Volunteer
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Join a caring community of volunteers who transform lives. Together, we can make countless wishes come true.
Your time and unique talents are critical to bringing strength and hope to wish kids when they need it the most. In fact, our volunteers are at the heart of every wish experience.
Make-A-Wish volunteers consider their work impactful and meaningful. And their efforts are rewarded—not in dollars or cents, but in the incredible difference they make in the lives of our wish kids. Volunteers even have the freedom to choose when and how they would like to help transform lives in our community.
Check out our volunteer opportunities and see where you can best help make wishes come true.
Do you have a few hours each week? Maybe a few days each week? Then you can help bring the rejuvenation of wish experiences to kids with critical medical conditions. Join a network of more than 35,000 caring people nationwide who make it possible for Make-A-Wish® kids to live their one true wish.
Wish Discovery Experts are trained wish granters who meet with wish kids (virtually or in person) to help them discover their wish and the 'why' behind their wish. Specialized training is required.
Volunteer Wish Granter, Wish Delivery Expert
Wish Delivery Experts are trained wish granters who help plan the celebration of the wish being granted. Specialized training is required.
Wish Ambassadors are volunteers who enjoy and feel comfortable speaking to others in a professional setting about our history, mission, vision, volunteer roles, and wish stories. Opportunities include speaking engagements at volunteer fairs, fundraising events, and Make-A-Wish meetings with constituents and schools. Specialized training is required.
Governing Board & Regional Councils
Board directors and regional council members serve our chapter through accountability, advocacy, and fundraising. Positions are by invitation only. If interested, please contact Caroline Robbins ([email protected]) or Murphey Sears ([email protected]).
Our chapter hosts a variety of events and fundraisers throughout the year, usually in the evenings or on weekends. Event volunteers help in a variety of ways, including decorating, checking in/out guests, monitoring auction items, handling food, escorting wish families, and accepting donations. For some events, we allow middle and high school students to volunteer with tasks that do not require handling financial transactions or wish families.
Depending on our chapter's seasonal needs, businesses and groups may have the opportunity to support with special projects. These tasks may include letter writing campaigns, decorating the Make-A-Wish office for the holidays, and toy drives. A background check and volunteer application are not needed for this role (unless handling money).
The Kids for Wish Kids (KFWK) program engages K–12 students, schools, and youth organizations in philanthropic and service activities in partnership with Make-A-Wish. This fundraising initiative revolves around rallying a school or group of students to raise funds needed to grant wishes. We have worked with several student council groups, National Honor Societies, and other service-based groups on school campuses. If you are interested in bringing the KFWK program to your school or organization, please contact Emily O'Brien ([email protected]) for more information.
Youth Leadership Council
Youth Leadership Council members have the exciting opportunity to build their own leadership skills while learning how to become a community advocate with a philanthropic mission. Members must be in grades 10–12, a member of a student organization at their school, able to attend monthly meetings at our Addison office, and able to commit to a one-year term (October–May). To learn more about this position, click here.
Intern
Make-A-Wish North Texas offers college students (freshman to senior) and recent graduates the opportunity to gain real-world experience in a challenging yet fun and rewarding work environment. Our chapter works with students and recent alumni who are willing to dedicate 15–20 hours per week and learn about the Make-A-Wish mission, brand, and operations of a high-performing organization. Interns gain a variety of skills throughout the program, including technical proficiency, networking, and relationship management through weekly projects and monthly workshops hosted by local volunteers in top industries. Our unpaid internships run in the spring, summer, and fall. Click here to learn more about available positions and how you can get involved.
How do I become a volunteer?
In order to provide the wish children and their families with the best experience possible, we require potential volunteers to complete the following steps in this order:
- Complete a Volunteer Information Session (pre-registration required)
- Submit a Volunteer Application and Conflict of Interest Form (these will be provided at the information session).
- Complete a Background Check through First Advantage Enterprise (not needed for one-time event volunteers or Wish Ambassadors).
- Attend specialized trainings for the following roles: Wish Granter and Wish Ambassador.
- Aid in granting life-changing wishes!
To learn more, fill out an inquiry form here.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why do I need a background check? Due to the nature of our work, select volunteer positions must successfully complete a criminal background check every 3 years. Make-A-Wish North Texas does not employ or utilize as a volunteer any individual who has been convicted of a crime that (a) victimizes children, (b) is sexual in nature, or (c) involves violence, fraud, or significant theft. We do ask our volunteers to cover the cost of their background check. Your background check will last for 3 years. Please contact us with any questions related to past convictions and/or our background check screening process.
- Can I volunteer around my schedule? Yes! Many volunteers lead busy and active lifestyles with personal and professional commitments. Volunteer opportunities are self-selected and project-oriented. Flexibility is key, as there will not be consistent, set volunteer hours. Wish Granters schedule a time to meet with our wish families based on the family's schedule as well as their own. Fundraising volunteers can select specific days and times based on event needs.
- I am not 18 years old. Can I still volunteer? Yes! Although most positions require an individual to be 18 or older, high school students can aid in our mission by serving on the Youth Leadership Council or bringing the Kids for Wish Kids program to their schools or youth organizations.
- Do volunteers pay for the wishes? Make-A-Wish covers every expense, from the wish reveal to the wish itself, thanks to the generosity of our donors. We only ask that you give of your time!
- What are some of your greatest volunteer needs? Wish Granters and, specifically, Spanish-speaking Wish Granters.
Upcoming Volunteer Events
In-Person Wish Granting Training in West Texas
Saturday, May 18, 2024
10:30am-1:30pm
J. Conrad Dunagan Library
4901 E University Blvd, Odessa, TX 79762
Register HERE
In-Person Wish Granting Training
Saturday, June 8, 2024
9:30am-12:30pm
Make-A-Wish North Texas, Addison office
Register HERE