The Iowa Make-A-Wish chapter brings positivity and joy in the midst of all the uncertainty and fear.
Des Moines, Iowa–On Friday, March 20, 2020, Make-A-Wish®Iowa launched “Messages of Hope”to continue to bring hope and joy to wish kids despite more 1,000 wishes nationwide and 8 wishes through Iowa currently delayed due to the public and medical concerns of COVID-19. The new campaign answers the question of: how is Make-A-Wish continuing to deliver hope despite the need to postpone the 85% of wishes that involve travel? “Messages of Hope” gives the public a quick, easy and meaningful way to build excitement and motivation for children with critical illnesses in anticipation of their wish coming true. The best part is that anyone can take part in “Messages of Hope” without needing to leave the home.
The campaign is simple: people write, record or photograph a message of hope and encouragement for wish kids waiting for a wish. The message gets shared publicly either on-air or on social media with the tag, @MakeAWishIowa and @MakeAWish, and the hashtag, #WishesAreWaiting. In addition, people should tag or challenge two or more friends when they share their message because the more messages received, the greater the impact on wish kids and their families.
We have already seen an amazing response from Ryan Reynolds, Nigel Barker, the Merrell Twins and others. Jennifer Woodley, President and CEO of Make-A-Wish Iowa shared her message of hope on Facebook and the Make-A-Wish Iowa staff created a message as well.
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About Make-A-Wish Iowa: Make-A-Wish®Iowa creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. We seek to bring every eligible child's wish to life because a wish is an integral part of a child's treatment journey. Research shows children who have wishes granted can build the physical and emotional strength they need to fight their illness. Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Make-A-Wish is the world’s leading children’s wish-granting organization, serving children in every community in the United States and in more than 50 countries worldwide. Together, generous donors, supporters, staff and more than 34,000 volunteers across the U.S., grant a wish every 33 minutes, on average, somewhere in the country. Since 1980, Make-A-Wish has granted more than 330,000 wishes to children in the U.S. and its territories; more than 15,800 in 2019 alone. For more information about Make-A-Wish Iowa, visit iowa.wish.org.