This newsletter is intended for registered Make-A-Wish volunteers only.

Please do not forward this message as it may contain confidential information.

Good morning volunteers,

It was good to see so many of you at the airplane pull yesterday! So much has been happening, I'm getting the Q4 metrics to you just now. You can see the full details here, but here are the highlights:

• We granted 116 wishes in Q4!
• The number of meet and greet shifts being picked up decreased slightly, while shopping spree shifts held steady
• Our total number of volunteers dipped slightly to 472 as a busy school year loomed for many
• 99 new wish assignments (for wish granters, wish pals, and wish discovery volunteers) were made, a 33% increase over Q3 and a strong end to the fiscal year!

And don't forget a very important metric -- filling out the Annual Volunteer Satisfaction Survey! This survey influences strategic decisions all year long about volunteer trainings to create, volunteer resources to procure, and volunteer policies to revise. 18% of active volunteers have already completed it -- be sure to fill it out by September 30th!

Take care,

Gabby Santiago- Volunteer Services Manager

Upcoming Events

September 22 - Wakanheza Training

October 4 - Hmong Cultural Center Museum Field Trip - In Person

October 5 - Hmong Cultural Center Museum Field Trip - Virtual

October 10 - Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon

October 20 - Virtual New Wish Granter Training

October 24 - Communication Styles and Strategies

Wakanheza Training

Have you ever been in a situation where you saw a wish parent getting angry at or frustrated with their child - maybe an overstimulated kid having a meltdown at a shopping mall, or excited siblings constantly running away from the group in an airport - and you weren't sure what to do? For a bystander, it can be hard to know how to intervene without escalating the situation. The Wakanheza (pronounced "wah-kahn-jah") Project offers simple tools to help you find small but effective ways to de-escalate tense situations between adult guardians and children in public. Sign up for the training on September 22 if you're interested! Questions, contact Gabby Santiago.

Calling all runners!

Make-A-Wish Minnesota is excited to once again be an Official Charity Partner of the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon and TC 10 Mile on 10/2. Register, run and fundraise to help grant Minnesota wishes! Spots are limited, so guarantee your spot in the race today! If interested reach out to Brekka Nessler for a special promo code and registration link.

Communication Styles and Strategies Training

We have another upcoming continuing education opportunity! Have you ever struggled to effectively communicate with a wish family, a coordinator, or another volunteer? Maybe an e-mail you intended as a friendly reminder got taken as a rebuke, or when you tried to help someone save face, they thought you were being passive-aggressive? Communication can be complicated, especially across distance and culture, but it doesn't have to be.

This fall, the Communication Styles and Strategies training will help you understand the different ways that people communicate, their motivations behind choosing these methods, and how to adapt to deal with methods outside of your comfort zone. We'll dig into the unspoken "rules" we often operate by without even realizing we're doing it, and practice using strategies like reframing, assuming positive intent, and setting up early expectations, that allow us to effectively communicate with others operating by different norms. Mark your calendar to join us on October 24th. See you there!

Volunteer News

New Glad You Asked

Do you have questions? We have answers and so do your fellow volunteers! We are looking for questions or dilemmas that you are facing and will post answers here weekly. Please submit your questions (and answers!) to Volunteer Services via this anonymous form.

Last week's question was:

I feel like I'm spending a lot of my own money on wish boosts, mostly because I lose the receipt or forget to get one. How do you keep track and remember to do this?

• "I take a photo or screenshot of my receipt as soon as I get it. On my phone I have a separate album for each wish kiddo. I put the photo in the appropriate album as soon as it’s taken. Once I get reimbursed I delete the photo from the album."
• "When I buy something for my wish kid, I ring it up as a separate transaction. When I'm bagging, I put his item in a separate bag - no matter how small - with the receipt. Having his items in a different bag is enough to remind me to put his receipt with his file."
• "I keep a folder in my inbox for all my Wish Kids - all correspondence goes in there, as well as a picture of any receipt(s) I want to save for their wishes to submit. It also allows me to send in electronically vs paper form that way. If I have time/am being really organized, I will also flag the messages that need attention later (vs the chatting back and forth with Wish Granting partners/parents)."
• "I do "envelope budgeting" for my family and carry it over with my wish kids. With every wish child, I set aside $150 in cash in an envelope and only use that cash to buy items. As I buy items, I put the receipt in the envelope. If my wish partner spends money, we keep track on the outside of the envelope until we settle up."

This week's question:

My wish granting partner has left our wish and I've been asked if I want a new partner or to go solo. Has anyone else finished a wish by themselves? How did it go? Is it a lot of work?

We'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas! Fill out the Glad You Asked form and we'll post answers next week.

New Did You Know...

Did you know volunteers (except under 18, unofficial and events only) need background check renewals done every three years? If you are due for a background check, Teresa will send an email with instructions on how to authorize the background check. You will get a second email with the following information: 

• The email will have the subject title Make-A-Wish Background Check Request.
• The email will be addressed to you and will be from Make-A-Wish DoNotReply@fadv.com

The link in the email will expire ONE WEEK from receipt of the email, so please take a minute to complete it as soon as possible. Questions? Contact Teresa Hyde.

Reminder Volunteer Satisfaction Survey Now Open!

The Annual Volunteer Satisfaction Survey is now open! Your feedback last year brought about policy adjustments, additional and more specific resources and meet-up opportunities, and many Wish Wednesday spotlights on different aspects of the volunteering process. Please take a moment to complete this year's survey to help us improve our current processes to better meet your needs. Questions? Contact Gabby Santiago.

Make-A-Wish MN Online Store

There is a new Make-A-Wish online store! Items are currently sold at cost, but there is an option to add a donation at checkout if anyone is so inclined. Questions? Contact Ashley Kilcher.

Hmong Cultural Center Field Trip - In Person and Virtual

Have you volunteered with a Hmong wish child before? Today, over 66,000 Hmong-Americans live in Minnesota, and the Twin Cities have the highest concentration of Hmong-Americans in the entire country. Join us for an in-person (Oct. 4) or virtual (Oct. 5) trip to the Hmong Cultural Center Museum, where we will learn about the history of the history, art, and culture of the Hmong in Minnesota. This trip will be a learning opportunity to better understand Hmong wish families you have volunteered with or may volunteer with in the future.

For the in-person trip, masks are required in the museum. If there is interest, Volunteer Services can cover lunch from a local restaurant afterwards. Sign up today! Questions? Contact Gabby Santiago.

Monthly Toy Closet Volunteers Needed

Toy closet volunteers work in teams of 2-3 to fulfill the toy closet requests of wish granters all across the state! This position is open to any volunteers; teens can help with adult supervision. Going forward, requests will be mailed out the 3rd Monday of each month (they will be due by the 3rd Sunday). Sign up today!

Travel Wish Emergence

Make-A-Wish is now ready to progress to our next phase of travel wish emergence, replacing the vaccine requirement with other COVID safety precautions. These include:

• Strongly recommending that each wish participant test for COVID one to two days prior to departure on a travel wish.
• Providing wish participants with N-95 or KN-95 masks for use during the wish.
• Isolation requirements if any wish participant contracts COVID during the wish.
• A detailed plan in place to make arrangements for extended stays and medical care (if needed) should a family contract or be exposed to COVID during the wish.

This is a decision made with the guidance of our National Medical Steering Committee. Each wish child's health situation is different, and we are committed to respecting the expertise and recommendations of their medical team. It should be anticipated that some medical providers may not provide medical clearance for a wish involving travel or large gatherings due to ongoing COVID concerns.

Feel free reach out to Volunteer Services with general questions.

Wish Granter News

Tickets available – Stuart Little performances at Stages Theater!

Run dates are Sept 16-Oct 16, 2022 and a variety of dates and times are available. There are some ASL and sensory friendly performances! Check out the performance calendar here https://www.stagestheatre.org/stuart-little/ Please note that week day, daytime performances generally have school groups.

• LOCATION: Stages Theater, 1111 Mainstreet, Hopkins, MN 55343
• APPROPRIATE AGES: All Ages
• DURATION: Approximately 60 Minutes
• HEALTH/SAFETY: Masks are welcome and encouraged but optional for all patrons attending Stuart Little, EXCEPT for Saturday performances when masks will be required.
• TICKET AVAILABILITY: As of now, there isn’t a limit on the number of tickets available each performance or in total, we will update you if that changes.
• NOTES: This is a theater geared towards kids. ADA seats are available for each performance. Some performances are ASL interpreted, or sensory friendly!

If you have a wish family who is interested, please contact wish granter Lisa Collins at andreice@comcast.net with the following information at least 7 days in advance of the show, with the following information:

1. Chosen date and show time (currently there is a availability for each show, but that may change)
2. Wish parent/guardian’s first and last name (tickets will be at will call under this name)
3. Number of Tickets Requested for each ticket type:
4. Adult: 18+ years old
5. Children (would have their own seat): under 18 years old
6. Lap Child: 1-4 years old
7. Lap Child: Under 1 year old
8. Wish child’s first and last name (the office will take care of the in-kind tracking, no need to submit for your wish)

Process:

1. Wish granter reaches out to Lisa with above information
2. Lisa will let the wish granter know once the tickets have been requested at the theater.
3. Lisa will tell the office the date and number of tickets per wish kid, wish granters don’t need to let the wish coordinator know.
4. Wish granter to share the following information with the wish family:

Confirmation information that wish granters can send to families:

Date: XXX

Show Start Time: XXX. Be sure to arrive 20 minutes before your performance. This helps get you seated and ready for the show.

Address: Stages Theater - 1111 Mainstreet, Hopkins, MN 55343

Tickets: ### tickets will be at will call under XXX’s name.

Parking: There are free parking lots and ramps within a block of the theater, more information can be found here: https://www.stagestheatre.org/plan-your-visit/

Star Wars Characters - 501st Legion

Do you have a Star-Wars-obsessed wish child? The 501st Legion is a community of volunteers who make appearances as Star Wars characters. Our local friends at the 501st Legion are open to more opportunities to interact with Minnesota wish children. They were at Walk for Wishes this year and helped with a wish reveal recently. If interested in having Star Wars characters make and appearance you can submit a request here or email Brian at wolfpack.squad.501st@gmail.com.

Correction Cookie Cart

Last week's newsletter contained a link to the toy closet request form instead of the Cookie Cart cookie request form. If you requested through the toy closet, your cookies have been sent, but please use this one going forward. Thank you!

Cookie Cart has donated 12 dozen cookies to Make-A-Wish and they are sitting in our refrigerator waiting to be sent to wish kids. If you would like to have some cookies mailed to your wish child, complete this form. Cookies will be mailed our approximately once a week. Questions? ContactTeresa Hyde.

Regional Wish Granter Meet Ups

Are you interested in meeting fellow wish granters in your area? Check out our series of regional Wish Granter meet-ups. Volunteers will have a chance to meet new people, learn about them, their experience with Make-A-Wish, and their volunteering style - and if you're interested, you can exchange contact information to keep in touch (and maybe sign up for a wish together later!). There will be one-on-one time between groups of two to three, as well as a full group discussion about anything you'd like to bring to the table.

These meet-ups are intended for all experience levels; even if you're currently in a different volunteer role but considering becoming a wish granter at some point in the future, you're welcome! Got a friend who's thinking about volunteering? Bring them too!

For the purposes of these meetings, we will consider the Minnesota regions to be divided as defined in this map. However, you should feel free to sign up for any meet-up where you are within easy driving distance of any county in that region, or that contains any county you have worked with a wish child or wish partner in.

Default meeting location will be virtual; please reach out to Gabby Santiago if you are interested in hosting one in-person. Depending on interest, this could be instead of the virtual meeting, or in addition to it at a time that is most convenient to the host.

Why are fish so smart?… They travel in schools!

Wish Boost Ideas

September 20 - National Pepperoni Pizza Day - Does your child have a favorite pizza joint? They might be willing to donate a pizza or gift card!

September 22 - National Ice Cream Cone Day - Send your wish child an ice cream related word find or a tub of their favorite ice cream with cones.

October 4 - National Taco Day - Send your wish child ingredients to make a taco recipe.

October 6 - National Noodle Day - Who doesn't have fun making noodle art? Send along a box of noodles and some glue or challenge your child to make a spaghetti bridge!

Do you have a wish child who is fascinated with Harry Potter?? Check out these coloring sheets! 

For more wish boost ideas, check out the Wish Boost list or contact Kim Sunde.

Green Garden Bakery

You've mentioned how hard it can be to come up with wish boost for teens, and some fellow teens have stepped up to the plate! The young entrepreneurs at Green Garden Bakery have offered us up to $75 of wish boosts a month! Just email

ggborders@gmail.com identifying yourself as a Make-A-Wish volunteer, and stating what items from their online store you would like sent and to what address. They have sweet treats, bath and beauty products, T-shirts, and hats! To make sure that as many volunteers as possible can access this resource, please limit yourself to two requests per month. (Delivery range is limited; if your wish child is outside the Twin Cities, ask them to send to the Make-A-Wish office.)

Icing Smiles Cakes - Updated Form

Have you heard of Icing Smiles? They have a mission to provide custom sweet treats to critically ill kids...for free! Showing a parent how to request their free cake makes a great wish boost. They recently updated their request process. Please use this new form to verify a child's involvement with Make-A-Wish with no additional diagnosis verification required. Questions? Contact Volunteer Services or your Wish Coordinator.

Casting with Caleb Boost Idea

Are you working with a wish kid who loves the outdoors, but isn't normally able to go fishing due to medical, sensory, or other special needs? We have a new boost resource for you! Casting with Caleb is an organization founded to honor the memory of Caleb, a boy on the autism spectrum who loved fishing and the great outdoors, by making it accessible to other children and their families. They operate primarily in central MN, but are open to traveling to other parts of the state, having the families travel to them, or meeting halfway. To request a fishing trip for a wish kid, reach out to your wish coordinator! Note, Casting with Caleb will need about a month to get everything in place.

Campers, Motorized Boats and Pontoons

Due to supply chain concerns, inflation, and increased volume of requests due to the pandemic, Make-A-Wish Minnesota has implemented a temporary prohibition on any new camper, motorized boat, and pontoon wishes. The motorized boat/pontoon prohibition is scheduled to end April 7, 2023; the camper prohibition is scheduled to end August 31, 2023. 

If you have a wish discovery coming up and the child is interested in a camper, motorized boat, or pontoon, they may consider alternatives such as seasonal/annual boat rental, personal watercraft, non-motorized boat (canoe, kayaks), fishing trip/excursion wish, RV rental trip, seasonal/annual campsite rental, camping gear, or a camping excursion. Please reach out to Lachelle Semanko with any questions. 

Training Opportunities

Virtual Training for New Wish Granters

Do you know someone who would be a great wish granter? Volunteer Services will be hosting a virtual wish granter training for new wish granters on October 20th at 12:00pm. If they're not already volunteering in another position send them an application and they can sign up for a slot on our Sign Up Genius. Contact Gabby Santiago with questions!

Get to Know Our Neighbors

Make-A-Wish Minnesota’s main office is right on the edge of the Hamline-Midway neighborhood in St. Paul, bordering on Union Park. Though we’re far from many of you in miles, we’d like to introduce you to a few of our neighbors to help you feel a little closer.

If you’ve driven down Fairview, you may have seen the painting of a black cat next to a heart on the Feline Rescue low-admission no-kill shelter, or the newer chrysanthemum mural across the street (where they have their vet clinic, admin, and fostering supplies). A volunteer named Julie with cat earrings proudly showed me around the space; Feline Rescue has been in this location since 2006, and for fifteen of those years, Julie has been a volunteer. The best part about her work there? “Seeing cats go to homes. The shelter is a great place, but it’s not a home.” 

The shelter is bright and smells of cleaning solution, with multiple rooms for cats so that bonded cats can stay together, or sick cats be isolated. Each door has the names of its current occupants in washable marker: Tango, Walleye, Wallaby... “The names can get a little off-the-wall. We don’t repeat names for five years.” That’s because a Feline Rescue cat is always welcome back if things don’t work out in their new home, so it keeps paperwork a lot clearer if there aren’t twelve Ivans around the place. 

Feline Rescue can always use donations of cat food, litter, old carriers and toys, and they go through a lot of wash cloths! They’re also open by appointment to anyone who wants to see or snuggle a cat, with no pressure to adopt.  

Donations & In-Kind Needs

Donate Airline Miles

Want to help grant a wish? Donate your airline miles today! Every mile donated helps wish kids and their families travel to destinations around the US. This is just one simple way you can help grant a life-changing wish experience.

Corporate Match Programs

Do you want to maximize the impact of your charitable donations and/or volunteer service to Make-A-Wish Minnesota? Many companies have a matching gift program. These programs are corporate philanthropy initiatives that reward an employee's gift of volunteer service to a non-profit organization. What a great way to support Make-A-Wish Minnesota! Contact Pete Johnson with questions.

Amazon Wish List

Many of our in-kind needs can be purchased directly from our Amazon Wish List. Items can be purchased online and shipped directly to the Make-A-Wish office at 1919 University Avenue W, Suite 415, St. Paul, MN 55104.