colombia: www.makeawishco.org
Make-A-Wish Belgium South: www.makeawishsud.be
Make-A-Wish Belgium-Vlaanderen: www.makeawish.be
Make-A-Wish Denmark: www.makeawish.dk
Make-A-Wish France: www.makeawishfrance.org
Make-A-Wish Germany: www.makeawish.de
Make-A-Wish Greece: www.makeawish.gr
Make-A-Wish Ireland: www.makeawish.ie
Make-A-Wish Netherlands: makeawishnederland.org
Make-A-Wish Norway: makeawishnorge.no
Make-A-Wish Portugal: www.makeawish.pt
Make-A-Wish Spain: www.makeawishspain.org
Make-A-Wish Switzerland and Liechtenstein: www.makeawish.ch
Make-A-Wish United Kingdom: www.make-a-wish.org.uk
North & Central America
Make-A-Wish Mexico: makeawish.mx
Make-A-Wish Panama: www.makeawishpanama.org
Make-A-Wish United States of America: www.wish.org
South America
Make-A-Wish Brazil: www.makeawish.org.br
Make-A-Wish Chile: www.makeawish.cl
Make-A-Wish Peru: makeawishperu.org
Make-A-Wish Colombia: www.makeawishco.org
Europe
Make-A-Wish Belgium South: www.makeawishsud.be
Make-A-Wish Belgium-Vlaanderen: www.makeawish.be
Make-A-Wish Denmark: www.makeawish.dk
Make-A-Wish France: www.makeawishfrance.org
Make-A-Wish Germany: www.makeawish.de
Make-A-Wish Greece: www.makeawish.gr
Make-A-Wish Ireland: www.makeawish.ie
Make-A-Wish Italy: www.makeawish.it
Make-A-Wish Netherlands: makeawishnederland.org
Make-A-Wish Norway: makeawishnorge.no
Make-A-Wish Portugal: www.makeawish.pt
Make-A-Wish Spain: www.makeawishspain.org
Make-A-Wish Switzerland and Liechtenstein: www.makeawish.ch
Make-A-Wish United Kingdom: www.make-a-wish.org.uk
East & Southeast Asia
Make-A-Wish India: www.makeawishindia.org
Make-A-Wish Hong Kong: www.makeawish.org.hk
Make-A-Wish Japan: www.mawj.org
Make-A-Wish Korea: www.wish.or.kr
Make-A-Wish Malaysia: makeawish.org.my
Make-A-Wish Philippines: www.makeawish.org.ph
Make-A-Wish Shanghai: www.makeawish-china.comMake-A-Wish Singapore: www.makeawish.org.sg
Make-A-Wish Taiwan: www.mawtpe.org.tw
Central Asia & Middle East
Make-A-Wish Pakistan: www.makeawish.org.pk
Make-A-Wish Turkey: www.birdilektut.org
Make-A-Wish United Arab Emirates: makeawish.ae
Oceania
Make-A-Wish New Zealand: www.makeawish.org.nz
Make-A-Wish Pacific Islands: makeawishpacific.org
A Wish Is Hope. Will You Help?
A Wish Is Hope. Will You Help?
Your tax deductible donation can transform wish kids’ lives.
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