The Make-A-Wish Foundation is dedicated to granting life-changing wishes to children with critical illnesses. Global Link Distribution and its employees in Elkhart are proud to support the Make-A-Wish Foundation in northern Indiana. If you’re interested in helping grant a child’s wish, contact the local chapter toll free at 877-872-2756.

By: Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana + Global Link

Volunteering is about more than just putting in a certain number of hours and filling a quota. To have a meaningful volunteering experience it’s important to give back to our communities and feel like we’re a part of something larger than ourselves.

Most Americans recognize the importance of volunteering and have made it a regular part of their lives. In fact, 23.2 percent of people in the United States took the time out of their schedule to volunteer between September 2020 and 2021.

The value of volunteers to nonprofit organizations can’t be understated. Often, volunteers are the frontline folks who help conduct programs, work with clients that the organization serves, advocate, and help with fundraising.

Businesses are also starting to recognize the value of volunteering for their employees. Volunteering opportunities at a business create an added sense of engagement with the community and show that businesses care about the communities where they’re located. That can help boost morale for employees and create new relationships for your business in the community.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a well-known nonprofit that makes volunteering simple and fun. Who doesn’t want to make a child’s dreams come true?! The nonprofit has a corporate wish granting volunteering program that can help create purpose for your employees and send a meaningful message to the community about your commitment to care for one of its most vulnerable populations.

Here are some of the ways that your company and your employees can volunteer and get involved with making dreams come true for a wish kid.

ASSIST WITH A PROJECT WISH

While some wishes are for things like a trip to Walt Disney World, other wishes are for more tangible things like a playset or a new room. If your employees excel at putting in the hard work of painting, assembling furniture, decorating, or even constructing things, this might be the right volunteer opportunity for you!

MAKE CELEBRATION BOXES

Wish kids will often have a dream to visit a destination, which is usually not close to home and requires some travel. Your employees can volunteer and help create celebration boxes filled with everything a wish kid will need for their trip — their favorite snacks, games, and toys!

This volunteer opportunity is great for all of your employees, even if they work remotely. Your team can have fun shopping and putting together a celebration box that’s unique to each wish kid. Plus, you can ship the box directly to your wish kid!

THROW A WISH REVEAL PRESENTATION

The culmination of the wish granting experience is the wish reveal presentation. This is an exciting time for the child, the child’s family, and everyone involved with helping the wish come to life!

Your employees can be a part of this incredible, life-changing moment for a wish child. Wish reveal presentations are an opportunity to let your creative juices flow. You and your employees can do anything from hosting a parade for the wish kid, having a huge, wish-themed party, planning a scavenger hunt, and beyond. The sky’s the limit!

If you’re interested in learning more about how your business can get involved with the corporate wish granting volunteer program at the Make-A-Wish Foundation, email Rachel Terhorst, the Northwest Indiana Advancement Officer at Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana, at rterhorst@oki.wish.org.

You can help make more wishes come true for children in northern and northwestern Indiana. Help restore hope with a wish today! To learn more, visit the website for Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana.