About The Wheels For Wishes Vehicle Donation Program Benefiting Make-A-Wish Foundation® of South Dakota
Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of children facing a life-threatening illness. When you make a car donation, proceeds from the sale of your donation vehicle through the Wheels for Wishes 501(c)(3) charity benefits your local Make-A-Wish Foundation® chapter. Since 1980, the Make-A-Wish Foundation as a whole has granted the wishes of more than 250,000 children around the world.
When children are critically ill, they need a loving family, excellent medical services, an extended community of supportive, loyal friends, and teachers, and people who care. Although doctors provide the medical care, they tell us that a wish is powerful medicine, and it is the wishes that provide hope, laughter and fun time for children to be who they are... children. They want to think about something other than their illness and imagine a future with better days and dreams that come true. If you have a car to donate, your generosity will make a difference.
Your vehicle donation can be a car, truck, motorcycle, boat, SUV, or RV. Benefits are:
- You get a charitable tax deduction;
- You eliminate the hassle of selling your car;
- You help to make wishes come true for local children with life-threatening medical conditions;
- You are helping the green movement by recycling your car;
- You get fast, free pick-up and towing of your donated vehicle; and
- In most cases, your vehicle is accepted whether it is running or not.
From its humble beginnings with one boy’s wish to be a police officer, the Make-A-Wish Foundation® has evolved into an organization that grants a child’s wish every 40 minutes in the U.S., giving hope, strength and joy to children with life-threatening medical conditions.
A network of about 25,000 volunteers enable the Foundation to serve these children as wish granters, fundraisers, special events assistants, and numerous other capacities. These individuals offer their time and skills to help further the Foundation's mission by working in partnership with staff and other volunteers. In return, volunteers experience the joy of making a difference in the lives of children.
How the Make-A-Wish Foundation® Grants Wishes
There are four steps to granting a wish. Each step builds on the next to help create the amazing experiences that delight wish kids and their families. A wish experience is frequently a source of inspiration for children undergoing difficult medical treatments and a positive force that helps them overcome their obstacles. A wish experience is often more than a dream come true. It is the catalyst that rekindles their belief in themselves and the promise of their future.
Step 1: Referral
Make-A-Wish relies on medical professionals, parents and children themselves for referrals. Children who have reached the age of 2-1/2 and are under the age of 18 at the time of referral and who have not received a wish from another wish-granting organization may be eligible for a wish.
Step 2: Medical eligibility
A member of the child's medical team determines the medical eligibility of a child. To receive a wish, the child must be diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition, i.e., a progressive, degenerative or malignant condition that has placed the child's life in jeopardy.
Step 3: Finding the true wish
Make-A-Wish sends one of their enthusiastic wish teams to learn the child's one true wish. These passionate volunteers connect with wish children and help explore their imaginations for the experience that will delight and inspire them.
Step 4: Creating joy
The wish granters create an unforgettable experience driven by the child's creativity. It's an incredible experience that enriches not just the lives of the children and their families, but often an entire community.
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