Make-A-Wish kids are wishing it forward this holiday season through a motivational hotline

Six wish kids will provide callers with joyful messages via The Holiday Wish Line

PHOENIX, Dec. 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Make-A-Wish wants to spark hope this holiday season with the debut of The Holiday Wish Line, a telephone hotline with messages recorded by wish kids designed to give callers a moment of joy as they navigate the holiday season. From Dec. 4 through Dec. 31, the hotline will give callers a break from everyday stress with messages to inspire togetherness and maintain the festive spirit.  

The holidays are often associated with joy and celebration, but they can also bring about a range of stress. Whether it's holiday travel delays, the rush to find the perfect last-minute gift, or the desire to be closer to friends and family, the holidays come with unique challenges that can be overwhelming for even the biggest holiday lover. But The Holiday Wish Line is just a phone call away.

"Hope is a guiding force for wish kids and their families as they face the unimaginable," said Leslie Motter, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish America. "The instant a child's hope is realized, they experience a powerful, life-changing joy that nurtures their emotional well-being. The Holiday Wish Line allows anyone, at any time, to receive a dose of hope and joy from our wish kids."

The Hotline

Six wish kids, who have all battled a critical illness, will provide kid-friendly advice, stories, and funny moments from Dec. 4 through Dec. 31 via phone at (480) 914-9474. Callers will be asked to select from a series of prompts upon calling the hotline to listen to messages from:

• • • Jasper, a 5-year-old with chronic respiratory failure from Wrentham, Massachusetts, who wished for a backyard playset;
    • Brantley, a 7-year-old from Nevada, Texas, with a heart condition, who wanted to see snow and wished to build a snowman with his family;
    • Annabelle, a 9-year-old from Clovis, California, with cystic fibrosis, who wished to skate with her favorite hockey team, the Las Vegas Golden Knights;
    • Ava, an 11-year-old from Clive, Iowa, with a heart condition, who learned first-hand what it takes to be a content creator for her wish;
    • Fernie, an 11-year-old with cancer from Janesville, California, who, as an avid athlete, wished for a batting cage in his backyard.
    • Holin, a 10-year-old from Pensacola, Florida, whose love for music landed her onstage with her favorite singer.

Wishes can serve as an important turning point in the lives of wish kids. Wish alumni, who are many years removed from their wish, say that the wish helped them to not only feel better but also get better. Medical professionals agree that a wish can be a powerful intervention that leads to better health outcomes and quality of life.

Proceeds raised through the holiday season will make it possible for more wish kids like Jasper, Brantley, Annabelle, Ava, Fernie and Holin to experience the long-lasting impact of a wish.

Several Make-A-Wish partners continue to showcase support this holiday season through local wish-granting, consumer promotions, employee engagement, and corporate donations in several sectors nationwide. The list of partners that continue to activiate during the timeframe and to raise much-needed funds includes: Disney, Fanatics, Southwest Airlines, Subaru of America, Black Bear Diner, Duck Donuts, Helzberg Diamonds, IT'SUGAR, JetBlue, JTV, Red Robin, Mt. Olive Pickle Co., Snappy, Sugarwish, Teleflora, United Airlines, WisePies Pizza, among others.

To learn more about the voices of the hotline and how you can help grant more wishes this giving season, visit wish.org/wishline.

About Make-A-Wish^®
Make-A-Wish creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Founded in Phoenix, Arizona, Make-A-Wish is the #1 most trusted nonprofit operating locally in all 50 states throughout the U.S. Together with generous donors, supporters, staff, and more than 24,000 volunteers across the country, Make-A-Wish delivers hope and joy to children and their families when they need it most. Make-A-Wish aims to bring the power of wishing to every child with a critical illness because wish experiences can help improve emotional and physical health. Since 1980, Make-A-Wish has granted more than 550,000 wishes in 50 countries worldwide, more than 360,000 wishes in the U.S. and its territories alone. For more information about Make-A-Wish America, visit wish.org.

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SOURCE MAKE-A-WISH AMERICA