The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Maine depends on volunteers
statewide to help make magical, memorable wishes come true.
Children provide the inspiration, volunteers provide the passion.
There is no financial obligation to volunteer for the Make-A-Wish Foundation,
and the rewards are priceless. See the volunteer picture gallery!
Wish Granters This specially trained group of volunteers comes into direct contact
with the wish children and their families, working as a liaison between
the family and the staff to fulfill each child's dream. Wish Granters
work in teams of two and most Wish Granters complete one or two wishes
per year. Listen to a husband and wife team talk about their wish granting experience here or another wish granter who is paired up with other volunteers.There is no financial responsibility - all expenses are paid
for by Make-A-Wish. Wish granting volunteers must be 21 years old or
older, and must attend a one-day training. Click for more information on becoming a Wish Granter.
Wish Assistants
Volunteers are needed to assist in our Camden and Portland offices with
light office work - such as preparing mailings, photocopying, data
entry, etc. Wish Assistants also work from home on certain needs, such
as phone surveys or research projects.
Wish Ambassadors
These volunteers are called upon to do a variety of tasks. They
represent Make-A-Wish at local events or presentations, speak to
community groups, send-off and welcome back wish children and their
families at the airports, and help with our Kids for Wish Kids Program
in local schools.
Event Volunteers
Each year the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Maine holds an auction in the
summer, and Walks For Wishes in the spring and fall. Volunteers are
needed at these events to assist with everything from blowing up
balloons to organizing walk teams and collecting pledges. In addition,
other organizations throughout the state host fundraising events on our
behalf throughout the year, and volunteers are always needed to help
out in various ways on the day of each event.
Fundraising
Fundraising volunteers assist the foundation in direct solicitation of
individual and corporate cash gifts. They help identify donors, and
work with our board and staff to approach prospective donors for gifts
of all levels, including membership in our Circle of Angels giving
club.
For more information on volunteer opportunities, please contact Eileen
Chretien at 207-221-2306, or Eileen@maine.wish.org.
Hear what a pediatric cardiologist has to say about Make-A-Wish.
$20: buys gifts to help keep wish kids excited about their upcoming wish
$50: packs travel bags for volunteer “wish granters” to give to wish children and their siblings
$100: pays for a “wish party" where the child, family & friends celebrate the granting of the wish
$500: buys a desk, chair and various accessories to delight the child with a computer wish
$1000: takes care of meals, souvenirs and expenses for average-sized family at Disney World
$2500: pays for the airfare for entire family to travel to meet his/her idol--sports hero, band, etc.
$6000: GRANTS A COMPLETE WISH for a Maine child!
Circle of Angels: While eighteen-year-old Brandi, of Sidney, Maine, was going through
treatments for cancer, she received many guardian angel pins from
friends and family. The pins boosted her spirits so much that when it
came time for her to make her wish, she asked to travel to New York
City to give guardian angel pins to children who lost their parents in
the September 11th attacks that had occurred the year before. She
handed out more than 1,000 specially designed guardian angel pins to
children who lost parents as well as to firefighters and police
officers who lost colleagues. The Circle of Angels recognizes
individuals who donate $1,000 or more to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of
Maine. Donors will receive one of Brandi's angel pins.
Wishmaker: To qualify as a Wishmaker, a donor or group must raise or contribute a
tax-deductible gift of at least $6,000 in cash or securities within one
year. Wishmakers are recognized by having a wish granted in their
honor, and will receive an album containing photos and stories about
the children's wishes they sponsored. Click for more information on becoming a Wishmaker.
Chris Greicius Societies: The Make-A-Wish Foundation of America began in 1980 when officers of
the Arizona Department of Public Safety granted the wish of
seven-year-old Chris Greicius, who was living with leukemia, to be a
police officer for a day. The power of that wish in his life provided
the inspiration for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which is now the
largest wish-granting organization in the world.
The Chris Greicius Society of Joy recognizes individual annual giving
of $10,000 or more based on the calendar year. Members receive a
Society pin and specially designed collectible box with star keepsake
inside.
The Chris Greicius Society of Strength recognizes individual cumulative
lifetime giving of $100,000 or more. Members receive a Society pin and
custom-created Make-A-Wish wand.
The Chris Greicius Society of Hope recognizes individual deferred or
planned gifts of $10,000 or more including:
Bequests received
Inclusion in a will or estate plan
Charitable trusts
Charitable gift annuities
Gifts of life insurance
Endowment gifts
Pooled income fund gifts
Members receive a Society pin and
personalized wish journal.
Hope Stout Society: When twelve-year-old Hope Stout was asked in 2003 to make a wish, she
instead inquired about how many children were still waiting in her
state of North Carolina to receive their wishes. Hope's wish was to
grant the wishes of all 155 children on the waiting list, which meant
raising $1 million dollars. With Hope's determination and a generous
community, her wish came true. The Hope Stout Society recognizes
individuals who have reached $1 million in cumulative lifetime giving.
With a minimum of $250,000 in cash and/or securities, the remainder can
be a deferred gift. Gifts can be a combination of donations to the
Maine chapter and the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America. Members will
receive a Society pin and a customized gift.
The following criteria apply to all levels of giving except the Chris
Greicius Society of Hope: Only gifts where the donor has received
nothing in return can be included; In-kind gifts are not included;
Gifts of readily marketable securities are included based on the value
of the date received; Gifts can be a combination of local chapter and
national gifts; Gifts from individual or family foundations can be
included.
In-Kind Donations: An in-kind donation is a donation of non-monetary product or service.
Unfortunately, we cannot accept used items. All items must be new. Donations
such as this provide great benefit in helping the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of
Maine stretch our dollars in support of Maine's Special Children, and we are
very appreciative of your support.
Contribute Items to our Wish Closet: The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Maine provides "travel bags"
filled with all kinds of fun things for all wish children and their siblings
who are going on travel related wishes. AND, since travel related wishes
make up about 80% of the wishes we grant every year...that's a lot of
goodies needed to put inside! We have a wish closet in our Camden office
that has been depleted of all kinds of different items to fill travel bags,
and we could use some help stocking it up again! Below are some examples of
the types of items we're looking for - basically anything fun to keep kids
occupied while waiting in airports or to occupy their time while in the air.
Phone cards (both for U.S. and international travel)
Disposable cameras – including underwater disposable cameras
Autograph books
'tween to teenage books
'tween to teenage magazines
Backpacks
DVD’s (rated G)
Video Games (rated Early Childhood or Everyone only)
Party supplies
Bead and craft kits
Teen/adult toothbrushes
Small handheld electronic games and Non-electronic games
Picture books
Word search books, crossword books, activity books
Sudoku books
Playing cards
Those are just a few ideas to get you started! You can hold
a collection drive for the items, or you can hold a fundraiser and then use
the money to shop for the items yourself.
For more information, or if you have questions regarding items for our Wish
Closet, please contact Melinda at the Camden Make-A-Wish office at 1-800-491-3171
or mferrazza@maine.wish.org.
Sign-up to join our Make-A-Wish Foundation of Maine mailing list!
This specially trained group of volunteers comes into direct contact
with the wish children and their families, working as a liaison between
the family and the staff to fulfill each child's dream. Wish Granters
work in teams of two and most Wish Granters complete one or two wishes
per year. 
