Make-A-Wish Southern Florida

History

Make-A-Wish Southern Florida has one powerful mission: Together, we create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Since its founding in 1983 by the Plantation Junior Woman's Club, our chapter has granted more than 15,000 wishes—each one a spark of hope and joy for a child facing unimaginable challenges. 

The milestone 15,000th wish came true for Gemma, a brave 7-year-old battling leukemia, whose dream was to have a VIP experience at Zoo Miami. Her day was filled with wonder: feeding giraffes, meeting elephants and chimpanzees, and receiving a cheetah headband and stuffed animal she named Pepsi. As her mom shared, “It was precious. Just watching her come back to that safe space of being a kid and being carefree, it makes my heart soar.” 

Impact
Our vision is bold and unwavering: to grant the wish of every medically eligible child in our territory.  Make-A-Wish Southern Florida proudly serves families across 22 counties in Southeast and Southwest Florida, the Tampa Bay and Suncoast regions, and the U.S. Virgin Islands—bringing magic and meaning to thousands of lives.

Every eligible child who is referred will have a wish granted. And because each child's wish includes the entire family, thousands of individuals are positively impacted by wishes each year.

Wishes Granted
Each year, we fulfill more than 625 wishes for local children, and we collaborate with other chapters to grant an additional 200+ wishes for children visiting our region.

Wish Types
A wish is limited only by a child's imagination. Make-A-Wish provides the structure, but it is the child's request that determines how the volunteers will turn the dream into reality. Make-A-Wish's most popular wishes are: Walt Disney World® 31%, Shopping Spree 11%, Domestic/Int'l Travel 23%, Celebrity 7%, Cruise 16%, Other 11%

Volunteers
More than 600 dedicated volunteers support our wish-granting mission. They assist as wish granters, at special events, in the office, and as airport greeters.