Jacksonville

Located in the heart of the region, our Jacksonville office is bringing the life-changing mission of Make-A-Wish to children living across 18 counties in First Coast and Northeast Florida, including Duval, St. Johns, Clay, Nassau, Flagler, Putnam, Marion, Baker, Alachua, Union, Columbia, Gilchrist, Levy, Dixie, Hamilton, Suwannee, and Lafayette

Our chapter is its own 501(c)(3) and committed to granting the wishes of children in our local communities. Money raised stays locally to fund wishes to local kids battling a critical illness. We do not receive government funding and rely 100% on public support.

We host two signature events to raise funds and awareness in the Jacksonville community, including our Jacksonville Walk for Wishes and our signature gala, Wishmaker’s Ball. The events bring together our generous sponsors, donors, medical professionals, our key community partners, and most importantly our wish families to share the power of a wish.

We have granted more than 6,000 wishes as a chapter since September 1994. Our chapter's first wish was to 13-year-old Verena who wanted to meet Dolly Parton. Wishes generally fall into 5 wish types: I wish to go, I wish to meet, I wish to have, I wish to give. Our trained volunteers work with the child to determine their wish, which can be anything within their imagination! Wishes can be anything from a child wishing to be a superhero for the day, visiting their favorite destination or theme park, having a room-redo, going on a shopping spree, meeting their favorite celebrity or athlete, or having their own playhouse, above-ground pool, or gaming system.

Join us in helping to change the world, one child at a time!

Together, we create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.

At Make-A-Wish, this is more than a mission statement. It’s a reminder to the children of Northeast Florida that they deserve to experience childhood joy to the fullest!

When a wish comes true, it creates strength, hope, and transformation in a child – and a community.

Research shows a wish can give kids the strength to fight against and even overcome a critical illness. 89% of medical professionals say that wish can have a positive influence on a child’s physical condition.

For our Wish Kids, life is filled with doctor’s visits, hospital stays, treatment schedules and a list of limitations. But at Make-A-Wish Jacksonville, we devote as much energy as we can into being able to say “YES!”

A wish renews hope, uplifts spirits and encourages the belief in the impossible.

A wish forever transforms the lives of children, their families and entire communities

Granted wishes give critically ill children and their families a spark of light in a dark time, creating memories that last a lifetime.

The work we do doesn’t just impact Wish Kids and their families; our volunteers consider it the most rewarding work they will ever do.

From fundraising to wish granting, Jacksonville and Northeast Florida residents just like you are crucial in allowing us to continue impacting the lives of critically ill children. If you’re looking for an opportunity to give back to the families who need it most, consider volunteering, donating, or attending an event.

• Children being treated for a critical illness
• Medical Professionals such as providers (doctor, nurse practitioner or physician assistant), nurse, social worker or child-life specialist 
• Parents or legal guardians
• Family members with detailed knowledge of the child's current medical condition

If you have a child that you are considering referring for a wish, please do not wait. Just knowing that a wish is coming is very powerful. For more information, please contact Victoria Gomez at [email protected].

Learn more about referring a child today!

Each year, the Jacksonville Walk For Wishes and the Jacksonville Wishmaker’s Ball help raise awareness and support for the incredible kids we encounter every day.

As hard as we work for our Wish Kids, we can’t do it alone. But thanks to the residents of Jacksonville and Northeast Florida, we’re able to grant HUNDREDS of wishes every year.

We are also fortunate to partner with many of Jacksonville’s most recognizable organizations, such as the Jacksonville Jaguars, The Players Championship, and more!

Walk For Wishes^® is a nationwide Make-A-Wish fundraiser that supports granting life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. It’s a family-friendly event powered by wish families, volunteers, companies, donors and friends. By joining this caring community of people at one of the many walks across the U.S., you will help ensure that no child waits even one unnecessary day to experience the hope and joy that a wish brings.

1. Register. Sign up today and invite friends, family and colleagues to join your team.
2. Fundraise. Tell people why you are supporting Make-A-Wish and ask for their support. Make it personal to make it powerful.
3. Walk Day. See the Make-A-Wish mission come to life and celebrate your fundraising success.

To Register today please visit: 2024 Fields Auto Group Walk For Wishes - Jacksonville, FL - Make-A-Wish Foundation

Wishmaker’s Ball is our signature black-tie gala and the largest event for our chapter. All of our guests have the opportunity to participate in a silent auction featuring unique and fun items and a live auction featuring exclusive getaways! Plus hear directly from the wish children whose lives have been touched by the power of a wish.  All money raised stays locally to grant the wishes of children with critical illnesses.

The 2023 3rd Annual Field's Auto Group Wishmaker’s Ball presented by Bank of America with special thanks to Impact Sponsor Walker Footings Inc. took place on August 26th at the Sawgrass Marriott Resort & Spa raising over $800,000 to grant over 100 wishes in the local Jacksonville area!

For more information about next year's 2024 4th Annual Wishmaker’s Ball please visit: WishmakersBallJax.com

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Address:

10151 Deerwood Park Blvd.
Building 300, Suite 120
Jacksonville, FL 32256

Phone:

(904) 580-5906

Here at Make-A-Wish Central and Northern Florida, we understand that giving back to Jacksonville charities for children is a priority for many of the city’s residents. But with so many options available, it can be difficult to choose one.

Since 1994, the Make-A-Wish Foundation’s Jacksonville branch has granted more than 6,000 wishes with the help of local businesses and donors like you!

Here are five reasons why Make-A-Wish is one of the best Jacksonville charities for children and tips on how you can get involved.

1. We Help Children Who Need It Most

Our mission is simple: Together, we create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.

For our Wish Kids, childhood is anything but typical. Instead of battling imaginary monsters, these brave warriors battle with critical illnesses that zap their strength and leave them with little time or energy for play.

Instead of a childhood filled with magic and wonder, their days are filled with doctor’s appointments, medications, hospital visits, surgeries, and therapies. But at Make-A-Wish, our goal is to bring hope, joy, and fun to every critically ill child in Jacksonville.

Contrary to popular belief, children do not have to be terminally ill to be eligible for a wish. If you are the parent, family member, or doctor of a critically ill child in Jacksonville or surrounding areas, please let us know so we can get to work on granting their wish.

2. We Create Joy

For critically ill children and their families, their wish is more than a fun experience or a nice gesture, it’s a light in a dark time.

In fact, 98% of medical providers have credited the wish experience with alleviating the family’s traumatic stress related to their child’s illness and 92% of wish alumni stated it brought their family closer together.

Even after the wish has been granted, the amazing memories can give the entire family a beautiful memory to talk about and remember together.

3. Wishes Give Children the Strength to Fight

Science has long emphasized the importance of a positive mental outlook in fighting serious illness. But when a child’s disease is chronic, severe, and unyielding, it can be difficult to be optimistic about the road ahead.

When they are granted a wish however, 100% of Make-A-Wish recipients report feeling more hopeful about the future. They are often more compliant with treatment, experience fewer negative emotions, and feel empowered to keep fighting. 

As a result, their wish experience is often viewed as a pivotal moment in their treatment and recovery.

4. We Give Kids Control

While all children must be told what to do, critically ill children have even less control than their peers. Rarely can they withdraw consent from receiving medication or treatment and they often have little time (or energy) to spend on their interests and hobbies.

In a world where they are used to hearing “no,” Make-A-Wish wants to be the voice that says “yes!”

Our VIPs are encouraged to dream big when it comes to making their wish so that they remain in control during an otherwise uncontrollable situation.

We do everything in our power to make wishes come true, even if that wish seems impossible at first. We even granted one little girl’s wish to meet a unicorn!

While our volunteer wish granters are trained to give advice and consult parents for their child’s likes and limitations, all decisions are made 100% by our Wish Kids so they are truly receiving a dream come true.

5. We Build Community

When you give to Jacksonville charities for children, you want to know that your donations are being used responsibly. At Make-A-Wish Central and Northern Florida, we are dedicated to helping children in Jacksonville and the surrounding areas and all our donations stay within Florida.

Our staff and volunteers live, work, and play in Northeast Florida, which is why the children in this community mean so much to us.

We also partner with local businesses—such as the Jacksonville Jaguars—to help us make wishes come true!

Our incredible network of volunteers, partners, and donors allows us to grant an average of 200 wishes a year and most recipients have their wish granted in a manner of months!

You Can Make a Difference

If you are looking for Jacksonville charities for children that give back to the community and give critically ill children the chance to dream big, Make-A-Wish of Central and Northern Florida is looking for you!

We are in active need of referrals, volunteers, and donors so we can continue this life-changing work. If you’re interested in finding a way to give back to the Duval community, please donate or attend one of our events.