As wish resumption expands, it’s essential to ensure that Make-A-Wish continues to take all possible precautions to protect the health and safety of wish families, volunteers and staff. 

Make-A-Wish Hudson Valley’s Recommendation

Make-A-Wish continues to recommend mask usage to wish families (especially when wishes involve travel or large gatherings) and to volunteers for all in-person interactions.

Providing Masks (if Needed)

For families or volunteers interested in securing their own masks, visit the following CDC page (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/free-masks.html) which can help you locate free N-95 masks in your area.

We have a limited supply of N-95 or KN-95 at the Wish House and can offer them for pickup or mail masks directly to the wish family or volunteer’s home. Note: KN-95 masks typically offer the best fit for children aged 4 – 12.

In-Person Volunteer Interactions

The following guidance should be followed if engaging in-person interactions with your assigned wish families and wish partners. 

• Vaccinations are not required for an individual to volunteer with Make-A-Wish.
• Masks are recommended for staff and volunteer for all in-person interactions.
• Make-A-Wish will not request documentation of vaccination status from volunteers, nor will we document a volunteer’s vaccination status within their volunteer file.
• We cannot, with certainty, verify that all individuals a volunteer interacts with will be vaccinated.

For more information, read the full guidance document.

Questions?

For questions, contact Jillian Rodriguez, Volunteer Coordinator at jrodriguez@hudson.wish.org.

As news regarding the COVID-19 and the re-opening of local businesses continues evolve, we would like to take a moment to remind you on updated wish paperwork, wish granter processes, and wishes that we cannot grant at this time. Please read through carefully as this will directly impact your wish granting tasks.

As you know, we have implemented updated wish paperwork we're calling the Reemergence Wish Paperwork to be used for the foreseeable future.

The updated Wish Child Form will allow you to provide fuller details on each of the child’s wish ideas and provide any additional information you feel we should know can be added on page 4. This has replaced our Wish Family Packet Forms (please discard any copies of the old forms as they will no longer be accepted). In addition, we also have an updated Liability & Publicity Release Form which includes an additional 3rd publicity option. Any questions about this new form can be referred to Jillian directly.

Overall, with this new paperwork, it’s important that you take time with your wish child to understand the child’s true vision of each wish idea, relaying information about what is most important to the child, why they chose their wish, etc.

ENGLISH FORMS

• Bundled Wish Family Packet (Part 1) includes updated Wish Family Paperwork and new MAW Publicity & Release Form.
• Bundled Wish Family Packet (Part 2) includes Wish Granter Checklist, Initial Call Procedures, Enhancement Report, new GKTW Forms, Wish Story/Photo Guidelines, and Tax Exempt Letter/Form. 

SPANISH FORMS

• Bundled Wish Family Packet (Part 1) includes updated Wish Family Paperwork and new MAW Publicity & Release Form.
• Bundled Wish Family Packet (Part 2) includes Wish Granter Checklist, Initial Call Procedures, Enhancement Report, new GKTW Forms, Wish Story/Photo Guidelines, and Tax Exempt Letter/Form. 

Make-A-Wish remains committed to making sure that every eligible child receives a wish. Now more than ever, we are determined to provide our wish kids with strength, hope, and joy.

We ask that, as you continue to work with your wish child virtually to identify a potential wish, ensure that you have collected at least two wish ideas that do not involve travel or large groups. 

At this time, we are unable to accept new wish requests for:

• International travel
• Cruises
• In-person celebrity wishes for the foreseeable future; all celebrity wishes will be granted virtually.

EDITORS NOTE: Wish kids who have already determined their wish will be contacted directly by their assigned Wish Coordinators with these updates, if applicable. In addition, please be sure to complete the 'volunteer notes' section with any information that has come up during your virtual visit(s) that can be utilized for future wish enhancement opportunities.