Our Chapter 

Our Mission

Together, we create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.

Make-A-Wish Central & Western North Carolina Territory

Make-A-Wish Central and Western North Carolina serves 51 counties in North Carolina, from Burlington (Alamance County) to the west.

Make-A-Wish Central & Western North Carolina has granted approximately 6,000 wishes since its inception in 1985. We seek to bring every eligible child's wish to life because a wish is an integral part of a child's treatment journey. Research shows children who have wishes granted can build the physical and emotional strength they need to fight their illness.

Our Local Impact

Since our founding in 1985, our chapter has granted approximately 6,000 wishes. Thanks to donors like you, our Make-A-Wish chapter granted 430 wishes in the last fiscal year, a record-breaking number for our chapter!

Emma posing with Mermaid Shannon outside of the pool

A wish is a necessary part of the medical treatment journey, improved the odds of survival, provided a support system and better health outcomes, and gave the child a better chance of recovering from their critical illness.  

Make-A-Wish Central & Western North Carolina grants wishes for children with critical illnesses at a time when they need it the most. The majority of Make-A-Wish alumni, parents, and medical providers overwhelmingly agree that the wish experience contributes substantially to physical, mental, and emotional health.

Check out the 2022 Wish Impact Study for more details. 
Look back at our FY23 annual report, Year In Wishes.

Our Board
Wendy Barnes
Wendy Barnes

Chair

Chief Executive Office, Rx Benefits, Inc.
Steve Baruch - CWNC
Steve Baruch

Vice Chair

Retired Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, MSC Industrial
Todd Nunn_MAW-CWNC
Todd Nunn

Treasurer

President & CEO, Compass Healthcare & Rehab
Peter Smul
Peter Smul

Secretary

Retired Executive Leader, Varda Partners, Red Ventures, Charlotte Hornets
Timitra Hildebrand-Jones
Timitra Hildebrand-Jones

Governance Chair

VP, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Talent Acquisition, Albemarle Corporation  
Our Staff
Media Center

Access news releases, and learn more about local wish stories.

Wish kid Shanya

Our Stories

Learn more about local wish kids and their wishes

Wish kid Tre'Mars

News Releases

View our latest news releases to learn about major wish-granting events, sponsorships, campaigns, and other news.

Wish kid Jackson and Joell

In the News & Blogs 

Newspaper and magazine articles, blogs, and other media often tell stories about wishes. 

Managing Our Funds

Make-A-Wish Central & Western North Carolina finances endeavors through corporate sponsorships, special events, foundation grants and individual contributions. However, we do not solicit funds by telephone and receive no federal or state funding. As a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, all contributions are deductible to the extent permitted by law. Our financial statements are audited locally by CliftonLarsonAllen LLP.  

At Make-A-Wish, we take our responsibility for the monies donated to our cause very seriously. According to the fiscal year 2023 audited results, Make-A-Wish Central & Western North Carolina spent 79% of every dollar on wish granting and related program expenses, 9% of every dollar was spent on management and general costs and 12% was allocated to fundraising.

For full financial details, please review our most recent Audited Financial Statements or our latest 990.

FY21
Audited Financial Statements
990 Public Disclosure

FY22
Audited Financial Statements
990 Public Disclosure

FY23
Audited Financial Statements 
990 Public Disclosure


 

Careers & Internships

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

Internship opportunities:
  -Marketing
  -Development/Fundraising/Events
  -Finance

Social Media

Facebook

Facebook 

@ncwish

Instagram

Instagram 

@makeawish_cwnc

Twitter

Twitter 

@MakeAWish_CWNC

YouTube

YouTube

@makeawishcwnc

LinkedIn

LinkedIn

/company/makeawishcwnc

TikTok 1200x720 REV

TikTok

@makeawish_cwnc

Office Hours

Office Hours are to be the following:

Monday – Thursday: 9-4 PM EST
Friday – By appointment only.

Contact Us
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Wish It Forward

Join the Wish It Forward movement! Following your wish, learn about how you can stay involved and Wish It Forward to families just like yours. Learn more.

W.I.S.H. Society

We Inspire Strength and Hope. Our W.I.S.H. Society is an opportunity for supporters to join a giving society and combine their personal contributions to grant more life-changing wishes in our community. Learn more here.

Wish Store

Welcome to our online Make-A-Wish store! 100% of the net proceeds go directly to Make-A-Wish Central and Western North Carolina! Find great wish items here.