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Volunteering with the Make-A-Wish
Foundation of New Jersey will likely become one of the most rewarding
experiences in your life. And your efforts will be rewarded, not with
dollars and cents, but with something incredibly more valuable - smiles,
hugs, laughter and the remarkable high that comes from having made a tangible
difference in the life of a child.
Our volunteers come from all walks
of life, including young professionals, corporate managers and executives,
stay-at-home moms (or dads!), retirees and college students. To assist
with wishes, you must be at least 21 years old and share our passion for
bringing joy to the lives of children. There is no age requirement to
assist with other valuable duties such as fundraising or other special
events. To become a volunteer, you will be required to complete a volunteer
application and undergo a personal interview along with a criminal
background check.
As a Make-A-Wish Volunteer you
can participate in helping grant wishes, fundraising or in a number
of
other areas.
Wish granting:
As a wish-granter, you and at least one other volunteer will meet with the child and his or her family to determine the nature of the child’s wish. With support from the office staff, you will then embark on a wonderful journey helping make the child’s wish come true. One of the areas our volunteers enjoy most is using their imagination to help enhance the wish to make it absolutely as magical as possible.
The time required to make a wish come true can vary greatly depending on the type of wish, but don’t worry, your fellow volunteers are always available to offer assistance.
Fundraising:
Our organization depends greatly on our volunteers to help raise the funds that allow us to continue granting wishes. Typically, each county volunteer group runs 3-4 fundraising events each year. These can range from bowl-a-thons to wine tastings to selling raffle tickets. Like a child's wish, many events are limited only by your imagination and creativity. So if you’d like to put your fundraising talents to work, please join us!
Corporate Ambassador:
As a Corporate Ambassador you will work with the Foundation’s Vice President for Development representing Make-A-Wish within your company and helping organize employee fundraising events, or increase awareness of the Foundation through speaking engagements or internal communications.
Office Volunteer:
Volunteers are needed for various duties in our offices in Union and Vorhees.
Special Projects:
From time to time, we will have a one-time and/or short term special assignments. The projects vary according to the specific needs and goals of the Foundation at any particular time.
Wish granting:
As a wish-granter, you and at least one other volunteer will meet with the child and his or her family to determine the nature of the child’s wish. With support from the office staff, you will then embark on a wonderful journey helping make the child’s wish come true. One of the areas our volunteers enjoy most is using their imagination to help enhance the wish to make it absolutely as magical as possible.
The time required to make a wish come true can vary greatly depending on the type of wish, but don’t worry, your fellow volunteers are always available to offer assistance.
Fundraising:
Our organization depends greatly on our volunteers to help raise the funds that allow us to continue granting wishes. Typically, each county volunteer group runs 3-4 fundraising events each year. These can range from bowl-a-thons to wine tastings to selling raffle tickets. Like a child's wish, many events are limited only by your imagination and creativity. So if you’d like to put your fundraising talents to work, please join us!
Corporate Ambassador:
As a Corporate Ambassador you will work with the Foundation’s Vice President for Development representing Make-A-Wish within your company and helping organize employee fundraising events, or increase awareness of the Foundation through speaking engagements or internal communications.
Office Volunteer:
Volunteers are needed for various duties in our offices in Union and Vorhees.
Special Projects:
From time to time, we will have a one-time and/or short term special assignments. The projects vary according to the specific needs and goals of the Foundation at any particular time.
Before you can experience the joys
that come from helping make a wish come true, you will be required to
attend a full-day volunteer training session. Typically held on a Saturday,
the training will provide you with an overview of our mission, the wish-granting
process and approaches to fund-raising. Upon satisfactorily completing
your training, wish granters will be teamed with a more experienced volunteer
for several family visits until you feel comfortable leading your own
team. Annual higher level training sessions are also mandatory.
The time required to help grant a wish varies greatly based on the nature
of the wish and on your efforts to enhance the wish to be sure it is as
magical as possible. Regardless of the type of wish, you will be required
to shop for small “ice-breaker” gifts for the child and all
of his or her brothers and sisters prior to the initial family visit.
Examples of the time required for some of our most common wishes include:
Disney wishes: Many of the travel arrangements for Disney wishes are made by the main office staff, but your role will include helping to make the delivery of the tickets the beginning of a magical experience for the child. This may include shopping for, wrapping and planning the delivery of “wish-enhancements” such as suntan lotion, airplane games, coloring books, books, luggage, clothing, or other treats. Depending on the child's illness, your delivery may include pizza, cake, balloons and more. We've even had volunteers dress up as Cinderella or Mickey Mouse when they deliver the tickets!
Computer wishes: Often our wish children are so computer savvy that they have the exact brand, model number and type of computer all picked out. If not, our office staff will select a computer for the child based on the child's age, interests or special needs. A computer wish can be enhanced with such things as special software, desk and chair or desk accessories. A professional installer can be requested to set up the computer; however, assembling the desk and chair and decorating the room to make the delivery a festive occasion will be your responsibility. For example, a pizza party can be planned around delivery of the computer and assembly of the desk.
Shopping sprees: For shopping spree wishes, children are given a specific amount of money, depending on their age, to spend any way they wish at a local mall or store. Shopping sprees will require that you accompany the child and their family for a full day of shopping at their chosen mall(s). In addition, it is often helpful to have called specific stores ahead of time to let them know a wish child will be visiting the store. Often, the store manager will go through extra efforts to make the wish experience more enjoyable or grant special discounts.
Celebrity wishes: Being a fan of N*Sync or Britney Spears (or at least having a good pair of earplugs!) will at times come in handy when you're a Make-A-Wish volunteer. If the celebrity meeting is to take place in New Jersey, you may be asked to accompany the family as a representative of Make-A-Wish. As with other wishes, you will also be required to shop for additional items to enhance the wish experience.
Please always remember that before you decide to participate in a wish, you ensure that your schedule will allow you to grant the wish to its fullest. And remember, your fellow volunteers are always available to help you.
Disney wishes: Many of the travel arrangements for Disney wishes are made by the main office staff, but your role will include helping to make the delivery of the tickets the beginning of a magical experience for the child. This may include shopping for, wrapping and planning the delivery of “wish-enhancements” such as suntan lotion, airplane games, coloring books, books, luggage, clothing, or other treats. Depending on the child's illness, your delivery may include pizza, cake, balloons and more. We've even had volunteers dress up as Cinderella or Mickey Mouse when they deliver the tickets!
Computer wishes: Often our wish children are so computer savvy that they have the exact brand, model number and type of computer all picked out. If not, our office staff will select a computer for the child based on the child's age, interests or special needs. A computer wish can be enhanced with such things as special software, desk and chair or desk accessories. A professional installer can be requested to set up the computer; however, assembling the desk and chair and decorating the room to make the delivery a festive occasion will be your responsibility. For example, a pizza party can be planned around delivery of the computer and assembly of the desk.
Shopping sprees: For shopping spree wishes, children are given a specific amount of money, depending on their age, to spend any way they wish at a local mall or store. Shopping sprees will require that you accompany the child and their family for a full day of shopping at their chosen mall(s). In addition, it is often helpful to have called specific stores ahead of time to let them know a wish child will be visiting the store. Often, the store manager will go through extra efforts to make the wish experience more enjoyable or grant special discounts.
Celebrity wishes: Being a fan of N*Sync or Britney Spears (or at least having a good pair of earplugs!) will at times come in handy when you're a Make-A-Wish volunteer. If the celebrity meeting is to take place in New Jersey, you may be asked to accompany the family as a representative of Make-A-Wish. As with other wishes, you will also be required to shop for additional items to enhance the wish experience.
Please always remember that before you decide to participate in a wish, you ensure that your schedule will allow you to grant the wish to its fullest. And remember, your fellow volunteers are always available to help you.
We hope you are excited to join us in bringing a little magic to the lives of children facing life-threatening illnesses. You will find it is a rewarding journey, unlike any other.
To become a volunteer with the Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Jersey, simply click here to request a volunteer application.
If you have any additional questions about becoming a volunteer, please do not hesitate to contact Daisy Velazquez at dvelazquez@wishnj.org or at 908-964-5055, ext. 117.
To become a volunteer with the Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Jersey, simply click here to request a volunteer application.
If you have any additional questions about becoming a volunteer, please do not hesitate to contact Daisy Velazquez at dvelazquez@wishnj.org or at 908-964-5055, ext. 117.