Chapter Information and Stats
The Illinois Chapter
The Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Illinois is the second largest Make-A-Wish chapter in the United States, granting over 600 wishes last year. Since its start locally in 1985, more than 7,500 children battling life-threatening medical conditions have gained strength and hope as they experience a wish come true. The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Illinois serves children throughout Illinois. For more information, visit www.wishes.org or call 312.602.WISH (312.602.9474).
The most popular wish is for a trip to go to a Disney Park or on a Disney Cruise. Other popular wishes include shopping sprees, swimming with the Dolphins in Hawaii and meeting a favorite celebrity.
The average cost of a wish for the Illinois chapter is $7,500. We receive an average of $2,500 worth of in-kind donations (airline tickets, meals, entertainment, etc.) for each wish. This makes the average cash cost of a wish $5,000. Wish costs vary based on the type and complexity of the wish, and may be more or less expensive than the average.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation funds its wishes in a variety of ways: through private and corporate donations, foundation grants, in-kind donations and services, and fundraisers sponsored by local community and corporate groups.
View Form 990 (pdf)
Wish Families consistently rate their experience with the Foundation as highly positive, with a 99% quality rating from Wish Families.
