Our Chapter
Together, we create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.
Make-A-Wish Eastern North Carolina serves the 49 counties from the Triangle to the coast.
For over 35 years, Make-A-Wish® Eastern North Carolina has served all medically eligible children who reside in the 49 counties east of the Orange/Alamance county line — serving the Triangle to the coast. Our goal is to reach every eligible child in our chapter area and grant their wish. Since our inception in 1986, the organization has granted more than 4,640 wishes*, at zero cost to the families we serve. We operate solely through generous donations of individuals, corporations, organizations, and foundations and with the help of more than 250 volunteers, including our Board of Directors.
*as of the end of Fiscal Year 2024.
Meet Wish Kid Jayden
Meet wish kid Jayden who wished to have a BME bootcamp with the goal of creating a prototype for a new type of eye patch!
Benny meeting the Rock 'N Roll Express
Our First Wish
In 1986, 8-year-old Benny Strickland from Roanoke Rapids, N.C., became the very first wish kid for Make-A-Wish Eastern North Carolina. At the time, Benny was bravely battling acute lymphoblastic leukemia, but he had one big dream that brought him joy and excitement: to meet his favorite professional wrestlers.
Benny’s wish was to meet wrestling superstar Magnum T.A. and the dynamic tag team duo, The Rock ‘N Roll Express. And that’s exactly what he got. Before a wrestling show, Magnum T.A. made a special visit to see Benny at Duke University Medical Center. Just a week later, Benny and his family traveled to Atlanta for a taping at WTBS, where he met The Rock ‘N Roll Express in person. What an exciting experience!
Benny’s wish came just six months after the founding of the Eastern North Carolina chapter and it laid the foundation for what would become a legacy of hope, joy, and strength. Since Benny’s wish, more than 4,600 wishes have been granted to children with critical illnesses from the Triangle to the coast, with the goal to grant a wish for every eligible child!
Managing Our Funds
Make-A-Wish® Eastern North Carolina finances endeavors through corporate sponsorships, special events, foundation grants and individual contributions. However, we do not solicit funds by telephone and receive no federal or state funding. As a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, all contributions are deductible to the extent permitted by law. Our financial statements are audited locally and annually by CliftonLarsonAllen LLP.
At Make-A-Wish, we take our responsibility for the monies donated to our cause very seriously. For full financial details please review our most recent Audited Financial Statements and Form 990 for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023.
Careers and Internships
At Make-A-Wish, we are more than a great place to work — our work is life-changing. We are an inclusive and diverse group of people who, through a mosaic of backgrounds, thought and experiences, are united in purposeful work. We are fueled and guided by our values — values that are represented in the inspired people we work with and the life-changing work we do, every day.
We are always on the lookout for great talent who share in our passion. If you are interested in a career or internship with Make-A-Wish, check out our current open positions.
Open Positions:
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
In 2020, Make-A-Wish Eastern North Carolina began work to assess our effectiveness in meeting the widespread needs of our wish community by launching an internal diversity, equity, and inclusion committee. Our vision is to grant the wish of every eligible child residing in our 49-county chapter area. We strive to serve our community with compassion, equity, and integrity while acknowledging the diversity of race, gender, language, geography, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, religion, and personal beliefs of the community as a whole.
We continuously examine how we can do better in partnership with our diverse wish families, board, staff, volunteers, donors, and corporate supporters.
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Make-A-Wish® Eastern North Carolina
Suite 201
Raleigh, NC 27609