Make-A-Wish Orange County and the Inland Empire

Raul is a playful 15-year-old boy who lives with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. When asked what his most heartfelt wish would be, he expressed his excitement over a new piece of technology. Can you guess what it was? To see if you guessed correctly, visit our website at https://wish.org/ocie-22

This Valentine's Day, we’re spreading love by sharing the remarkable bond between wish kid Shanya and her Make-A-Wish Central and Western North Carolina volunteer, Barbara. From the moment she met Shanya in 2019, Barbara sensed they had a special bond. Although she suffers from a nervous system disorder and is nonverbal, Shanya is an expressive teenager with the most beautiful eyes, according to Barbara. Upon discussing different ideas for her wish, the idea of a wish to h...ave a puppy instantly lit up Shanya’s face with a huge smile. It was clear that having a Maltipoo puppy named Fluffy was her heartfelt wish. "It was just one of those moments where I said, 'This is why I love this organization... [and] give Make-A-Wish my time. It is worth every minute that I spend here to get to see this,'" Barbara said. You can spread love (and puppy kisses!) and help grant life-changing wishes like Shanya’s this Valentine’s Day by giving at wish.org/ocie/donate. Make-A-Wish America

"There are no limits to what you can accomplish, except the limits you place on your own thinking." - Brian Tracy

Marc is an 18-year-old who loves technology. Despite his daily challenges with cystic fibrosis, he is a member of his high school robotics team, where he helps build robots for competitions. He hopes to one day pursue a career where he can put his technological talents to use! When Make-A-Wish volunteers met him to discover his ultimate wish, Marc’s family wasn’t surprised to hear that his wish was to have a new computer. New technology would help Marc develop his passion into a career. Thanks to generous donors like you, Marc’s wish will continue to benefit him as he follows his dreams and explores career opportunities in the years to come.

We are so pleased to celebrate Monica Cabral’s eighth Make-A-Wish work anniversary! Monica is our Wish Assist Manager and over the past eight years, she has made wishes come true for an innumerable amount of kids battling a critical illness. Thank you for all you do to help carry our mission forward. Please join us in celebrating Monica!

Thank you to our partners at The Disneyland Resort for hosting the first super POD vaccination site in the county to combat the spread of COVID-19. This could not have been possible without the incredible leadership from local first responders, researchers, supporters and county officials. The administration of the vaccine will help pave the way for recovery of our communities and economy. Those interested in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine can view the phased tiers of eligibility and other important vaccination information at OC Health Care Agency’s website, www.COVIDVaccineFacts.com.

For just $36 you can protect our Wish children during the pandemic AND help grant their wish! With new variants and a mask advisory, we want to make sure our Wish children and Wish siblings can stay better protected. That's why we are working to provide them with lab-tested antimicrobial masks - but we need your help! When you sponsor a mask not only will you be protecting their lives, OURA will match your contribution and donate 100% of your purchase towards our chapter. Cl...ick the link to be taken there now! https://welcome.ouragami.org/mawocie OURA

We are thrilled to announce that, together, we granted 9 wishes in January! Thanks to your support, you have instilled hope in nine children battling a critical illness. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for your support in helping grant life-changing wishes.

You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. - A.A. Milne/Christopher Robin

Helzberg Diamonds knows how to make people feel loved. From engagement rings to gifts of gratitude, the I Am Loved holiday bear is the perfect complement to your moment of joy. Helzberg Diamonds will donate $5 from every bear sold in stores and online with donations going directly to Make-A-Wish America, bringing experiences of joy to a child today so they can look forward to tomorrow.

As we ring in the New Year, we celebrate family. Families like yours who came together this holiday to bring joy to wish families waiting for a wish. Thanks to you, more than $5,300 was raised locally through #FamiliesForWishes to support wish families. Your support shows wish kids and their families that they are not alone in their fight. Cheers to you!

When you get your official Make-A-Wish face cover, you invest in hope for a child waiting for a wish. With more than 80 wishes postponed this year due to COVID-19, we’re preparing to grant them at a record pace once it is safe to do so. Thanks in advance for showing your support and helping to keep the community safe. Get yours now: wish.org/ocie/facecovers

We are amazed at Subaru of America, Inc., and their generous customers for all of their support over the past few weeks for the Subaru Share the Love Event! Because of you, Make-A-Wish America will grant even more life-changing wishes this year. Thank you, Subaru!

This past Giving Tuesday, GameStop made Cesar's wish for a PS5 come true, along with 15 other wishes across the nation for a PS5 or Xbox Series X. Thank you GameStop for all you do to help grant wishes for children with critical illnesses! #GameStopGives #WishPower

While battling leukemia, 5-year-old Kennise wished nothing more than to be whisked away to a castle like her favorite fairytales. But first, with the help of Macy's she needed to be transformed into a princess! Kennise was escorted through royal fanfare by her father, the prince, to Kennise’s Kingdom where she got to select a beautiful new princess dress courtesy of Macy’s. She received the royal treatment and we’re so glad her wish came true! Don’t forget to write your letter to Santa now through 12/24! Macy’s will donate $1 to Make-A-Wish America, up to $1M to help make more wishes like Kennise’s come true. Learn more at https://mcys.co/2T2el12. Make-A-Wish Metro New York and Western New York

We are bear-y excited that Make-A-Wish America partner, Black Bear Diner, is helping grant life-changing wishes this holiday season! This December when you dine at Black Bear Diner, $1 from select dessert menu items will be donated to Make-A-Wish! Ordering online? You can donate $1 or $5 to help grant wishes at check out. Thank you, Black Bear Diner, for your dedication to granting wishes!

2020 has been a year of change, a year of reflection, a year of resilience. A year of relying on new ways to connect. Through it all, it's been about family. This month, Make-A-Wish is hosting #FamiliesForWishes, a national campaign that invites families to help wish families. Celebrate the holiday season with your family by raising funds to help families waiting for a wish in your community. Every dollar matters. Start a family fundraising page or learn more today at https://bit.ly/MAWFFW

Have you written your letter to Santa yet? TODAY is the last day of National Believe Week! You still have time to make 2x the impact! Each letter written and received (online or in-store) TODAY, will result in a double donation from Macy's to Make-A-Wish America from $1 per letter to $2, up to an additional $1M. Every letter received gets us that much closer to bringing experiences of joy to wish kids, so write your letter online at https://mcys.co/2T2el12 or drop it off at your local Macy’s today!

This holiday season, we can’t think of anything better than bringing joy back into a child’s life. With help from Make-A-Wish America national partner, Macy's, you can help grant life-changing wishes by donating digitally to Make-A-Wish while you shop through December 24. And, don’t forget this week only, Macy’s is doubling their donation to Make-A-Wish when you write your letter to Santa as part of Macy’s Believe! Each letter = $2, up to an additional $1M: https://mcys.co/2T2el12