America's Charities | Coalition of the American charitable organizations that provides workplace charitable giving campaigns.

Featured Charity: Give Kids The World Village

Submitted by sford@charities.org on Fri, 01/20/2012 - 5:54pm

Recognized as the “Highest-Rated Charity in America”, this non-profit treats children who have life-threatening illnesses to weeklong, cost-free fantasy vacations with their families.

What does your organization do and how are you different from other groups with similar missions?

Give Kids The World (GKTW) is a 70-acre, non-profit “storybook” resort in Central Florida. Children with life-threatening illnesses and their families are treated to weeklong, cost-free fantasy vacations complete with accommodations in whimsical villas, transportation, donated attractions tickets, meals, entertainment and much more. Since 1986, GKTW has welcomed more than 115,000 families from all 50 states and more than 70 countries.

Henri Landwirth, Auschwitz survivor, philanthropist and hotelier established the organization in 1986 when he learned of Amy, a young girl who lost her battle to illness days before her long awaited wish vacation could come true. As a result of this tragedy, Henri called upon the support of his peers and industry leaders to ensure all wish vacations to Central Florida could be fulfilled within 24 hours notice.

GKTW partners with more than 300 wish granting organizations around the world to help fulfill a child’s one wish to visit the beloved theme parks of Central Florida. GKTW relies on corporate partners, individual Give Kids The World Village donors and volunteers to help support its $12M annual operating budget.

Where is your organization located?

Give Kids The World is located in Central Florida, close to the area’s most beloved theme parks and attractions. The international non-profit serves children with life-threatening illnesses and their families from all around the world.

How has your organization responded to the economic crisis?

GKTW relies heavily on volunteers to help operate the whimsical 70-acre Village. Every week, GKTW fills more than 1,400 volunteer shifts, saving the organization hundreds of thousands of dollars in labor costs. Without the “Angel Volunteers”, the GKTW Village would not be possible.

Is there a time during the year when you need more help than usual?

Unfortunately, the number of sick children in need continues to grow. Because there is an immediate need to create happiness that inspires hope for these precious children, GKTW is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Our busiest months are March through August, but we still require resources, donations and volunteers every day of the year.

How Can I help?

There are many ways you can help GKTW fulfill its mission to create the happiness that inspires hope for children with life-threatening illnesses. Here are few of those ways:

Sign up to be a volunteer. Whether it’s a day, a week or a lifetime, we promise your life will be enriched by the experience of putting a smile on the face of a child who so desperately needs it.
Donate an item from our “wish list” at http://www.givekidstheworld.com/help/wishlist.asp?m=help
Host an “Ice Cream For Breakfast” Fundraiser. At GKTW, families are treated to complimentary, all-you-can-eat ice cream in the Village’s Ice Cream Palace from 7:30am until 9:30pm so they can enjoy ice cream whenever they want—even for breakfast. GKTW is encouraging families across the world to show their support of the charity by hosting an Ice Cream For Breakfast Fundraiser to raise awareness and funds for our organization. For more information visit: www.icecreamforbreakfast.org.
Make a financial gift to our organization. With $0.93 of each dollar donated going directly to our mission, GKTW has been awarded a 4- star rating (the highest possible rating) by Charity Navigator for sound fiscal management for the sixth consecutive year. Give Kids The World was also recently recognized by personal finance news website MainStreet (www.mainstreet.com) and reported by MSN Money, as the highest-rated charity in America! The news website based its analysis on Charity Navigator’s evaluations of thousands of national charities. GKTW earned a score of 69.42 out of 70 possible points. This was the highest of all charities evaluated.

If I make a donation today, how much of an impact will that donation have?

Give Kids The World is committed to fiscal responsibility and being a good steward of the support and resources we receive from our generous corporate heroes and dedicated individuals. Our number one priority is to ensure we are able to fulfill every special child’s wish to visit Central Florida for as long as there is a need.

Of each dollar spent in the fiscal year 2011, approximately 93 cents went directly to our families for their cost-free, magical vacation. Very few charitable organizations reach and sustain this level of administrative and fundraising efficiency, and we work every day to maintain this success.

$5,000 would cover the cost of one family’s weeklong fantasy vacation at Give Kids The World.
$500 would allow families to enjoy a week of delicious and wholesome meals in our Gingerbread House restaurant.
$100 would provide a gift for each wish child and sibling for every day of his or her stay at Give Kids The World.
$25 would allow a family to indulge in ice cream sundaes every day at our whimsical Ice Cream Palace.

What one thing do you wish more people knew about your organization’s work?

Give Kids The World is an international non-profit organization, welcoming children from all around the globe. In 2011, we welcomed a record-breaking 7,097 families!

What can a company (of any size) do to help your organization?

There are many opportunities for companies to get involved and help GKTW. Here are a few ways:

Host a toy drive to collect toys for our children. Every year, the GKTW “Gift Fairy” distributes more than 150,000 toys to our wish children and their siblings. For a list of needed toys, please visit: http://www.givekidstheworld.com/help/wishlist.asp?m=help
Organize a corporate volunteer day at Give Kids The World. The charity welcomes groups of all sizes and will work with you to tailor a volunteer experience to fit your company’s needs
Host an Ice Cream For Breakfast Fundraiser in your office. Indulge in ice cream with your co-workers while raising funds and awareness for Give Kids The World. For more information visit: www.icecreamforbreakfast.org

What makes your organization successful and what advice would you share with other charities out there?

Volunteers. Volunteers. Volunteers. On April 18, GKTW is celebrating 2 MILLION Volunteer Hours! Without our Angel Volunteers, Give Kids The World would not be able to serve the 7,000 families it welcomes every year!

Do you have any upcoming special events?

April 18th, 2012 – Celebrating 2 MILLION Volunteer Hours. For information on how you can be a part of this milestone achievement, email: dream@gktw.org
June 2, 2012 – 24th Annual Black & White Gala at The Peabody Orlando. To purchase tickets or donate items for our silent auction, please visit www.givekidstheworld.com/gala
July 2012 – Ice Cream For Breakfast Fundraising Campaign. For more information on how to host your own Ice Cream For Breakfast fundraiser, visit www.icecreamforbreakfast.org
November 3, 2012 – Gingerbread Run 5K at Give Kids The World Village. Join hundreds of other GKTW supporters on a 3.1-mile run/walk through the whimsical Village. Don’t live in Florida? Participate virtually or host your own Gingerbread Run in your neighborhood. For more information visit: www.gingerbreadrun.org