Make-A-Wish^® Texas Gulf Coast and Louisiana

Make-A-Wish Celebrates Remarkable Year of Local Impact in Louisiana  

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA (OCT. 16, 2024) – Make-A-Wish Texas Gulf Coast and Louisiana had one of its most remarkable years in its 40-year history, with significant achievements of granting life-changing wishes in the State of Louisiana.

“The generosity of our Louisiana donors has made wishes come true for hundreds of Louisiana children and their families this past year. We’re a local organization with a local impact serving all 64 parishes in Louisiana. The funds we raise stay local to grant wishes for Louisiana Wish Kids. Our partners and volunteers have poured their hearts and souls into granting these amazing wishes. The smiles we see on the kids’ faces on their wish day says its all, that our work is impactful, and we are so lucky to be able to grant more wishes in this great state,” said Shelly Millwee, President and CEO of Make-A-Wish Texas Gulf Coast and Louisiana.

Partners like Atmos Energy, Ballard Brand’s/ PJ’s Coffee, Blue Cross Blue Shield – Louisiana, DDG, Enterprise Louisiana, MAPP, Rouses, Shell Norco, Stuller Fine Jewelry Company and Valero St. Charles, have all helped grant life-changing wishes for kids in the Louisiana territory.

Over the past year, the organization’s Builders of Hope committee, a construction-based committee, has also helped to complete five builds in Louisiana, including Isabella’s Playhouse in Lake Charles, Rontrell’s Monster Truck Playset in New Orleans, and most recently, Jesse’s Backyard Baseball Wish in Baton Rouge.

Jesse’s Backyard Baseball Wish helped to foster over 50 partners in Louisiana, including, Great River Industries, Plank Road Dirt, Otwell’s Services, Richard Price Contracting,

Stirling Properties and, Wesley Construction to successfully build the first-ever backyard baseball field in the chapter’s history. Built for 7-year-old Jesse, who has congenital heart disease and is from Slaughter, the baseball field will also offer a unique resource for the town’s youngest players, who have been without a baseball field for quite some time.

Jesse’s wish also stewarded the support of two local board members, Scott Ballard, owner of Ballard Brands, and Oric Walker, President of the Louisiana Division for Atmos Energy. Walker recently joined the board after seeing first-hand the power of a wish and its impact on the Louisiana community.

To continue its impact in Louisiana and to further reach more kids with the power of a Wish, Make-A-Wish recently welcomed Madison Douglas to the team as Development Director for Louisiana.

Douglas has held a passion for Make-A-Wish since college where she pledged Chi Omega, and later, had the opportunity to intern for Make-A-Wish Oklahoma. She joins Make-A-Wish from LSU Alumni Association, where she most recently served as Major Gifts Officer.

Currently, there are 305 Louisiana Wish kids waiting for their wish to be granted. Kids like 4-year-old Ezekial with an autoimmune disorder from Pineville who wishes to go to Universal Studios to meet Spiderman, five-year-old Colton with a Brain Tumor from Walker who wishes to go to the Peppa Pig Park, and six-year-old Axel with neuromuscular disorder from Baton Rouge who wishes to go to Disney World at Christmas.

Granting wishes like Colton’s, Ezekial’s, and Axel’s are essential to the life-changing work of Make-A-Wish.

To learn more about how to get involved or to help grant wishes, contact Madison Douglas, Director of Development – Louisiana, at [email protected].

To set up an interview with a local Wish Kid and/or community partner, contact Michelle Mason, Director of Marketing & Communications, at [email protected].