We are honored to partner with Make-A-Wish this June as the “Main Squeeze” sponsor for Lemonade for Wishes.
This summer, the Rylee + Cru Foundation is partnering with Make-A-Wish’s Lemonade for Wishes campaign to help raise funds and grant wishes for children with critical illnesses. We’re inviting our community to join in by hosting your very own stand anytime between now and August 31st. While lemonade may be in the name, your fundraiser can be anything you dream up. From baked goods and snacks to handmade jewelry, crafts, or even a community event. Make it uniquely yours, invite friends and family to participate, and help make a meaningful impact along the way.
We’ll also be hosting lemonade stands at our retail stores throughout the summer, so be on the lookout for upcoming dates and ways to join us in person!
Ready to get started? Click here to sign up and host your stand today!
Want to learn more about Make-A-Wish? Read our Q+A with Chief Executive Officer, Suzanne Husby, to learn about their mission and impact.
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Q+A
Q. What inspired the creation of Make-A-Wish, and how has its mission evolved over time?
A. Today, the Make-A-Wish community is vast; wishes are granted in 50 countries on six continents. Thanks to volunteers and supporters in communities across the globe, more than 650,000 children have experienced the magic of a wish. The impact is almost overwhelming to think about, especially because it all started with one little boy in Phoenix, Arizona more than 45 years ago.
Chris Greicius was an energetic 7-year-old battling leukemia who dreamed of becoming a police officer. In 1980, his Phoenix community came together to make his dream a reality and little did they know, it was the start of a movement that would transform the lives of so many kids dealing with critical illnesses.
Make-A-Wish is a national network of local chapters, each serving their own community. As kids have become more tech-savvy over the years and their wishes have become more complex, our sole mission has remained the same—to create hope, strength, and joy for kids when they need it most.
Q. How does Make-A-Wish identify and prioritize children who are eligible for a wish?
A. Every child dealing with a critical illness between 2½ and 17 years old, is eligible to receive a wish. Kids can be referred by a parent/guardian, family member, or medical professional. No eligible child is ever turned away and there is no wait list; once deemed eligible, a child’s wish journey begins right away! The idea that every wish child is at end-of-life is actually a misconception; most kids go on to live long beyond their wish experience, and doctors and parents often credit the wish itself with being the positive turning point that helped a child fight through their illness.
Q. What types of wishes are most commonly requested by children today?
A. Most wishes tend to fall into one of four categories: wish to have, wish to be, wish to go, or wish to meet. Some kids have even chosen to give their wish to others! More kids than ever are wishing to travel, the most popular U.S. destinations are Disney World and Hawaii! Other wishes include backyard playhouses, tech toys or gaming equipment, shopping sprees, or meeting a favorite athlete or celebrity, just to name a few. Wishes are only limited by the child’s imagination.
Q. What is one of the most memorable or impactful wish stories you've seen?
A. I’ve been part of so many wishes in my 22+ years on staff at Make-A-Wish and all of them have been very special. However, one little boy has captured my heart the most this year... we first met 9-year-old Jaden in his hospital room, where he had been for over a year. It was tough for him to dream of anything beyond the four walls of his room but once we got him talking, we learned there was at least one thing that could bring him a lot of joy… meeting a Monster truck in person! Unfortunately, Jaden couldn’t leave the hospital to attend an event so when we talked to our partners at Monster Jam, they immediately said “If he can’t come to us, then we’ll just bring his favorite truck to him!”
It was a logistical challenge for multiple reasons. First, Jaden was medically complex and needed multiple nurses to leave his room and could only be outside for a limited amount of time. Second, bringing the transport truck to the hospital campus amid construction was difficult. It was only possible thanks to the resourcefulness of our partners at Rady Children’s Hospital. Everyone from the hospital operations team to members of the security team and construction crew, to the entire Cardiac ICU medical care team; they all seemingly dropped everything to make this wish happen.
I’ll never forget the look on Jaden’s face when he heard the giant engine revving and then saw his favorite truck, Megalodon barreling down the road at the hospital just for him! A definite highlight was toward the end of the visit when the driver took a fin right off the truck and signed it with an encouraging message for Jaden. It remained in his hospital room so he could look at it every day. Afterward, we set up a party with his family, friends, and favorite nurses. Many of whom came on their day off just to be part of this. It was an exciting, but emotional day, given Jaden’s condition.
Being part of this wish had a profound impact on me and everyone involved.
Q. In what ways does granting a wish impact the child's family and medical journey?
A. A wish has the power to change a child’s mental state and provide them with a sense of empowerment and hope for the future. Make-A-Wish alumni, parents, and medical providers agree that the wish experience contributes to physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing.
Wishes have been shown to:
- Was 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.
- Increased hope, strength, joy, confidence, self-esteem, quality of life, and well-being.
- Served as a coping mechanism and a turning point during treatment.
- Brought families closer together and strengthened relationships with loved ones.
- Helped overcome traumatic stress, hopelessness, depression, and loneliness.
Q. In what ways do families stay connected to Make-A-Wish after their child's wish has been granted?
A. Every child and family who experiences the incredible impact of our mission also becomes part of a powerful community of wish alumni. There are more than 400,000 wish alumni across the country and many choose to stay involved as fundraisers or ambassadors, and some even choose to become volunteers themselves to help make other kids’ wishes come true! We leave it entirely up to the family to decide how, when, or if they’d like to stay connected.
Q. How can people get involved or support Make-A-Wish if they want to help?
A. Every wish is made possible through the generous support of individuals, corporations, community partners, and grant funders, as well as through bequests and planned gifts. We also rely on in-kind partners to help enhance each wish and maximize every dollar. There are many ways to get involved, including:
- Becoming a volunteer
- Donating funds or gift cards* to support wishes
- Donating goods or services
- Attending an event
- Hosting a fundraiser
*Most-needed gift cards include Southwest Airlines, Amazon, Target, and Walmart.
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We are proud to support organizations that are making a positive impact in the lives of children and families. Submit an application to recommend a 501(c)(3) non-profit making a difference in your community and each month we'll select one to receive a $10,000 grant in your name.
Thank you for joining us in this important work.
