Make-A-Wish Vermont and Make-A-Wish Northeast New York announced the completion of their merger into one regional chapter. The unified organization will continue under the leadership of Jamie Hathaway, who has served as President and CEO of Make-A-Wish Vermont for the past decade. This unification creates a single chapter serving Vermont, the Adirondacks, Lake Champlain region, and the Capital Region of New York, serving a community spanning 20,000 square miles.

The merger formalizes a successful partnership that began nearly two years ago when the chapters began operating under shared leadership. "By unifying our chapters, we are enhancing our ability to serve wish children and their families across our communities," says Jamie Hathaway, President & CEO. "Our combined resources and expertise allow us to grant wishes more efficiently while maintaining the personal touch that makes each wish special."

Leslie Motter, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish America, added, “This merger reflects our core value of community, showcasing the benefits of working together to have the greatest impact possible on the children and families we serve. We congratulate the teams in Vermont and Northeast New York on this achievement and are confident that this new chapter will deliver hope and joy to even more children battling critical illnesses.”

The unified chapter maintains two Wishing Spaces: the Vermont location at the Vermont Teddy Bear Factory in Shelburne, and the Dr. J. Peter McPartlon Wishing Space in Saratoga Springs, New York. Both locations continue to serve their communities, ensuring every child in the region has access to Make-A-Wish resources within ninety minutes of their home.

While the merger is now official, the organization's websites, social media, and other programs will be integrated over the next few weeks. Throughout this transition, all wish-granting activities continue uninterrupted.

About Make-A-Wish Vermont & Northeast New York

Make-A-Wish Vermont & Northeast New York is a nonprofit organization dedicated to granting life-changing wishes to provide hope, strength, and joy throughout the healing process. Operating from Wishing Spaces in Shelburne, Vermont and Saratoga Springs, New York, the chapter has granted nearly 3,500 wishes since 1986. With the support of generous donors, volunteers, and community partners, we serve Wish Kids across a community spanning 20,000 square miles throughout Vermont and 15 counties in Northeast New York.