Fort Lauderdale, FL (April 21, 2011) - There aren’t many absolutes at the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Southern Florida, but one of them is this: Every eligible child with a life-threatening medical condition will receive a wish.

So, to help it grant the more than 500 wishes it expects to fulfill in 2011, at an average cost of $5,000 per, the nonprofit organization (www.sfla.wish.org) has entered into a cause-related marketing partnership with Greenwise Bankcard, LLC.  The agreement will enable the foundation to reach potential donors at the point-of-sale of businesses that choose to affiliate with its mission.  Those companies will be equipped with credit card terminals that feature Greenwise’s Donate Wise Now® feature, which will prompt customers to consider completing their transaction by contributing to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.  “It is a great opportunity to raise awareness of the life-changing impact we deliver while generating the dollars to fund more wishes,” said Norm Wedderburn, the Southern Florida chapter’s president & CEO.

Delray Beach-based PeterMark Salon is one of the businesses that have connected to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, with its clientele who use credit or debit cards having the option to donate $1, $3, or $5 or round their transaction up to the nearest dollar.  Either way, money is generated to help the foundation bring, hope, strength, and joy to sick children within its territory.

Robert DiMattina, the president of Greenwise (www.greenwisebankcard.com) and one of the developers of the Donate Wise Now program, says he expects other area nonprofits to follow the Make-A-Wish Foundation’s lead.  “It is a win-win for our partners,” said DiMattina.  “The nonprofits extend their fundraising efforts and reach non-traditional audiences while businesses and individuals can quickly and easily support groups making a difference in the community.”
Since 1983, the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida has granted nearly 8,000 wishes for children and families in a 13-county area that also includes the U.S. Virgin Islands.  It receives no federal or state funding and raises money to make dreams come true for kids who have life-threatening medical conditions through corporate sponsorships, special events, foundation grants, and individual contributions.

The foundation’s brand, reputation, and long record of community impact made it the perfect local outlet for South Florida-based Greenwise’s point-of-sale technology, according to DiMattina.  Nationally, the merchant processors have fundraising agreements in place with the American Heart Association, Child Rescue Network, National Childhood Obesity Foundation, and National Wildlife Federation, among others.

To learn more about Donate Wise Now and the positive impact it can have for nonprofits and businesses, connect with Greenwise Bankcard at (877) 901-0001 or www.greenwisebankcard.com.  For more information, to make a donation, volunteer or refer a sick child to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida, call (888) 773-WISH or log on to www.sfla.wish.org, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.