FAQ

Q. What percentage of my donation goes directly to granting wishes?
A. More than 79% of every dollar you contribute to Make-A-Wish^® Arizona is used directly to help grant wishes of Arizona children with life-threatening medical conditions. This percentage far exceeds the standard upheld by organizations monitoring the work of charities.

Q: Does a child’s condition have to be terminal to qualify for a wish?
A: No. Many of the children who qualify for a wish go on to lead healthy lives. We grant the wishes of medically eligible children (i.e. those diagnosed with life-threatening medical conditions as determined by the child’s medical physician - i.e., a progressive, degenerative or malignant condition that has placed the child’s life in jeopardy.)

Q. How much does it cost a family to have a wish granted?
A. There is no cost to the family. Make-A-Wish Arizona handles all expenses associated with the wish, including travel costs, hotel accomodations, airport fees, food, etc.

Q. What can a child wish for?
A. Wishes generally fall into 4 types: I wish to go, I wish to be, I wish to have, I wish to meet. We like to say that a wish is only limited by a child’s imagination; however, some restrictions do apply to protect the safety of the child.

Q. How old does a child have to be to have a wish granted?
A. The child must be older than 2 1/2 and younger than 18 at the time they are referred to Make-A-Wish Arizona.

Q. Can the child’s family participate in the wish?
A. Yes. The wish experience extends to the entire, immediate family living in the home, knowing that parents and siblings want to share in the magic, too. A wish gives the child and their family special lifetime memories.

Q. What is the medical criteria for a wish to qualify?
A. To qualify for a wish, the child must have a malignant, degenerative, or progressive life-threatening medical condition as determined by their medical physician.

Q. Can a child qualify for a wish if they have received one from another wish-granting organization?
A. No. A child that has received a wish from another wish granting organization is not eligible for a wish from Make-A-Wish Arizona.

Q. Does the family have to know I am referring their child?
A.  Referrals can only be made by the medical physician, the parents or legal guardian of the child, or the wish child themselves. If you know of a child who may qualify for a wish, please refer the family to our website, www.wishaz.org.

Q. Does the family’s financial status matter?
A. No. The economic background of the child and their family has no bearing on whether or not a wish is granted. Make-A-Wish does not discriminate on a family’s financial status.

Q. Are all wishes publicized?
A. No. Wish families can choose whether they will allow publicity of the wish or not. We always respect their need for privacy.

Q. What if a child has special medical needs during a wish?
A. If a child has special medical needs during a wish, they are discussed with the physician and family beforehand and provided for by the chapter as needed.

Q. How do I refer a child?
A. For the fastest response, please contact Referral and Intake Manager, Melissa Tatz, at mtatz@wishaz.org or at 602.343.9446. Or you can click here to complete an online wish referral form (Please note: You will be redirected to the Make-A-Wish web site, www.wish.org).

Q. Can I donate my airline miles to Make-A-Wish?
A. Yes. Your donation of airline mileage can help us grant travel wishes. The Arizona chapter needs nearly 150 million airline miles each year to help travel wishes take flight. Once the miles are donated, they NEVER expire for the chapter’s use.  To donate your miles, please click here. PLEASE NOTE: The IRS recognizes award points and miles as a gift or an award from the airline carrier corporation to the individual.  Therefore, miles donated to charity are not considered tax-deductible. It takes approximately 30-60 days for airline miles to transfer from your account. Unfortunately, we are unable to confirm when this transaction has been complete. 

Q. Is my financial contribution tax-deductible?
A. Yes. Make-A-Wish Arizona is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. As such, financial contributions may be deductible for federal income tax purposes. Please consult with your financial advisor to determine the extent of tax deductibility.

Q. How do I become a volunteer?
A. To learn about our wonderful volunteer opportunities, please Click Here or contact Volunteer Manager, Arin Lopez, at adlopez@wishaz.org  or at 602.343.9441.

Q. Does Make-A-Wish telemarket?
A. Never. Make-A-Wish does not, under any circumstances, engage telemarketers to raise money, despite sometimes being confused with other organizations that do. In fact, Make-A-Wish has a nationwide policy against telephone and door-to-door solicitation. There are a number of other sound-alike organizations – some also with “wish” in their names. Make-A-Wish has no affiliation with any other wish-granting organizations. If you receive a call from someone asking for a donation, that person does not represent Make-A-Wish.

Q. Does Make-A-Wish participate in chain letter wishes?
A. Never. Each day, Make-A-Wish and its chapters receive hundreds of inquiries about chain letters claiming to be associated with the organization and featuring sick children. However, we do not participate in these kinds of wishes. Some names associated with these wishes are: Jessie Anderson, Shane Bernier, Chad Briody , Amy Bruce, Jeff DeLeon, Rhyan Desquetado, Anthony Hebrank, LaNisha Jackson, Nikisha Johnson, Craig Sheldon, Craig Shelford, Craig Shelton, Craig Sheppard, Craig Shergold, Bryan Warner and Kayla Wightman. Please click here if you’d like more information about chain letters.

If you have any additional questions not addressed here, please do not hesitate to contact us:

Phone: 602-395-9474  Email: info@wishaz.org