Volunteering: Frequently Asked Questions

Can anyone be a volunteer?
Volunteers must be positive, outgoing and passionate about children and our mission to grant wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions. It is important that Make-A-Wish volunteers work well with others. All volunteers must pass a background check due to volunteer interaction with wish children and the possible handling of money at events.

Do you have volunteering positions that are not emotionally demanding?
Although most volunteers eventually come into contact with a wish family, office volunteers, Wish Ambassadors and event volunteers do not work with them directly. These roles do, however, contribute to the overall success of making wishes come true.

What type of training does volunteering require?
All volunteers are required to attend a one-hour orientation, which explains who we are, what we do and our volunteer opportunities. Wish volunteers are required to attend Wish Training (5 hours) and Wish Ambassadors attend Speaker's Training (3 hours).

What are the benefits of volunteering
with the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® ?
In every way that you volunteer at the Make-A-Wish Foundation^®, you will know that your work helps to bring hope, strength and joy to a child during a very difficult time in his or her life. You will meet and work with our dedicated staff and volunteers in a supportive and challenging atmosphere.

How much of a time commitment is required for volunteers?
We ask that our wish volunteers work on 3-5 wishes per year.

I'm not 21 years old. Can I still volunteer for the Make-A-Wish Foundation^®?
Although all wish volunteers must be at least 21 years old to work on wishes, there are a number of other volunteer opportunities including helping at events, working in the Make-A-Wish office or organizing a fund raiser at your school.

Do your wish volunteers travel with the family/child?
No, because there are 74 other Make-A-Wish chapters around the country. When we send a wish family to another state, that chapter helps facilitate the wish.