Donation FAQ’s
What’s the average cost of a wish?
Wishes come in all shapes and sizes. Some wishes can be very simple, while others can be quite complex. For example, one child might wish to have a birthday party and another may wish for a vacation that requires travel arrangements for an entire family. Costs can fluctuate drastically from wish to wish, but given these considerations, it averages out to be about $7,200, which includes cash and in-kind resources. In order to Adopt-A-Wish®, you must make a donation of $5,000 to symbolically sponsor a child’s wish. Click here for more information about the Adopt-A-Wish program.
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Will my donation help local children or will it be sent to your national organization?
As a local chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, it is our responsibility to raise all funds needed to grant local wishes. Donations received within our chapter territory stay locally to help fund the wishes of children living in Oregon and Clark County, Washington. Last year, the following wishes were granted throughout our region.
We are granting wishes in your community!
In Fiscal Year 2007, the chapter granted 163 wishes to local children
o Northwest Oregon & Clark County, Washington – 94 wishes
o Willamette Valley & Central Coast – 33 wishes
o Southern Oregon – 23 wishes
o Central & Eastern Oregon – 13 wishes
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How does the chapter pay for wishes?
The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Oregon is completely funded by private donations. Funding comes from individuals, corporate donations and sponsorships, foundation grants, workplace giving programs, planned gifts, special events and school fundraising. The also Foundation relies on in-kind contributions to lessen the cost of goods and services. We receive no government funds or grants.
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How does the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Oregon spend its funds?
Based on charitable standards of the Combined Federal Campaign, of each dollar raised in FY07,
88 cents were spent on program services
8 cents were spent on fundraising
4 cents were spent on chapter administration
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Does the Make-A-Wish Foundation conduct telemarketing campaigns?
The Make-A-Wish Foundation does not, under any circumstances, engage telemarketers to raise money, despite sometimes being confused with other organizations that do. In fact, the Make-A-Wish Foundation has a nationwide policy against telephone and door-to-door solicitation. There are a number of other sound-alike organizations – some also with “wish” in their names. The Make-A-Wish Foundation has no affiliation with any other wish-granting organization. If you receive a call from someone asking for a donation, ask the caller to send you more information.
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Does the Make-A-Wish Foundation conduct chain letter campaigns?
No. Each day, the Make-A-Wish Foundation® and its chapters receive hundreds of inquiries about chain letters claiming to be associated with the Foundation and featuring sick children. However, we do not participate in these kinds of wishes. Some names associated with these wishes are: Amy Bruce, Jeff DeLeon, Rhyan Desquetado, LaNisha Jackson, Nikisha Johnson, Jessie Anderson, Kayla Wightman, Craig Shergold, Craig Sheldon, Craig Sheppard, Craig Shelton, Craig Shelford, Anthony Hebrank, Chad Briody and Bryan Warner.
If you receive a chain letter claiming ties to the Foundation, please:
- Inform the sender that the Foundation does not participate in chain letter wishes.
- Direct the sender and all recipients to this web page: http://wish.org/about/chain_letters
- Do not forward the chain letter.
- Refer senders to ways they can help the Foundation, such as referring a child, making a donation, donating their time & talents, or donating treasures
Only one of these requests is based in fact: In 1989, a then 9-year-old boy named Craig Shergold wanted to be recorded in the “Guinness Book of World Records” for receiving the most greeting cards. His wish was fulfilled in 1990 by another wish-granting organization not associated with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He received more than 16 million cards. Craig is now a healthy adult, and he has requested an end to the mail. Mail that is received is forwarded to a recycling center.
The time and expense required to respond to these inquiries distracts the Foundation from its efforts on behalf of children with life-threatening medical conditions, and more importantly, can divulge information that is potentially harmful to a child and his or her family.
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Do you receive funding from the United Way?
Although the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Oregon is NOT a United Way agency, you may designate your gift to us by completing the “Self Directed” gift portion on the United Way Form. Please make sure to include ALL of the following information: Make-A-Wish Foundation of Oregon, 2000 SW 1st Avenue, Suite 410 Portland, OR 97201
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