Needy Cases 2023: Make-A-Wish New Jersey granted 454 life-changing wishes this year

Genie. Fairy Godmother. Make-A-Wish New Jersey (MAWNJ) is that and more for children facing life-threatening illnesses.

A wish helps children look past their limitations, families overcome anxiety and entire communities experience joy. Most importantly, wishes can improve a child’s quality of life.

MAWNJ believes a single wish transforms lives.

Celebrating 40 years of wishes in 2023, MAWNJ also reached the historic milestone of granting 12,000 wishes since its founding in 1983.

This year was exciting for the chapter, said Assistant Vice President of Marketing and Communications Michael Dominick. Along with Judah's wish, MAWNJ granted 454 life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses during its fiscal year.

Globally, Make-A-Wish has granted more than 550,000 wishes since it was founded in 1980.

Every day, on average, two families in the Garden State will go home with test results that will tell them the devastating news that their child has been diagnosed with a life-threatening, critical illness.

This qualifies that child for our mission, Dominick said.

"Make-A-Wish enters their lives and asks that one magical question that stimulates their imaginations, opens up a world of possibility and brings our mission to life – 'if you could have one wish, what would it be?'" Dominick said.

Needy Cases Fund 2023: How to help your neighbors in need during the holidays

This wish is one that embodied the very meaning of the MAWNJ mission − to give hope. Judah, an 18-year-old with the genetic blood disease thalassemia, thought of a future of plenty when he asked for a tractor so he could work his family's farm.

"Our vision is to reach every eligible child and make his or her fondest wish come true," Dominick said. "Children facing the frightening realities of a critical illness often have difficulties seeing beyond their current circumstances."

Judah's future goals now include cultivating the land, feeding the animals, growing his ownvegetables and preparing his own meals from start to finish. Also, he now can keep up with his brothers, something he has struggled with his entire life. The gift is a game-changer for Judah.

His mother Jennie said that Judah did not often talk about the future because of his life-threatening medical condition. However, his wish coming true changed that. This is the first time she has seen him excited about something for his own future, looking ahead and beyond his illness.

"It was the first time he’s said, 'I’ll still be here in six months, or I’ll be here next year,’" Jennie said.

"You always want your children to have hope,” said Ron, Judah’s dad. "We can want the best for our children, but unless they want that too – he is the one that has to put the effort into the hope, he’s the one that has to stay with it every day. To finally see him starting to step out of 'the end' and into 'what can be' thanks to Make-A-Wish is definitely a blessing."

This year, MAWNJ was granted a wish of its own − the Wish Bus. This new mode of transport allows MAWNJ the opportunity to take their magic and mission on the road. The Wish Bus travels to wish kids’ homes, hospitals and medical treatment facilities as well as major sporting events and concerts and airports for celebratory travel wish sendoffs.

"The Wish Bus will support our mission to create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses everywhere it goes and will invite the public to engage in deeper more meaningful ways with our cause," Dominick said.

But, as MAWNJ relies 100% on the generosity of the community, it cannot continue to reach more eligible children each year without support of donors. The average cost of a wish in New Jersey is more than $10,000.

For every wish granted, there are three more children with critical illnesses whose wishes need financial support.

The nonprofit receives no government support, Dominick said, and families are never charged any fees. Their aim to reach every eligible child has never wavered, despite the challenging times over the past three years.

"A wish recharges a child’s fighting spirit, and offers healing, respite and the opportunity to simply spend time together as a family, away from hospitals, treatments and procedures," Dominick said. "A wish is more than a mere moment in time – it has enduring impact. But, we cannot continue to reach more eligible children each year without the generous support of our donors throughout New Jersey. This holiday season, you can give the gift of a life-changing wish and bring hope, strength and joy back into the lives of children that have faced the unimaginable."

Make-A-Wish continues to hold a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, U.S.'s largest independent charity evaluator. Also, for the second year in a row, Morning Consult rated Make-A-Wish the "#1 Most Trusted Nonprofit Operating Locally Across 50 States."

For more information about Make-A-Wish New Jersey, call 800-252-WISH or nj.wish.org.

How to support the Needy Cases Fund

From Nov. 26 to Dec. 3, the Courier News, the Home News Tribune and MyCentralJersey.com are focusing on 11 organizations serving Central Jersey as part of the annual Needy Cases Fund program.

The Needy Cases Fund is a Central Jersey holiday tradition, stretching back more than seven decades. The community-service project has been sponsored by the Home News Tribune and its predecessor, the Daily Home News, working with the Lions Club of New Brunswick. The Courier News has joined the Home News Tribune in sponsoring the charity since 2020.

Send donations (checks made out to the Needy Cases Fund or cash) to: Needy Cases Fund, Home News Tribune/Courier News, 92 E. Main St., Suite 202, Somerville, NJ 08876. Please indicate with a note whether you wish to be acknowledged in a wrap-up story about the program, or whether you wish to remain anonymous.

Donations will be gratefully accepted through the end of December.

email: cmakin@gannettnj.com

Cheryl Makin is an award-winning features and education reporter for MyCentralJersey.com, part of the USA Today Network. Contact: Cmakin@gannettnj.com or @CherylMakin. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Make-A-Wish New Jersey granted 454 life-changing wishes in 2023