Ways to Get Involved and Internships
Volunteers who complete our Volunteer Orientation can choose to volunteer in one or more of the following areas:
Administration
Office Administration Volunteers are needed to help with paperwork, database entry, and other office tasks during the workweek. They help us to keep administrative costs to a minimum so that more of our funding can be applied to our wish program.
Program Services
Wish Granters make wishes happen. These volunteers work in teams to meet with wish children and their families to determine the wish and then work with the office to help make the wish come true. Wish Granters work together to obtain donations to make wishes as special and unique as the kids themselves. Wish Granting requires additional training. Please contact our volunteer services manager to learn about upcoming Wish Granter Training dates.
Meet and Greet Volunteers welcome wish families from outside our chapter's territory at the local airports to ensure that their Southern California wish experiences are magical.
Computer Wish Volunteers assist with the preparation and set-up of new computer systems requested as wishes, and provides wish kids some basic training. Extensive computer knowledge and skills are necessary.
Events, Fundraising and Outreach
Event Committee Volunteers help through hands-on events support, stewardship, and recognition support. These volunteers assist with raising funds across the chapter's territory.
Communications Committee Volunteers assist through community outreach support, publicity, and marketing communications support. They help represent the Foundation within the communities we serve, raising awareness throughout the territory.
Wishmakers® On Campus (college-aged) members are volunteers who, through activities at schools or clubs create fundraising and awareness-raising projects to help wish kids fulfill their dreams.
Hispanic Outreach Volunteers assist in developing relationships with Latino leaders and media, and in recruiting bilingual support. This is to enhance the wish program experience for Latino wish children and their families.
Wish Ambassadors also speak on behalf of the chapter. They are wish kids and family members who have completed a Make-A-Wish experience and feel inspired to share their wish story with others. Wish Ambassadors work closely with our Wish Ambassador Trainers, Speaker's Bureau volunteers, and staff members.
Wish Ambassador / Speaker's Bureau Trainers create and lead the quarterly Wish Ambassador and/or Speaker Bureau training sessions. Our Volunteer Trainers provide wish kids, their families and volunteers a friendly forum to become wish storytellers and help build their presentation skills.
When wishes come true, tensions ease, clouds part, families exhale.
Internships
Interns for the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Orange County and the Inland Empire give their time and talents to help bring hope, strength, and joy to children who are fighting life-threatening medical conditions. The wish experience gives these kids something wonderful to anticipate and to experience the power of a dream come true.
Interns can assist in various areas of the Foundation alongside staff and other volunteers. The department internships available are:
- Wish Department
- Event Planning
- Marketing/Public Relations
- Kids 4 Wish Kids
- Grant Writing
- Finance
- Volunteer Services/recruitment
- Business Development/Fundraising
- Community Outreach
- Office Administration
In return for their hard work and dedication, interns receive valuable training, a chance to meet others, and hands-on experience, and the gratification of making a difference in the life of a child.
