The Dallas Express recently had a conversation with Kim Elenez, who is the president and CEO of Make-A-Wish North Texas, to find out how the local charity influences the lives of young people and the community.
The organization surprises many people because it doesn't just help terminally ill children. Some think Make-A-Wish is only for kids with an incurable medical condition.
“It’s been a long time since Make-A-Wish only granted the wishes of children with terminal illnesses. Many people still think that if a child gets a wish, it means the child won't survive. But that hasn't been true for a long time. We know children who don’t survive their illness, but we have a large number of kids who do — and we credit that to medical advancements,” Elenez shared DX.
Make-A-Wish North Texas serves 161 Texas counties, including “from Dallas to Fort Worth to Amarillo to Lubbock to Odessa to El Paso,” according to Elenez.
The charity’s area is significant, and so is its impact. The local chapter granted 634 wishes in 2023. The number continues to grow each year, with Elenez noting that its “ability to match that need is the thing that keeps us up at night.”
Elenez emphasized that they are a 100% locally funded nonprofit organization. “There is no big funder that is making all this happen. It is our local community coming together to say, ‘We believe wishes work.’” Besides donations, Elenez noted that “volunteers are an essential component [that serve] as a catalyst for us being able to do what we do.”
Elenez views Make-A-Wish North Texas as a connector for the community.
“That’s what we do here. We are community builders. You know a child on your street, in your family, in your kid’s school. When something happens, people want something to do. They want to help, and there’s really not much you can do to help. We all certainly love casseroles and bringing food over, but what can we really do to make a transformational impact when we feel so helpless? At Make-A-Wish, we’re those community enablers,” explained Elenez.
“Volunteers, contractors, wish managers, the entire family, the entire community come together to help grant a wish,” she told DX.
Elenez described two important ways in which Make-A-Wish impacts the community.
“One, if you ask the medical community with which we partner, I think most, if not all of them, would say that we’re an essential part of the care plan. We are the good news card that they get to throw in when there’s not a whole lot of good news flowing. Two, we get to show people that even when things are bad, there can also be good,” stated Elenez.
When asked what types of wishes children usually request, Elenez noted that the most commonly requested wishes are for trips to Disney World and Disneyland.
“We have a great forever partnership with Disney. They just know how to make a child feel special,” said Elenez. “They know how to bring something magical to life, and they’re a powerful brand. Most kids think of Disney as their wonderland. If they can imagine going anywhere, they imagine going there.”
Elenez said that children's imagination and creativity have no limits when it comes to the things they wish for.
“Illness doesn't care how much money you have. Many of our kids have never been out of Texas, so the idea of traveling on a plane is very significant to them. Travel is popular, but some kids want a dog or to bring their best friend home — maybe they want a horse. Many of our kids don't leave their homes very often, so we transform their bedrooms to be a magical experience or build a playhouse in the backyard,” explained Elenez. DX.
Make-A-Wish North Texas offers experiences to give a break from the often predominant focus on illness.
“Many families tell us that the wish experience allowed them to forget about the illness and its associated issues for a while. We see this as a valuable gift of our ability to play a positive role in creating some wonderful memories,” Elenez explained.
“If a child can dream it, we'll try our best to make it happen.”
To donate to Make-A-Wish North Texas, click here, or to refer a child, click here.
