Kids for Wish Kids
“
Kids for Wish Kids®” is a Make-A-Wish Foundation® of New Jersey program that enables students to discover philanthropy by selecting their own fundraising project and managing it from start to finish, with little or no help from their teachers or advisers. Students are responsible for coming up with fundraising ideas and carrying them out. Teachers and parents often serve as advisers but ownership of the group belongs solely to the students involved. Students develop leadership skills, build self-esteem and learn about teamwork while working towards a final goal, making a difference in the life of a child who is fighting overwhelming odds.
“Kids for Wish Kids” fosters the value of community service by providing kids with hands-on experience in helping to grant wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions. It also provides a mechanism for building school spirit and creating additional partnerships between children and teachers outside of the classroom.
“Kids for Wish Kids” program objectives:
- Provides a positive learning experience
- Fosters the value of community service
- Teaches compassion and how to make a difference in the lives of others
- Creates school and neighborhood spirit
- Helps students learn to work together for a common goal
- Provides interaction among children, teachers and parents
- Increases awareness among children and teenagers about the mission of Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Jersey
- Encourages young people to become actively involved in fulfilling wishes through the Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Jersey
Raising funds for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Jersey is fun and exciting and there are so many ways to do it. The opportunities available for fundraising activities through the Kids For Wish Kids program are endless – anything from a bake sale or penny war to a dance marathon or student/teacher basketball game – it’s all up to your imagination!
Below are just a few of the many creative project ideas to help get your Kids for Wish Kids fundraiser started:
Have a Make-A-Wish® Money Week: On Monday, students donate their pennies; on Tuesday they donate nickels; on Wednesday they donate dimes; on Thursday they donate quarters; and on Friday, they donate one-dollar bills. You may want to locate a bank that is willing to count your change.
Have a Dance Marathon: You will need to reserve your school’s gymnasium and ask a local DJ to donate his or her services. Have students obtain pledges from relatives and friends and ask local businesses to make cash donations or donate food or gifts to use as door prizes for dancers. Think of fun activities to keep dancers busy, i.e. the hokey pokey, the limbo, etc. Determine a time frame for the marathon; we suggest six hours.
Sell Make-A-Wish star cutouts: You can make your own Make-A-Wish cutouts or get them from your Make-A-Wish chapter. Cutouts can be sold to students for $1.00 each. Students then write their names on them, and the cutouts should then be displayed on a wall in your school to show your support of Make-A-Wish.
Have a Make-A-Wish Fun Run: Students from all schools in your school district can participate in this event! All joggers and walkers are asked to make a small donation to participate. One school district asked for $3 from elementary students, $4 from middle school students and $5 from their high school students.
Have a Paper Chain Link Contest: Paper links are sold to students for 50 cents, and each grade makes a different color chain. They compete to see who can make the longest paper chain for Make-A-Wish.
Have a Hat Day: Students give a $1.00 donation to wear a hat all day at school. You may even want to give a prize to the student wearing the funniest hat.
Sell Candy-Grams: For 50 cents or one dollar, students write messages to friends and teachers, which are delivered during the day. Each message has a piece of candy attached. Candy-grams work especially well around holidays. Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Halloween, Mardi Gras, Easter, Christmas.
Have an A-A-Thon: Students collect pledges from friends and relatives based on the number of “A” grades they think they’ll receive on their next report card. For instance, your mom might pledge $1 for every “A” you receive on your next report card. If you get four “A’s”, you collect $4 for Make-A-Wish! This is a great project for National Honor Societies.
Have a Prom Fashion Show: Borrow dresses and tuxedos from local retailers for the big event, sell advertisements for a program booklet, and solicit local businesses for prizes to be raffled off at a Chinese auction during the event. Charge admission to see the show!
Host a Movie Night: Your school can rent a current movie and invite students and their parents for a fun-filled night. Sell tickets and popcorn. Try to get a door prize donated from a local business and call a ticket number during intermission for a winner.
Have a Pajama Party: Have a school dance where everyone has to wear his or her pajamas and charge an admission fee. Sell snacks and juice to raise even more funds!
Organize a Student/Teacher Basketball or Volleyball Game: Students and teachers compete against each other in basketball, volleyball or any other sporting event you devise. Funds are raised through an admission fee and sale of refreshments.
Create an Art Gallery: Students draw or paint artwork. Parents are welcome to purchase the artwork during an Open House or at an Evening of Art event.
You can try one of these project ideas or come up with an inspired idea of your own!
If you’d like to learn more about the Kids for Wish Kids program, call:
Kristina Maglietta at 609-371-9474
or toll free at 800-252-9474
or by email: kmaglietta@wishnj.org
Kids for Wish Kids Downloads (PDF)
Kids for Wish Kids brochure (461KB)
Kids for Wish Kids project ideas (30KB)
Kids for Wish Kids fundraising form (115KB)
