Note for Wish Granters: Once you click "Grant a Wish," you will need to select a wish and scroll to the bottom of the form for a full description of the wish.
Wish Granters can be anyone who has the desire and ability to help a military family make their holiday wish come true.
Wish granters can select wishes between November 2–December 7. Scroll below to grant a wish or wishes!
We ask that all wishes be granted no later than December 22, unless you and your match have mutually arranged otherwise. The delivery method will be specified in the wish listing and will be one of the following options: delivery by mail; delivery at one of our ASYMCA Welcome Centers, or by other arrangement as mutually agreed upon by both parties.
Yes. The only limit to the number of wishes you can grant is the limit you make for yourself.
Any personal information you provide will not be shared outside our organization without your permission. If you are matched with a wish maker, at some point, some personal information will need to be exchanged in order to fulfill their wish. We have placed the ball in the wish-maker’s court to determine how contact is initiated, so if you match with a family who prefers to make the initial contact with their wish granter, your email address and first name will be provided to them.
We may use your information to reach out to you to verify information, or to follow up on your experience. You will also be a member of our Volunteer database, and may receive emails about future volunteer opportunities, which you may opt out of at any time. Otherwise, your first name and email may be shared with the family you have request to me matched with in order to establish contact. No other information will be shared outside our organization without your permission.
No. It’s possible that you may not find the right fit for what you are able to share.
Our wish makers are aware that their wishes may not be granted in full, or exactly as requested. There is nothing wrong with asking to be matched to see if what you can offer will work for them. We just ask that you be understanding if your chosen family declines the match.
If you have been matched with wish maker, you may decline the match if you feel like it’s not a good fit. Your wisher maker also reserves that same right. We ask that if you choose to decline the match, that you let your wish maker know so that another wish granter may have the opportunity.
The 2022 wish program is full and no longer accepting wishes.
Military members and/or their dependents can apply with the following criteria:
Yes. This program is not limited to families.
Applications must be submitted by the service member, or by their dependent. Dependents can complete the application on behalf of their household, but should be sure to provide the service member’s information as directed on the application. Please only submit one application per household.
Wishes will be accepted October 12–November 12, 2022.
Any personal information you provide will not be shared outside our organization without your permission. If you are matched with a wish granter, at some point, some personal information will need to be exchanged in order to make your wish come true. We have made an effort to provide you with as much control over what is publicly shared as possible, and to be transparent about what form fields will be publicly displayed. Specific information, such as your name and contact info will only be shared with a wish granter if you chose to have them initiate contact.
The application we provide asks for a variety of information, some of which will be shared publicly. The wish listings that will be available for the community to see will not include your name, email, phone number, or address. What will be displayed is the service member’s rank, branch of service, and region, your wish, your story if provided, and your contact and delivery preferences exactly as they are listed on the application. If you are matched with a wish granter, your first name and email may be provided to them, depending on the contact method you have chosen. If you would like to see how wish makers’ requests will be shared with the community, please see the samples we have provided at our volunteer portal here.
Outside of requests that are inappropriate for public consumption, there are no rules or limitations. We do advise you to be sensible with your expectations. You can certainly wish for a 2-week European vacation for a family of 8, but there is a strong likelihood such a wish may not be granted.
Much like sharing your Christmas wishes with Santa, there are no guarantees that your wish will be granted, or be granted exactly as you have requested. If you are matched with a Wish Granter, we encourage you to have an open mind.
As a wish maker, your obligations are as follows:
Yes. You can withdraw at any time, just contact us at events@akasymca.org and let us know you want to be removed from the program. If you have already been matched and have made contact with your Wish Granter, you will need to notify them you are withdrawing from the program.
Yes, you can refuse a match. We ask that if you choose to decline the match, that you let your wish granter know, and that you be kind and respectful. You will also need to contact the Armed Services YMCA of Alaska if you would like your wish to be re-listed.
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