Tens of thousands of volunteers, donors, and supporters advance the Make-A-Wish® vision to grant the wish of every child diagnosed with a critical illness. A wish is granted every 34 minutes in the U.S. and its territories. A wish can be that spark that helps these children believe that anything is possible and gives them the strength to fight harder against their illnesses. This belief guides us and inspires us to grant wishes that change the lives of the kids we serve. 

 

Our History

A wish come true for children diagnosed with critical illnesses can be a crucial turning point in their lives. A wish can be that spark that helps these children believe that anything is possible and gives them the strength to fight harder against their illnesses. This impact is why we are driven to make these wishes come true. 

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How It All Started: Chris' Wish 

Make-A-Wish traces its inspiration to Christopher James Greicius, an energetic 7-year-old boy battling leukemia who wishes to be a police officer. In 1980, his Phoenix community came together to make his wish come true. Little did Chris know that his wish would create a movement that would transform millions of lives.  

 

Today, Make-A-Wish has granted hundreds of thousands of life-changing wishes to children battling critical illnesses. Wishes that give families hope through dark times, strength to persevere, and experiences that forever change their lives. 

 

Careers & Internships

At Make-A-Wish, we are more than a great workplace — our work is life-changing. We are an inclusive and diverse group of people who, through a mosaic of backgrounds, thoughts, and experiences, are united in purposeful work. We are fueled and guided by our values — represented in the inspired people we work with and the life-changing work we do daily. 

 

We always look for great talent who share our passion. If you want a career or internship with Make-A-Wish, check out our current positions. 

 

Careers at Make-A-Wish Arizona

Make-A-Wish Arizona internships are coveted because of the inspiring mission and because interns get real-world experience alongside talented professionals. We offer several unpaid internships for each Spring, Summer, and Fall semester. All internships are based at the Make-A-Wish Arizona Parsons Wish House in Scottsdale.  

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Managing Our Funds

Make-A-Wish Arizona is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, tax-exempt Arizona corporation. Every dollar our chapter receives aids us in our mission to grant the wishes of children with critical illnesses. Our financial statements have been audited annually and are available for review. 

 

At Make-A-Wish, we take responsibility for the monies donated to our cause very seriously. For fiscal year 2020 audit results, Make-A-Wish Arizona spent 66% of every dollar on wish granting and related program expenses. For a further breakdown, 18% of every dollar was spent on management and general costs, and 16% was allocated to fundraising. 

 

These results are dramatically lower than our 10-year average of 75% program expenses due to COVID restrictions for the safety of our wish kids and our families. 
 

This decrease in program expenses is due to the pandemic. Make-A-Wish Arizona has only one program: wish granting. In a typical year, more than 77% of wishes are travel-related and involve large gatherings, both of which were restricted for the safety of our wish kids. The number of wishes granted in Fiscal Year 2020 was nearly half that granted in Fiscal Year 2019 because of pandemic restrictions.
 
• Wishes granted in 2019: 406
• Wishes granted in 2020: 255
• Wishes granted (projected) in 2021: 350
 
Make-A-Wish Arizona strives to grow the number of wishes we grant yearly. By continuing to grant as many safe, socially distant local wishes within COVID protocols as possible, Make-A-Wish Arizona could use the funds generously donated to provide hope to our Arizona wish kids in a time when it was needed most.

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©2006-2023 Make-A-Wish Foundation® of America. Make-A-Wish Foundation of Arizona is an Arizona nonprofit corporation exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Federal Identification Number (EIN): 86-0409636.

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Make-A-Wish® Arizona

2901 North 78th Street
Scottsdale, AZ 85251

(602) 395-9474

Toll-Free

(800) 324-9474