Since being founded by developer/philanthropist Frank Ramos 42 years ago, Make-A-Wish Northeastern and Central California has been providing comfort, hope and excitement to health-challenged kids from two-and-half months to 18 years of age.

Of equal importance, the organization’s 15 employees and more than 200 volunteers have been there for the young clients’ families. “Our goal this year is to grant nearly 400 wishes,” says Melanie Flood, Make-A-Wish’s director of fundraising development and communications. 

People think that all Make-A-Wish kids are critically ill. While that’s true for about a quarter of them, Flood is quick to point out that 75% of their fulfilled-wishers go on to lead long, productive lives, inevitably with renewed optimism about human kindness. 

“The granted wishes are always possible and always positive. That doesn’t mean they’re the least bit ordinary.” — Melanie Flood, Make-A-Wish 

“The granted wishes are always possible and always positive,” Flood says. “That doesn’t mean they’re the least bit ordinary.” 

“For example,” she continues, “we just sent Gabriel, a 16-year-old with a rare form of cancer whose mom is also a cancer survivor, from Fresno to the Superbowl.” Over the course of the weekend, he, his two siblings and their parents attended a variety of coveted NFL events, including red carpet happenings, an all-star watch party and, of course, the game itself.

“A wish can be anything from a she-shed to an accessible play structure, to meeting a celebrity or sports star,” says Julie Hirota, president and CEO of the regional chapter, one of 58 across the country. “The child determines the wish and we do all we can to make it come true.”

Hirota herself has been making wishes come true for nonprofits and women in leadership during a career that’s included leading the award-winning Blue Line Arts in Roseville and Saint John’s Program for Real Change. Most of her administrative teams have been female.  

Both Flood and Hirota say they’ve been thrilled with each of their served communities’ outpouring of donations, both of money and time. “We have affluent donors,” says Flood, “but also those who earn modest livings but realize the importance of helping kids who have critical illnesses.” Adds Hirota, “Healthy outcomes are the goal here, medically and emotionally.”