You can now read all of our Kids Wish Network Blogs over at our main site, http://kidswishnetwork.org/category/blog/. We’ve been quite busy blogging away about all of the great things we are doing at Kids Wish Network.

Drop by and leave us a comment.

Thanks!

The holidays hold various meanings, feelings and associations for different people, whether financial, emotional or spiritual. When it comes down to it, a large portion of the festivities revolve around the children – the treats, cartoons, presents, Santa Claus’ “naughty and nice” lists, etc. Unfortunately, this year will be less than celebratory for many families who may be forced to choose between food and utilities over decorations and presents.

Though considered a “national” organization (working with children and facilities across the country), we are also proud to work with other philanthropic charities in our very own community. During the past few months, our Warehouse Team has been extra busy packing and wrapping pallets upon pallets of toys for countless non-profits who – like KIDS WISH NETWORK – call the Tampa Bay area their home.

We have had the pleasure of donating Gift Banks to: Child Abuse Council, Tarpon Springs Police Department, Homeless Coalition of Pasco County, Project Care Outreach, Pasco Kids First, CHIPS (Clearwater Homeless Intervention Project), Arnette House, PARC, MARC, Children’s Medical Services, Harbor Treatment for Children, and CASA Community Shelter.

“The wonderful generosity of KIDS WISH NETWORK helped make over four hundred families have a great holiday this year. These are children and families who without your support would not enjoy the holidays that so many us take for granted. You helped make Christmas possible and have made a difference in the lives of so many children. Thanks also for the wonderful work you do all year.
- Child Abuse Council

“This year Kid’s Wish Network helped make the children and youth of the Arnette House’s holiday season much brighter. Our children and youth who are with us at the holidays, often worry about not being with family and friends. They worry, “will I be forgotten”, “will anyone remember to bring me a present”, “what will Christmas Day be like at the Arnette House”. They experience anxiety and sadness, but because of the generosity of the Kids Wish Network, staff can help dispel a little of their worries and fears and help make their holiday season as comforting and enjoyable as possible. Thank you Kids Wish Network!”
- Arnette House

“Thanks so much for the incredible donation of the Hope for Holidays Gift Bank. We’ve already begun distributing some of the items to our Healthy Families participants who often come to us greatly in need of the kind of items you’ve supplied. Thanks again to Kids Wish Network for this donation. We’re so pleased to be working in partnership with you to help our program participants have a brighter holiday season!
- Pasco Kids First

The ancient African proverb states, “It Takes A Village To Raise A Child”. We never claim to be “the village” but in conjunction with these big-hearted organizations, we hope to make a difference not just during the holiday season, but all year round!

~Susan
Facility Coordinator

There is such a variety when it comes to what these children want for their wishes. There’s a girl who wants a zebra striped room with red accents, a boy who got a log cabin playhouse, the little girl who wanted only to buy things for her Lhasa Apso, the boy who wanted to go back in time to see dinosaurs (he went to the Smithsonian), the girl who wants to hunt ghosts, the boy who wants to visit Yellowstone…the list goes on. I just love hearing what these kids want. It makes me feel a little like one of Santa’s elves, listening in to what the kids are telling Santa. It’s a magical feeling.

Alicia
Editorial Department

Day 2: Kingsport, Tennessee

Following an early breakfast, we headed down to the “Santa Train”, which turned out to be a very beautiful old Blue Train. It was sitting patiently waiting for us at the station behind the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce. When the ‘Food City’ trucks pulled up, everyone joined in and got to work loading the train with all the toys and food which had been packed in bins the previous evening.

When I first boarded the train, it looked very roomy and I wondered why everyone who had taken this trip before talked about what little space we would have on Saturday. Well, it didn’t take long for me to see why! The bins holding the gift bags for the boys and girls were stacked high and they blocked out all the light coming in from the windows. We also had tables full of larger toys that would not fit in the gift bags and would also need to be handed out. Then there was another carriage full of food bins and another carriage from which we would be constantly replenishing our supply to pass out. I was really starting to get excited!

So, while we went to lunch, the train departed Kingsport to make its way to Pikeville, KY where we would meet up with it the following day. But, just to recap on lunch, it turns out that I’m a ‘Southern Food’ lover! What delicious tasting food.

Back at the hotel, there was work to be done and I happily joined the CSX girls in their preparation for the big day. More volunteers started to arrive late in the afternoon and over dinner that evening I got to know some new friends that I would be working closely with on Saturday. It was fun! They even had a Christmas tree in the room which was very festive! Don’t I have a hard job? LOL

Stay tuned in to read the next installment…

Ashley
Distribution Department

Not literally, but I’m really excited about an event that a few of our representatives are attending over the weekend: our Holiday of Hope “kickoff” party at Shriners Hospitals for Children in Philadelphia!

The last Holiday of Hope party we hosted there was a huge success! I’ve heard about some of the activities our Facility Coordinators have planned for this coming Saturday and I simply can’t wait to hear all about it when they get back in on Monday!

We’ve sent the hospital a “gift bank” of toys and gifts worth hundreds of thousands of dollars for the sick children there and I’m eagerly waiting to hear the stories of how happy the kids are. I can practically see all those smiling faces now!

I’m sure it’s going to be a big hit that’ll be tons of fun for everyone involved, especially the kids. It really is all for them and they truly deserve it.

Stay tuned for when the girls get back. They’ll be so full of great stories that they’ll be eager to blog about them!

Shelley
Executive Director

This year I shared Thanksgiving with some friends of family members. Some of my family was talking about what my job is at Kids Wish Network and then the questions started. What do you do there? Isn’t it hard work? Doesn’t it break your heart to hear and see all the children who are so sick? So, even though I was sick myself, I took pride in answering all of the questions. It was so cool to see how interested everyone was in what I do.

What happened next is one of the many reasons I do what I do; I got to tell everyone WHY I work at Kids Wish Network. It’s such a wonderful and rewarding feeling to fund wishes for these very special children, I told them. It’s great to give them a glimmer of happiness that they will never forget. I learn about new places and towns I otherwise never would have heard of.

I really enjoy telling people about what I do at work all day: helping to make wishes come true for hundreds of children.

How many people in this world can say that?

Megan
Development Department

This holiday season is a lot more special to me than years before. Working here at Kids Wish Network and having to read about what some of our “wish kids” have to go through is just truly heartbreaking. I couldn’t imagine some of the things that they must endure every day; it makes me realize how much I take for granted. This year I’m even more grateful for the many good things in my life. Happy Holidays to everyone and their families!

Melissa
Development Department

I’ve blogged on this before, but I really like receiving all the surveys from Wish Kids, Hero Kids and Gift Bank recipients. There are always such exclamations of joy and surprise and well, just wonderful things about what these kids and facilities have received. The parents of Wish Kids love to talk about the smiles on the faces of their children as their wishes are granted; the families of the Hero Kids love to talk about how surprised their children are when they find out they’ve won the award. The facilities are just pleased all the way around with what our awesome Distribution Dept. sends them. Every survey makes my day that much better and that’s just completely wonderful. I love it.

Alicia
Editorial Department

Wow, where do I start? What an amazing adventure! I am still on a high from the whole experience! I had planned on blogging every day when away, but this didn’t work out because I had far too much to do there. So, I’m going to try and give you a daily synopsis and hopefully get across the excitement, enthusiasm and magic I experienced during the four days I spent with a lot of really wonderful people.

Day 1: Food City in Kingsport, Tennessee

Following an early flight, I finally arrived in Kingsport, Tennessee. What an amazing sight to see when we pulled into the car park at their local Food City. All I could see was mountains of toys, our toys! This packing event has been a tradition in these parts for many years now and they knew exactly what they were doing. What wonderful people! To the “uneducated eye” it might appear chaotic but boy did they have a system going. We packed 5,000 gift bags for boys and girls in approx. 3 hours. I felt so proud to see all the wonderful toys that KWN donated being packed into these Santa Train Gift Bags.

People were constantly thanking me, as the KWN representative, and complimenting us on the size of our donation and the wonderful variety of quality toys this year. Jamie from Food City, who has been involved in this event for the past seven years, said that donations were so low this year that without our donation, they would have been in big trouble. Apart from packing toys, Food City also had volunteers packing their donated food items for the train. There were a lot of smiles and laughter and everywhere there was an overall “feel good” atmosphere. It was dark when we finally came up for air after the job was done. It was an amazing thing to see everyone come together for this wonderful holiday tradition with a common goal: to reach out to the less fortunate, in particular the children and families of the Appalachians, and make their holidays a little brighter.

Stay tuned for Day 2…

Ashley
Distribution Department

This is a short week at Kids Wish Network. Not because there isn’t work to do, but because Thanksgiving is Thursday and we have Friday off, too.

For many people, Thanksgiving is about food, family and spending time with the ones they love. It is a time to remember what is important and to give thanks for all the ways they have been blessed.

Thanksgiving is such an awesome holiday. It is a day to slow down and take a look at all the wonderful things we have. It is a chance to escape from the toils of daily life – and the struggles we face each day – and truly be happy for what we have.

I try to remember what is important on a daily basis. I always like to think about the positive things in my life, and not get caught up in the snares of the world. But sometimes it is hard to focus on the good things, especially when you feel like there are too many problems you are facing.

Working at Kids Wish Network for the past five months has put life into a new perspective for me. I talk to so many different families who are struggling with issues that make my worries seem menial. Their strength and courage is truly a testament to the kind of people they are and the kind of faith they have.

This Thanksgiving, I am thankful for not having to face the issues that families across this country deal with every day. I know that there will be curveballs thrown at me in the future, and for that, I am thankful that I am working here because I will remember the ability of our families to pull through the tough times and maybe it will help me do the same.

Elizabeth
Wish Department

When I came to Kids Wish Network over a year and half ago, I had been laid off. My background was in mortgages and, with the market being so unstable, there was really nothing left for me to do in that industry. However, that was okay with me because I felt like I had reached a point in my life where I needed a change. Not knowing what to do next, I spent the next few months browsing the internet looking for something that would be different. I answered an ad for an Administrative Assistant at Kids Wish Network and I got an interview there; I was hopeful because just knew in my heart that it was “right.”

It is a wonderful feeling to get up every day with a purpose that goes beyond just the needs of my family and myself. The people here at Kids Wish are like a family; everyone seems to pull together if anyone is down or having troubles. I am so grateful for this opportunity not only to help children in need, but to also be around caring people who are much like my other family.

Heather
Distribution Department

As the Director of Distribution for Kids Wish Network, I am grateful for our ever faithful donors that give to our organization. Every day I come into the office and my goal is to ensure that every child we encounter will have what they need and then some. It brings me so much joy to see the tons of amazing toys that leave our warehouse and know in my heart that some very deserving children are going to be smiling and filled with happiness because of them. My heart overflows with joy every time I get a letter or survey back from a facility that we have served telling us how the children enjoyed the toys, games and various other gifts that were sent to them. I am so thankful that I can get up every morning and make a difference in a child’s life. I live to see that these kids are happy!

Barbara
Director of Distribution

DUNCAN, Okla. – A boy suffering from Crohn’s Disease has his only wish granted through children’s charity, Kids Wish Network.

Earlier this year, 13-year-old Shawn was asked what he wanted if he were to wish for anything in the world. He replied quickly that he wanted an Apple flat screen desktop computer. With the help of some outstanding local sponsors gathered by Kids Wish Network Wish Funding Specialist Doris, and some organizing by Wish Coordinator Jill, Shawn’s wish just came true.

You see, in 2001, Shawn was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease, an autoimmune disorder that affects the gastrointestinal tract. This disease has caused a tumor to grow in his small intestine for which he must take chemo pills every day to try and shrink it. In addition, Shawn has severely damaged lungs that cause him an extreme amount of pain. He was hospitalized in 2003 because of this disorder and he must endure daily breathing treatments with an inhaler.

When he entrusted his wish to Jill, Shawn didn’t know that Jill was already thinking of adding some special surprises to his simple wish of an Apple flat screen desktop computer. In addition to the computer itself, Jill arranged to have a special desk chair, an Epson all-in-one printer and a gift box filled with all sorts of goodies sent to the teen.

Shawn’s mother, Rolinda, was more than happy that her son’s wish had come true: “I’m so happy for Shawn,” she said. “I am so proud that he’s so happy. It’s really amazing…really outstanding.”

According to Rolinda, now that her son has his new computer, “he will not stay off of it,” which is fine with her.

As for Shawn’s take on his wish, he is just excited and pleased: “I love it! It’s very nice!”

The computer is exactly what Shawn wanted and that’s all he could have asked for.

“It makes me happy to see him so happy,” said Rolinda.

Kids Wish Network would like to thank the following for helping to make Shawn’s wish extra special: First United Methodist Church, First Christian Church, Beyond the Office Door, LLC. and Epson America, Inc.

Kids Wish Network is a nationally recognized non-profit organization dedicated to infusing hope, creating happy memories, and improving the quality of life for children. If you know a child between the ages of 3 and 18 who may be in need of its wish granting services, please call 727-937-3600 or toll free 888-918-9004. For more information on Kids Wish Network, visit their website at www.kidswishnetwork.org

SUITLAND, Md.- A little boy with a life-threatening illness has the wish of his life with Kids Wish Network.

It all started with a conversation between a nurse and Ian’s mother, Natasha, about Kids Wish Network, an organization that grants the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses.

You see, Ian has Type A Hemophilia. This is an inherited blood disorder that causes a lack of clotting, which leads to severe, almost constant bleeding. In his 5 years, Ian has endured three major surgeries and he is on various medications for his condition.

When Natasha called Kids Wish Network, she was surprised to find that they were more than willing to help her little guy. After the initial call, it wasn’t long before Ian was telling Wish Coordinator Jennifer all about his wish to visit the theme parks in Florida.

Along with the assistance of Wish Funding Specialist, Doris, and some outstanding sponsors, Jennifer worked her magic and set up an awesome family getaway for Ian and his family. This fabulous vacation included a stay at The Royal Plaza Hotel, dinner at the Pirates Dinner Adventure Theater and, of course, tickets to the Walt Disney World Resort and all of the other major Orlando theme parks!

Once in Orlando, Ian and his family enjoyed a real action-packed vacation; their itinerary was booked with fantastic activities and awesome places to visit. Even their dinners were planned out! Kids Wish Network thought of everything and Ian had the time of his young life on his wish trip.

Kids Wish Network would like to thank the following for helping to make Ian’s wish extra special: American Legion Post 8, Compassion Partners, WonderWorks, Pirates Dinner Adventure, The Royal Plaza Hotel and The California Pizza Kitchen.

Kids Wish Network is a nationally recognized non-profit organization dedicated to infusing hope, creating happy memories, and improving the quality of life for children. If you know a child between the ages of 3 and 18 who may be in need of its wish granting services, please call 727-937-3600 or toll free 888-918-9004. For more information on Kids Wish Network, visit their website at www.kidswishnetwork.org.

MILLINGTON, Md. – A 6-year-old girl suffering from a life-threatening illness has her only wish granted through children’s charity, Kids Wish Network.

When she was born, Jessie was diagnosed with DiGeorge syndrome. This is a rare congenital disease whose symptoms vary greatly between individuals but commonly include a history of recurrent infection and heart defects. In her five short years, Jessie’s already endured three open heart surgeries, a surgery to insert a tracheotomy tube and suffers from a seizure disorder. She must use either a wheelchair or a stroller for mobility and is fed via feeding tube. In addition, Jessie was recently given her own service dog (named Riley), uses sign language to communicate and is ventilator dependant for 15 hours every day.

One day, while reading her local paper, Jessie’s mother, Julie Ann, came across an article about a young man named Marshall Hill who had his wish granted through Kids Wish Network before his unfortunate passing months later. The article was to raise funds for the charity in Marshall’s name. Julie Ann wondered if Kids Wish Network could help her daughter as well, so she decided to give them a call.

Once in contact with Wish Coordinator Jill, Julie Ann entrusted her with Jessie’s wish to visit all of the theme parks in Orlando, Florida. With the help of Wish Funding Specialist Doris and some outstanding sponsors, Jill arranged hotel stays, dinner reservations and, of course, tickets to every theme park for Jessie and her family.

“It was all so great! It couldn’t have been better,” said Julie Ann.
While in Orlando, Jessie and her family visited Sea World, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Epcot Center, Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom.

“She loved it all,” said Julie Ann of Jessie’s reaction to the atmosphere of the many theme parks.

According to her mother, Jessie woke up early every day without a hint of grumpiness and signed that she wanted to “go.” Every day, her parents would ask her where she wanted to go and every day she would sign back “More boats, Mickey.” It was obvious what her favorite experiences were and that she wanted more of the same. Even Jessie’s service dog Riley enjoyed himself.

Now that she’s back home in Millington, Jessie still wakes up early every day, signing that she wants to “go” on “more boats” and see “Mickey.” Even though she’s feeling a bit under the weather, Jessie cheers up at any thought of “the most magical place on Earth.”

Jessie and her family loved the trip so much that they’re planning on making another trip there, much to Jessie’s glee.

“It was perfect,” said Julie Ann. “We feel so blessed. We’re so thankful!”

Kids Wish Network would like to thank the following for helping to make Jessie’s wish extra special: Fraternal Order of Police #110, Chesapeake City VFW Post 7687, Fair Winds Gun Club, Peoples Bank of Kent County, Compassion Partners, The Royal Plaza Hotel, Hampton Inn Fayetteville, Pirates Dinner Theatre, Wonder Works, Logan’s Roadhouse, Friendly’s Restaurant and Houlihan’s.

Kids Wish Network is a nationally recognized non-profit organization dedicated to infusing hope, creating happy memories, and improving the quality of life for children. If you know a child between the ages of 3 and 18 who may be in need of its wish granting services, please call 727-937-3600 or toll free 888-918-9004. For more information on Kids Wish Network, visit their website at www.kidswishnetwork.org.