About Us
Since 1983, the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Southern Florida has given hope, strength and joy to children with life-threatening medical conditions. From our humble beginnings with one boy’s wish to have a computer, we’ve evolved into an organization that grants a local child’s wish every 16 hours.
Mission Statement
The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.
A wish come true for a child with a life-threatening medical condition provides a special kind of magic. It creates an indomitable spirit within the child to help sustain him or her through extremely difficult times, in hopes that miracles can be achieved.
Did You Know?
The Southern Florida Chapter is celebrating 25 years of granting wishes to local children. We have grown from granting two wishes in 1983 to granting 527 wishes in fiscal year 2008.
Today, the chapter serves the children of Broward, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Highlands, Indian River, Lee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, Palm Beach and St. Lucie counties.
The Foundation grants the wish of any child who is between the ages of 2 ½ -18 and diagnosed by a physician as having a life-threatening medical condition. Children may be referred by the child’s physician, parents or legal guardians, social worker or other healthcare professional or even themselves.
History
In 1982, the Plantation Junior Woman’s Club (PJWC) embarked on a service project called “Make-A-Wish®.” One dinner dance and $13,000 later, the seed was planted for what would become the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida.
Nancy Strom, PJWC member, was the chapter’s first president and its driving force for 24 years, while Joan Fenwick guided the Foundation in its wish-granting efforts as the Vice President of Program Services for 22 years. The Plantation Junior Woman’s Club remains a strong and dedicated supporter of the Make-A-Wish mission.
Gap Inc. recently partnered with the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida for a "Weekend of Wishes" and raised an amazing $17,000 to grant children's wishes.
