2. History The Make-a-Wish Foundation is a non for profit organisation worldwide that grants wishes to children aged 2 ½ to 18 with life-threatening medical conditions. The president and CEO of this foundation is David Williams, who started the foundation in 1980 along side Linda Bergendahl-Pauling, a mother who’s son Christopher passed away after suffering from Leukaemia.
3. Clearly outline its purpose and/or the services it provides to the community? The purpose of the Make-A-Wish Foundation is to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich and human experience and life with hope, strength and joy. The make a wish foundation provides seriously and terminally ill children with the opportunity to make a wish to improve their lives and to allow them to make the most of the time they have left.
4. Employee’s Make-A-Wish Australia currently has over 1200 volunteers with 59 branches in Victoria, Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia.
5. Who is in charge of the organisation? The make a wish foundation organisation was founded by Frank Shankwitz and two other co-founders. Frank was a motorcycle police officer, everything Chris, a little 7-year old boy with Leukaemia, wanted to be. Chris's wish was the first wish ever granted. He wanted to be a police officer like Frank and was the inspiration for the foundation. Today the make a wish foundation is run by David Williams who is the President & Chief Executive Officer.
10. There are four different types of Wishes that the foundation grants. I Wish To Have, I Wish To Be, I Wish To Meet and I Wish To Go are the four categories in which dying children can apply for. A Wish is granted every 40 minutes.
