When people raise their hands to volunteer for Make-A-Wish, it’s usually because they’re passionate about creating hope and joy for wish kids and their families. For many of our volunteers, positively impacting a child’s life also means enriching their own with inspiring experiences and lasting friendships. In celebration of National Friendship Day, we’re highlighting four of our amazing wish granting partnerships that grew into something more!

Twenty-two years ago, Brenda Yamashita and Joe Sanger met when Joe asked for a partner on a wish. That was the beginning of a beautiful partnership—they’ve now granted more than 120 life-changing wishes together. Their friendship has also extended beyond wish granting and their families have become friends too!  

“Joe is creative and makes amazing pottery,” says Brenda. “I too make crafts so that gave us a point in common and every November we do a craft fair together.”

Joe says, “Brenda's one neat lady. She and her husband are just the most wonderful people in the world. I'm so glad that they're part of my life."

In 2016, Joe and Brenda planned a memorable wish reveal for wish kid Alex, who wished to go to England to see the play Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. They dressed in old timey costumes and surprised Alex and his family at an authentic English pub in El Cerrito by announcing the wish to the whole restaurant.

"We both have so much fun granting wishes together,” says Joe. “We do pretty amazing wish reveals and, after we get done, we always look at each other and go, 'that was really good!'"

“Joe gets so much joy from meeting with wish families and helping fulfill a child’s wish,” Brenda says. “He’s loyal, respectful—and all the things you want in a friend.”

Joy Shmueli and Rose Ann Hummel have a combined 48 years of wish-granting experience between them—Rose Ann having volunteered since 1995 and Joy since 2000. The two became close while volunteering on wishes and at events. “Joy and I volunteered many times over the years and just became easy friends after spending that time together,” says Rose Ann.

“We laughed together all the time and made memories through volunteering,” says Joy. “Rose Ann and I keep in touch and occasionally get together. She’s seen my son grow up.”

After working on just a few wishes together, Joy and Rose Ann developed a natural rhythm. “We just chat and split up the process equally,” says Joy. “We ask each other what we prefer doing and go from there. It’s not a formal process, but trusting each other to make it happen.”

Joy and Rose Ann agree that meeting a wish child and their family is always a unique experience. Joy says, “One wish kid knew exactly what he wanted even before we walked in the house. He just cracked us up. He called our interview an ‘interrogation.’ We ended up moving out to the garage so he could play arcade games while he chatted with us about his wish and his favorite things.”

Rose Ann says, “I just remember Joy being so interested in what the boy was showing her. She’s extremely good with the kids, so she usually talks with the child more and I help with the paperwork. But we've both worked with both.”

Ten years ago, when Kimmy Murphy moved to California from Canada, she struggled to find her place. “I wasn’t able to work and had a five-year wait for a work visa, so I started volunteering at a few different places,” she says.

In 2013, while volunteering hosting events for a vegan/vegetarian girls’ group, Kimmy met Joyce Che, who had been volunteer wish granter since 2009. “I told her how I was trying to find more ways to be impactful and she talked about Make-A-Wish and her experiences there,” says Kimmy. “It really spoke to me.”

Kimmy went through wish granter training and then, when another wish granter couldn't make it, Joyce pulled Kimmy in on a shopping spree wish for a teen named Virginia. “I fell in love with shopping sprees,” says Kimmy, of her first wish. “I loved calling the stores and using the magic phrase: ‘I’m calling from Make-A-Wish and I have a child that would like a special experience in your store,’ and having those stores really go above and beyond to make the day memorable.”

Since then, Joyce and Kimmy have granted more than eight wishes together, and they back each other up if they need replacements on a wish. “If Kimmy signs up for a wish and we aren’t able to find a second wish granter quickly, I may offer to join,” says Joyce. “Or if an opportunity comes up that’s a good fit for us, like a shopping spree, I will ask her to do it together.”

Joyce and Kimmy say that communication and playing to each other’s strengths make volunteering together enjoyable. “When we had in-person interviews, she always preferred to interview the child and I didn't mind,” says Joyce. “I just always hated mailing off the paperwork, and she didn't mind doing it. Teamwork! And bonus, we try to grab a bite to eat before or after the interview!”

Kimmy says, “Joyce is super organized and always has great ideas for wish enhancements too. Our schedules tend to easily match. She knows I love interviewing the kiddos, so she lets me do the fun part. She also knows I love a good shopping spree and doesn’t mind letting me take the reins.”

Saanvi’s wish to go to Disneyland in 2017 was a challenging but rewarding experience for the pair. “Being only two and a half, it was hard to get Saanvi to open up,” recalls Joyce, “but by the end of the interview, she and her brother were both dancing for us in their living room.”

For Saanvi’s wish reveal, Kimmy dressed up as Snow White and made vegan cupcakes for the family. Saanvi’s brother gave them a thank you note that Kimmy kept. “I saw it meant a lot to her,” Joyce says. “Months later, when I went to her place, the note was taped up on the refrigerator.”

“Joyce is such an amazing person,” says Kimmy. “She has become a good friend over the years and has inspired me to volunteer even more.”