When Cristina Gonzalez joined Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area as a volunteer in August 2020, she brought a wealth of experience from her time as a staff member with the Greater Los Angeles chapter, where she worked on the wish assist team helping to grant wishes.

For the past five years, Cristina Gonzalez has been an invaluable volunteer in many different roles. 

"My favorite part of volunteering is meeting the different families and wish kids and learning how imaginative and creative each kid is with their wish,” says Cristina. “I love the smiles on our wish kids' faces when they learn their wishes are coming true.”

In addition to volunteering as a wish granter, Cristina has served on our Volunteer Advisory Council and supported events like Walk for Wishes. She’s also fluent in Spanish, which is an asset for our Spanish-speaking families. 

One of Cristina’s most impactful roles is as an airport send-off volunteer. She supports families through the complex logistics of air travel, ensuring a smooth and stress-free experience. 

“Cristina is an all-around volunteer who does so many different things,” says Daniel Marlay, Director of Volunteer Services. “She is a wish granter, an airport sendoff volunteer, an event volunteer, and more. Whenever we have opportunities, Cristina always has her hand up, willing to help.”

When Cristina arrives at the airport for each wish, she meets the family to help them through security and guide them to their gate. Her role is to make the airport experience as smooth as possible, handling any issues that may arise and ensuring the family feels supported. 

“A lot of these families are non-native English speakers and have never been on a flight before,” says Cristina. “They’re dealing with the stress of a child with medical issues, managing medical equipment and medications, and navigating the airport can be overwhelming.” 

Cristina remembers one mom in particular, who was exceedingly grateful for the support. 

“She told us, ‘Thank you so much. You guys have made it so easy to get through all this because I didn’t know what to expect,’” recalls Cristina. “It was really nice to hear that, and felt like, ‘okay, we were doing our job.’”   

At the gate, Cristina introduces herself to the airline staff and provides them with a letter from Make-A-Wish that explains the family's situation. This letter ensures the crew is aware they are assisting a wish child, streamlining the process and prompting the crew to give the wish child some special attention. The airline typically calls the wish family to board first, gives a brief speech, and then offers a tour of the cockpit, where the wish kid gets to meet the pilot and flight crew. 

For Cristina, the most rewarding moments come from seeing the excitement on the children's faces as they prepare to board the plane, many experiencing their first flight.   

“It’s fun getting to be with the family,” she says. “I love seeing the kids run up to the window and they're just staring at all the airplanes taking off and coming to the gate. They're just like, ‘wow.’ It's just really cool to see it from the wish kid’s point of view.” 

Cristina’s dedication has made many travel wishes not only possible but truly unforgettable. “We know we can always count on Cristina, and she always does a great job,” says Daniel. “We're thankful for her support, and glad to have her on the team. 

Thanks to her efforts, wish families can board their flights with peace of mind, knowing they are in caring hands and setting the tone for an unforgettable wish experience.  

Cristina says, “I volunteer because, even though we cannot make everything better as much as we all wish we could, we can, for one moment, have our wish kids focus on being kids and making lasting memories with their families."