"Make-A-Wish makes a huge difference in kids’ lives. When there isn’t a
cure, there is still something positive in their lives to look forward
to."
There are four steps to granting a wish. Each step builds on the next to help create the amazing experiences that delight wish kids and their families. A wish experience is frequently a source of inspiration for children undergoing difficult medical treatments and a positive force that helps them overcome their obstacles. A wish experience is often more than a dream come true: It’s the catalyst that rekindles their belief in themselves and the promise of their future.
Step 1: Referral
We rely on medical professionals, parents and children themselves for referrals. Children who have reached the age of 2 ½ and are under the age of 18 at the time of referral who have not received a wish from another wish-granting organization may be eligible for a wish.
Step 2: Medical eligibility
We determine a child’s medical eligibility with the help of the treating physician. To receive a wish, the child must be diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition – i.e., a progressive, degenerative or malignant condition that has placed the child’s life in jeopardy.
Step 3: Finding the true wish
We send one of our enthusiastic wish teams to learn the child’s one true wish. These passionate volunteers connect with wish children and help explore their imaginations for the experience that will delight and inspire them.
Step 4: Creating joy
Our wish granters create an unforgettable experience driven by the child’s creativity. It’s an incredible experience that enriches not just the lives of the children and their families, but often an entire community.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), with more than 1.8
million members and supporters, is the largest animal rights
organization in the world.
PETA focuses its attention on the four areas
in which the largest numbers of animals suffer the most intensely for
the longest periods of time: on factory farms, in laboratories, in the
clothing trade, and in the entertainment industry. We also work on a
variety of other issues, including the cruel killing of beavers, birds
and other "pests," and the abuse of backyard dogs.
PETA works through public education, cruelty
investigations, research, animal rescue, legislation, special events,
celebrity involvement, and protest campaigns.
Until There's A Cure® is a national organization
dedicated to eradicating HIV/AIDS by raising awareness and funds to combat this pandemic.
Our dream is that no one else will become infected with
HIV. For those who are HIV positive, we are dedicated on their
behalf to educating all people about the virus and the
overwhelming need for love and compassion in fighting this
pandemic.
Our goal is to fund prevention education, care services, and vaccine development
using The Bracelet as the tool. The Bracelet will not only serve as a bridge to unite people to fight HIV/AIDS, but will
help to increase awareness, compassion, understanding, and responsibility.
Until There’s A Cure is committed to:
• Funding innovative programs which promote AIDS awareness and prevention education for our generation
of young Americans. • Providing financial support for care and services for those living with AIDS.
• Actively supporting AIDS vaccine development which offers the best hope for reducing the spread of HIV.
Sometimes called Ellis Island's "forgotten side," nearly 30 hauntingly
beautiful buildings on the Island's South Side have been vacant,
shuttered, and unseen by the public for well over a half a century.
These are the former buildings where immigrants in need of medical
attention received care.
The buildings are in dire need of repair and your help. Save Ellis Island, Inc. has joined the National Park
Service to raise funds to rescue and reuse these buildings.
Ellis Island is a great national landmark and irreplaceable American icon. From 1892 to 1954, the island
served as a gateway into the United States for over 12 million people from all over the world. Today
nearly 40% of all Americans can trace their roots to Ellis Island. In 1954, the island was closed but not
protected from the elements of weather. In recognition of its importance to our heritage and the
need for its preservation, Ellis Island was added to the National Park System in 1965 as
part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument.
The American public, led by the Statue of Liberty - Ellis Island Foundation, contributed all of the funds
to restore the Ellis Island Immigration Station's Main Building and reopen it as a Museum in 1990. Almost
two million visitors a year visit this national park to learn about and retrace the
steps of immigrants who were examined and processed here before beginning a new life in this country.
Yet much of the island remains closed to the public. Save Ellis Island, Inc. has joined
the National Park Service to raise funds to rescue and reuse these buildings.
Kristin's Story: When my grandfather, Frank, came through Ellis Island in 1903 from Fano, Italy, little did he know that he would later meet Adela, also from the same town in Italy. They married in Big Run, Pennsylvania and raised their new American family. My other grandparents, Peter and Angela, also came through Ellis Island, from Genoa, Italy in search of new life and new opportunity. Eventually my family would migrate East to West, settling in California. I honor my family's legacy, which was built on the courage and commitment of my ancestors to chase their dreams. I cherish the love and hope that has guided my family's lives and has made it possible for me today to reach for the stars.
