"Where there is life there is wishful thinking." -Gerald F. Lieberman

October's Charity is...The Make a Wish Foundation in honor of my little brother Spencer's 20th birthday.

Who are they and what do they do? The Make a Wish Foundation is a non-profit organization that has a simple goal, to enrich the lives of children with life-threatening illnesses by making one of their wishes come true. Wishes fall into four categories : To be, To meet, To have and To go. The possibilities are endless and the imagination is the limit (health concerns are taken into account when making wishes. Children are not granted any wish that would put them at a significant health risk). Their goal is to affirm the life of the child and celebrate those dreams that make them unique by affirming hope and joy.

• Since its humble begging in 1980 with 1 wish, the Make A Wish Foundation has granted 213,838 wishes.
• 75% of donations go directly to fund the wishes in the form of airfare, hotel stays, materials, transportation and other items and services that are used during the completion of the wish.
• 89% of parents observed increases in wish kids’ emotional strength.
• 81% of parents observed an increased willingness by their wish kids to comply with treatment protocols.
• 97 % of parents said the wish experience strengthened their families and gave them the opportunity to be a “normal” family again.
• 94% of wish parents expressed a deeper commitment to philanthropy and volunteering.
• 75% consider of make a wish kids consider their wish to be a turning point in their health battle.

Spencer's Wish: My little brother Spencer had leukemia three times and each time he had it, a doctor recommended him to receive a wish from the Make a Wish foundation. Twice he turned it down, regifting his wish so a less fortunate child would have access to the resources that would be used on his wish, but the third time as he sat in a sterile plastic bubble for months preparing for and recovering from his bone marrow transplant his doctors and nurses insisted that he make his wish. When he had recovered enough and was allowed to eat yogurt and breath non-sterile air, this wonderful foundation granted his wish to go to New York and meet The Tonight Show's David Letterman. They flew all 4 of us (5 if you count Le Guppy in utero), set up our meeting with Mr. Letterman, who was so so nice and got us tickets to see Wicked on Broadway, set up a guide at the Empire State Building so we didn't have to wait in the line, put us up in a nice hotel, gave us spending money for souvenirs and food, and made sure was had comfortable transportation to and from the airport. They allowed us to take our first family vacation in about 10 years.

Pictures from our trip: 1: Statue of Liberty 2: LOVE statue 3:Pershing Square Restaurant 4:View from our hotel room

How do they do it? Make A Wish makes dreams come true though donations of various times. These donations includes money, time, cars, airline miles, gift cards and other materials. They reach people through corporate sponsors and word of mouth. They do not solicit door to door, through chain letters, emails, or telemarketing. Word of mouth is their most successful form or advertising, so tell your friends!

What can you do to help?

• Volunteer your time with a local chapter
• Donate airmiles
• Donate money
• Blog, Tweet or Facebook about Make A Wish
• Follow Make a Wish on twitter to find out about special time sensitive opportunities to help

PS: Don't forget to enter the book giveaway for your chance to win The Repurposed Library!