Make a Wish Foundation as a Charity

James · #1 11-14-2002, 02:50 PM

I have raised money for the Make-A-Wish-Foundation before, and who wouldn't be touched by the cause?

But I have recently been troubled. When I am raising money for them, I am giving for children that already have no hope and not tackling the cause of their suffereing. I know that there is other people raising money for those causes but that bothered me a bit.

I am wierd I know. So now I recomend to people that I know in the Greek Community that they split any fund raising effort for Make a Wish with a leading casue of Childhood disease and split the money between the two.

Like 5 grand for Make a Wish and 5 grand for Childhood Leukemia.

It seems silly but it assuages my conscience a little.

Any thoughts?

xo_kathy · #2 11-14-2002, 03:07 PM

Well, I think if you want to split your money that is just fine.

As you probably know, the Make a Wish Foundation is now Chi Omega's national philanthropy. It was not when I was in college, and as I am not advising an active chapter or anything, I am not clear on specifics of how our donations are used etc. I just figure it's a great way to make a child's life (a life that has been struck in a horrible way) a little brighter.

I walk in Breast Cancer walks a lot. However, my uncle just died of lymphoma. And my grandmother currently is suffering from Alzheimers. Should I now only support things that benefit one of those two dieseases? Possibly. But I feel very strongly about breast cancer research, so I think I will stick with that for the time being. You can't be everywhere at once, and you can't give everywhere at once. I think that fact that you, or any of us, are doing it at all is wonderful.

AKA2D '91 · #3 11-14-2002, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by xo_kathy
Well, I think if you want to split your money that is just fine.

I am not clear on specifics of how our donations are used etc. I just figure it's a great way to make a child's life (a life that has been struck in a horrible way) a little brighter.

.

I am sure how the donations are used. Two of my former students had the honor to receive a wish.

Josh, who passed away less than a year ago, wanted a SIMPLE chain (necklace), wanted to go to a WWF match, and to buy something nice for his girlfriend/classmate, and take a ride in a limousine. So, MAW made it possible.

Another student, Chris, who passed away last month had his wish come true. He wanted to take a trip to Florida.

These were both high school students.

The little things to us mean the world to others.

DeltAlum · #4 11-14-2002, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by James
I have raised money for the Make-A-Wish-Foundation before, and who wouldn't be touched by the cause?

But I have recently been troubled. When I am raising money for them, I am giving for children that already have no hope and not tackling the cause of their suffereing.

I tend to be very cynical about national organizations. In many cases a fairly large percentage of your donation goes for operational expenses for the organization itself, and doesn't find its way into research, or whatever.

I don't know how Make-a-wish is administered, but to me, being able to see the results -- a child being happy when the wish is granted -- is more rewarding than not really knowing where the money is going.

josh8o · #5 11-14-2002, 04:02 PM

my fraternity raises money for the make a wish foundation. we raised $10,000 to send a local boy and his family to Disney world as his wish. although i see your point in the money does not help with research to cure the illnesses that these kids have, but it makes a kid who is going to die have one wish come true. that to me is the most touching thing. to see a kid have a day, week, or whatever, where its all about them and they can forget they they are sick is really special.

Shine · #6 11-14-2002, 06:05 PM

James,

The Make a Wish Foundation is a GREAT cause. They don't only give wishes to children that will surely die. They only give wishes to children with terminal illnesses, but some terminall illnesses can be put in remission.

My sister had leukemia when she was 4, and our family got a week long trip to Disney World and all the surrounding places from the MAW Foundation. It was a wonderful experience for all of us. I was 6.

I'm now 20, and my sister is 17, and we still have wonderful memories from that vacation.

However, a lot of those kids do die. My sister's best friend from the hospital had the same wish at the same time we did, and she died a year later.

Make A Wishes can be some of the last happy memories a dying child ever has. It's more than a worthy cause, don't you think?

As for me, I donate to both Make A Wish, and the American Cancer Society on a yearly basis, and volunteer or give smaller donations to the Leukemia Society and the Breast Cancer Society, that give money to research and treatment.

All these organizations are good, and all of them help children (and adults) who deserve it.

KappaTarzan · #7 11-14-2002, 07:34 PM

my little sister recieved a wish from the MAW foundation. we went to disney, my family paid for what they could, and MAW did the rest.. it was an amazing trip.. my little sister is still very sick, but things are starting to look up...

the trip helped her to feel as though she had hope again, something she was starting to lose.

AUChiO · #8 11-18-2002, 12:24 AM

As a delegate to the Chi O national convention from my chapter this summer, I got to see a wish granted right there in the hotel ballroom. Some people may have doubts as to how organizations use their money, but after seeing the joy on a child's face as they get their wish, their happiness is all you will think about.

MU-APhi · #9 11-19-2002, 04:41 AM

This is actually the first time I have ever posted on GC though i have been reading on here for a few months now. Anyways, to the point...
I recently wrote a research paper on the Make-A-Wish foundation and can tell you that over 80% of the donations made to it actually go towards the expenses of granting wishes to children, so as far as that goes, there is nothing to worry about. My boyfriend's sister also works for Make-A-Wish as a wish coordinator, and I have never been so touched in my life as I am when she tells me stories about children she has worked with and their reactions to their wishes coming true. It's truly a great organization.