Wish Upon A Hero

Wish Upon a Hero is a social helping network in the United States, which connects those in need with people who are willing to help.[1]

History and organization background

Wish Upon A Hero was conceived by Dave Girgenti shortly after the September 11 attacks as a means to connect people in need after major disasters. After witnessing the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Girgenti worked to develop the Wish Upon a Hero web community. The website launched in September 2007.[2] The social networking website is free and designed to help anyone in need. The website works by connecting wishers with wish grantors; people can post up to three wishes at a time to the website; grantors can grant whatever wishes they choose. These wishes can range from relatively small to large, such as words of encouragement or financial assistance.[3][4] To date, more than 100,000 wishes have been granted through the site.[5]

Wish Upon a Hero Foundation

The Wish Upon A Hero Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that supports the wish granting efforts of individuals and organizations. Established in June 2008 as a mechanism to raise money for larger wishes that were not being granted on the Wish Upon a Hero website, the Foundation accepts corporate donations and is eligible to receive government grants. In 2011, the Wish Upon a Hero Foundation sponsored Iraq War veteran in the "Hike for our Heroes" as he hiked across the U.S. to raise money for military families in need.[6]

Foundation programs
Divine 9 golf fundraiser

The Divine 9 golf fundraiser is an annual celebrity pro-am golf championship benefiting people and families with blood cancer. Since 2004, Divine 9 has raised more than $1 million toward leukemia and lymphoma research. At the 2010 event, Divine 9 granted a 'wedding' wish to a leukemia patient who posted her wish for a dream wedding on the Wish Upon A Hero website.[7]

Notes
  1. Pay It Forward: Granting Wishes to Strangers - ABC News
  2. Bruno, Laura (7 May 2009). "Website connects needy to the charitable". USA Today.
  3. YouTube - CNN Nicole Lapin
  4. "Wish Upon a Hero - About Us". Retrieved 26 June 2011.
  5. Wishful Thinking - SouthJerseyMagazine.com
  6. Hike Through Dacula Honors Local Soldier - Dacula, GA Patch
  7. 'Wish Upon a Hero' or Be One Yourself - myfoxphilly.com
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