A Calling That Became a Lifetime of Purpose
By Teresa Perdue, staff member and wish-granting volunteer
When I moved to Seattle from San Diego in 1989, I was looking for a way to connect with my new community and make a difference. What I found was Make-A-Wish, which offered me more than a volunteer opportunity. In this precious mission, I found my calling.
From the beginning, being part of Make-A-Wish felt special. The compassion, creativity, sense of community and opportunity to bring hope and joy to children and families aligned deeply with the values I wanted to live by. Then I experienced my first wish.
Watching a child's wish come true changed everything.
It resonated with my soul, seeing kids smile and laugh after facing what no kid should have to endure. I signed up for more wishes!
In those early days, Make-A-Wish Alaska & Washington was a much smaller organization. There was one staff member, a dedicated board, and a small number of volunteers. As volunteers, we were involved in nearly every step of the wish journey, from securing resources and contacting community partners to helping bring a child's dream to life. Every wish felt like an adventure. You never knew where a child's imagination would take you or who might step forward to help.
In 1990, I brought together a group of friends, and we helped build our volunteer program. In those early years, we organized fundraisers, recruited volunteers, wrote the newsletter, helped grant wishes, and did whatever we could to help the organization grow. We had so much fun along the way and there was a wonderful sense of friendship, creativity, and shared purpose. In 1991, I was invited to serve a six-year term on the Board of Directors. It was an incredible honor and another meaningful chapter in my journey with Make-A-Wish.
Each wish is special, but one wish stayed with me all these years. A young girl named Kiki wished for a Labradoodle. We searched locally but couldn't find one. Eventually, I connected with a breeder in Utah who was so moved by Kiki's story that he reached out across his network. That search led to a family in Monroe, Georgia, who had recently lost their child and were looking for a loving home for their beloved Labradoodle, Esther. It felt meant to be. A little girl in Monroe, WA, and a very special dog in Monroe, GA, found their way to one another. The breeder paid for puppy Esther's trip to Seattle and even covered her expenses for the first year. When Esther finally arrived, I witnessed the incredible power of a wish. She ran straight to Kiki, as if she already knew she had found her person.
Kiki’s wish showed me what people are capable of when they're given the chance to help. It transformed tremendous loss into love, companionship, and hope. And it gave me a tremendous gift: a chance to discover my calling.
Thirty-seven years later, I still feel that same sense of purpose. The children, families and friendships I've encountered through Make-A-Wish have shaped my life in ways I never could have imagined when I first raised my hand to volunteer.
Over the years, wish families have taught me lifelong lessons. They've taught me to cherish the people I love, live fully in the present, and never take ordinary moments for granted. Even during life's hardest circumstances, there can still be joy, connection and hope.
Those lessons inspired one of the biggest decisions of my life.
After 20 years in consulting, I returned to school and earned a nonprofit management certificate from the University of Washington. I later interned with Make-A-Wish and enjoyed calling families to tell them their child qualified for a wish. When the opportunity arose, I joined the staff.
Becoming a staff member felt like my Make-A-Wish journey had come full circle. The organization that captured my heart as a volunteer became the place where I could dedicate my career.
Today, as an Individual Giving Officer, I draw on decades of wish-granting experience when I meet with donors. I've witnessed the impact of wishes on children and families. When I talk with donors, I'm not simply asking for a gift. I'm inviting them to be part of something I've personally seen change lives.
Looking back, some of the greatest gifts Make-A-Wish has given me are the people I've met, the lessons I've learned and the countless moments that have reminded me what truly matters.
For anyone considering volunteering, my advice is simple: come with an open heart.
You'll laugh, celebrate, sometimes cry, and witness incredible kindness and courage. The impact you make is very real, but one of the greatest surprises is how much you receive in return.
After 37 years, I remain grateful for the same privilege that first inspired me in 1989: helping children find hope, strength and joy through the power of a wish.
Are you ready to experience something wonderful as a wish granter, like Teresa? Learn more about volunteering by reaching out to Amy at amorris@akwa.wish.org today.
