Wishes Forever® Endowment Fund
Every hour of every day, three children are diagnosed with a critical illness. That’s 27,000 children every year. For these kids, a wish can help them feel better and give them the hope and strength they need to fight – and even overcome – an illness. Right now, Make-A-Wish® is able to grant wishes for only one out of every two eligible kids. So although we granted wishes for more than 15,600 children with critical illnesses in 2018, we have more work to do to achieve our vision of granting the wish of every eligible child. Your support can open the door to endless possibilities for these children and their families when they need it most.
Wishes Forever® is part of our commitment to change the world for every eligible child... today and into the future.
About Wishes Forever
Make-A-Wish changes lives ‒ from Chris Greicius’ wish in 1980, to the next wish we will grant. Today, we are ready to stand by every eligible child and say “you can look forward to something great in your life.”
We have so much to do. We are grateful for the support that makes it possible to grant a wish every 34 minutes, on average, in the United States. But nothing drives us more than the need of children we haven’t served ‒ the eligible children who have not been referred ‒ so we can grant a wish every 19 minutes.
Make-A-Wish invites you to be part of our vision to make a lasting impact and help every eligible child feel better.
Your endowment will transform the lives of children who need the emotional healing of a Make-A-Wish experience. Our endowment professionals can tailor your interests to help the children we serve. You may designate your gift for a specific type of wish, or medical condition, or geographic area ‒ whatever is close to your heart. You can also designate your gift to the area of greatest need. We encourage you to stand by children we serve, and the children we need to reach.
Join us and watch lives become better.
What is an Endowment Fund?
Endowments: Timeless. Meaningful. Effective.
Q: What is a Wishes Forever endowment fund?
A: An endowment fund is a permanently restricted, self-sustaining source of funding. Endowment assets are invested. Each year, a portion of the fund’s earnings are paid out to support wishes. Any earnings in excess of this distribution are used to build the fund’s market value. In this way, an endowment fund can grow and provide support for its designated purpose in perpetuity. When you establish an endowment fund, you create a permanent legacy of wish granting for Make-A-Wish in your name.
Q: How much money does it take to fund an endowment?
A: There are two key types of endowment, each with different participation levels:
- Wish in Perpetuity - $150,000 will establish a named endowment, allowing you to designate specific wish-granting guidelines. This will grant at least one wish every year, forever. Wishes are selected by an internal Make-A-Wish review committee, based on your designation.
- Family Legacy Fund - $500,000 will also establish a named endowment, but this fund will grant approximately three wishes each year. Additionally, with a Family Legacy Fund, you and multiple generations of your family will participate first-hand in selecting each wish, including reviewing wish applications.
Q: Do I need to fund my endowment in one payment?
A: No! We can accept pledges for up to five years, or you can create an endowment through a planned gift (will, trust, life insurance policy). You can even invite friends and family to donate to your endowment! Initially, however, we will require an endowment agreement to create the fund. This agreement between you and Make-A-Wish permanently defines the wish-granting parameters of the fund.
Q: Who manages the Wishes Forever endowment assets?
A: The Make-A-Wish endowment fund assets are managed by BNY Mellon, N.A, with oversight by a national investment committee made up of national board members with financial expertise.
Customize Your Endowment
The Wishes Forever endowment program will ensure that each eligible child receives the life-changing gift of a Make-A-Wish experience – now, and forever. Endowment options are tailored to match your interests with those of wish kids.
What would YOU wish for? You can create an endowment to make that wish come true for wish kids.
- UNRESTRICTED ENDOWMENT
You can ensure that the areas of greatest need are served by your endowment. Each year, these funds generate the income to grant a wish that matches a wish kid's vision of life at its best. - CHAPTER DESIGNATED
You can make an impact in your own community by designating a gift to benefit any Make-A-Wish chapter. With chapters covering every city in the United States, you will see the impact of your gift at work locally. - ILLNESS DESIGNATED
Maybe you have been personally moved by the struggle children have with specific life-threatening medical conditions. This type of endowment allows you to demonstrate your compassion for children with that specific illness by granting their most heartfelt wishes. - WISH PLATFORM
Playgrounds, horses, shopping, travel – you name it, kids wish it. You can create a fund that pairs your personal interests with wish kids who share the same enthusiasm. This type of endowment can be as diverse as the wish requests that we receive.
Want to grant wishes for kids from your hometown to swim with dolphins? You can! This is YOUR endowment fund. Contact us today to begin.
Wishes Forever Contact
Nicole Powers
Director of Planned Giving
1702 E. Highland Ave., Suite 400
Phoenix, AZ 85016
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (602) 792-3249
Fax: (602) 792-3250