2013 Annual Report - Make-A

Hope, Strength, Joy
2013 ANNUAL REPORT
CÉDRIK, 4
TUBEROUS SCLEROSIS
“I WISH TO HAVE A
BACKYARD PLAYSET”
Dear friends,
It takes a village to raise a child, and just as wide a community is required to make children’s wishes
come true. Granting the most cherished wish of a child with a life-threatening illness means calling
on a large number of volunteers, donors, partners, caregivers, and our team of professionals. Every
one of you plays a role in accomplishing our mission at Make-A-Wish. Now active in more than 50
countries worldwide, Make-A-Wish has established an international support network, the scope and
scale of which seems infinite.
Luc Filiatreault
President
Board of Directors
Granting a wish means giving children like Cédrik, Alessia, and Harvey the opportunity to
experience something exceptional. During their wishes, children with life-threatening illnesses are
able to revel in the joy of spending quality time with family, and genuinely enjoy life. There is no
doubt that a wish has the ability to change lives—not only for the children, but also for their families,
and everyone else involved in the granting process.
Since the Foundation’s inception, our amazing volunteers, donors, partners, and employees have
helped the magical wishes of 247 children come true. With your help, we hope to help even more
children with life-threatening illnesses in the coming years.
“I WISH TO VISIT A FILM SET”
Since he was young, charismatic Jonathan has been drawn to the acting
world. As a result of his battle with kidney failure, his subsequent kidney
transplant and the recovery process, Jonathan clocked many hours at the
hospital in his youth and spent far too little time enjoying himself.
Jonathan’s wish allowed him to reclaim lost moments, as he was jetted off
to Chicago to take part in the making of Transformers 4! He had his own
trailer and wardrobe fitting, and spent time behind the scenes mingling
with the cast and crew, including actor Mark Wahlberg and executive
director Ian Price.
The big reveal came after nine long hours on set: Jonathan was going to
have a role in the film, and a speaking one at that! Reflecting upon his
wish, Jonathan told us, “I felt like I was lifted off my feet, as if I were floating.
It showed me that acting is really what I want to do as a career and I
won’t stop at anything to get there!” We are so happy that this experience
affirmed Jonathan’s passion, and we wish him good luck in his future
career!
The seventh edition of our biggest fundraising event, the 48-HOUR RIDE, was a resounding success.
With your help, we exceeded our goal, raising more than $1,408,000. Twelve hundred participants
rose to the challenge and cycled the Gilles-Villeneuve circuit for 48 hours, to help as many Quebec
children as possible.
To learn more about Make-A-Wish Quebec, visit our website, www.makeawishqc.ca.
Thank you for your support. Your contributions are essential as we work towards achieving our
mission, and allow you to share the power of a wish!
Michelle Sylvestre
CEO
Make-A-Wish® / Fais-UnVoeuMD Québec
Wishing you all the best,
JONATHAN, 19
KIDNEY FAILURE
In 2013, Make-A-Wish®/Fais-Un-Voeu(MD) hosted the
seventh annual 48-HOUR RIDE, the Quebec chapter’s
biggest fundraising event of the year, and the most
successful edition yet. In teams of six, participants raise at
least $600 each to secure a spot at the Gilles-Villeneuve
Circuit at Parc Jean-Drapeau.
Over the course of the weekend-long event, each group
steps up to the challenge of spending 48 hours in a row with
at least one person from their team cycling the Formula
1 circuit. For those few days, the site is transformed into
a small village—equipped with bicycle storage, sleeping
accommodations, a dining hall, and more—creating an
atmosphere of warmth, togetherness, and a common goal
for everyone involved.
This year, the Foundation was able to exceed the 48-HOUR
RIDE fundraising goal, thanks to the impressive motivation
of the event’s 1,200 participants, as well as indispensable
support from our donors and sponsors. After hitting the
million-dollar mark in 2012, in 2013, Make-A-Wish®/Fais-UnVoeu(MD) cut a cheque for $1,408,000, which will be put
directly towards granting wishes for children in Quebec who
suffer from life-threatening medical conditions.
Alessia, who loves dancing, swimming, and the colour pink,
lives with MTHFR. She is missing an enzyme that helps break
down proteins, which puts her at risk for many medical
complications. She adheres to a strict protein-limited diet
in an effort to decrease her risk of stroke, neurological
deterioration, and other ailments. Ready for a break from
her hectic daily life, Alessia’s wish was to embark on a Disney
cruise and indulge in the princess life!
Alessia and her family visited St. Maarten, St. Thomas, and
Disney’s Castaway Cay. Fitted with her very own gown, she
had the chance to meet princesses like Cinderella and Belle
while aboard the ship.
According to Alessia’s mother, “It was very emotional for
us knowing that our kids were living a dream. There was
nothing to improve. It was simply breathtaking.” We hope
that Alessia’s memories will give her the strength and
determination to conquer her most challenging moments,
and that she will hold her princess days close to her heart!
“I WISH TO MEET
A PRINCESS”
ALESSIA, 9
MTHFR GENE MUTATION
HARVEY, 18
LIVER TRANSPLANT
“I WISH TO HAVE
GOALIE EQUIPMENT”
Harvey, from Waskaganish in northern Quebec, has been a
hockey fanatic his entire life. He stumbled upon his passion
for being a goalie when he substituted for an absent goalie
on his hockey team after playing forward for many years.
After stepping into the net, Harvey had to constantly borrow
the necessary equipment from friends. After being diagnosed
with liver failure, and receiving a transplant, he was more
ready to get back onto the rink, to follow his passion as soon
as he recovered. For his wish, Harvey decided to indulge
himself in a shopping spree at Pro Hockey Life in Ottawa,
where he snapped up his brand-new goalie getup, including
a stick, padding, and a sturdy hockey bag to carry it all in
style.
While browsing, Harvey snapped a picture of the store, to
remind himself of the time spent at what he called “hockey
heaven.” Now, when he gloves that rebound, he’ll remember
the joy he felt on his wish day!
The impact of a wish
JAKE, 6
LEUKEMIA
Nestled n Ornament Valley, California, is Jake’s dream theme
park—Disneyland’s Cars Land, based on the hit animated
movie. And Cars Land is exactly where Jake went on his wish
adventure! With his family, he flew to the Golden State, just in time
for his birthday, after his trip initially had to be rescheduled due
to a sudden increase in the gravity of his acute lymphoblastic
leukemia.
On his WestJet flight, Jake got to spend some time alongside
the pilot—a sneak peek at what was to come in the driver’s seat
at Cars Land. Once back on solid ground, Jake could hardly
contain his excitement at the thought of meeting Lightning
McQueen, one of the movie’s main characters.
At the theme park, he did just that—but not before taking part
in simulated races, enjoying a drive around Radiator Falls, and
more. As a bonus, he also scored a meet and greet with Buzz
Lightyear, another of his Disney favourites! Jake lived the dream
for a week, from dining with pirates, to attending a parade, to
running wild at Universal Studios.
On Jake’s birthday, the Disneyland bakery even sent treats to
his hotel room to make his special day even sweeter! The trip
came to a close in San Diego, where he had some time to visit
his aunt and explore the city. We are so happy to have brought
Jake and his favourite Disney hero together, and we’re sure
that his trip to Cars Land will always be a cherished memory.
From 2011 to 2013, Make-A-Wish® conducted a Wish Impact Study, surveying adult
former wish kids, parents of wish kids, medical professionals, and volunteers about the
impact of their wish experiece. In 2013, Phase 4 of the survey was completed. Former
wish children who are now adults were interviewed about the true impact that the wish
had on their lives.
Adult former wish kids say the wish experience made them feel better socially and
emotionally, improved their health and strength, gave them more confidence and the
will to pursue more challenging life goals, and made them more compassionate and
philanthropic.
AMANDA, 11
LYMPHOMA
“I WISH TO GO TO WALT DISNEY WORLD”
71% say their wish experience helped save their lives.
Key findings:
“I WISH TO GO
TO CARS LAND”
89% of nurses, doctors,
social workers, and child
life specialists surveyed
believe that the wish
experience can influence
wish kids’ physical health.
99% of parents report that
the wish experience gave
their children increased
feelings of happiness.
92% of volunteers, 94% of wish
parents and 84% of medical
professionals express a deeper
commitment to philanthropy
and/or volunteering.
Phase 4: 83% of adult
former wish kids surveyed
confirm they experienced
improved physical health
and strength.
Phase 4: 97% of adult
former wish kids report
improved mental and
emotional health because
of their wish experiences.
Phase 4: 86% of adult former
wish kids express a deeper
commitment to philanthropy
and/or volunteering.
AINSLEY, 9
COMMON VARIABLE IMMUNE DEFICIENCY
“I WISH TO GO TO WALT DISNEY WORLD”
DIEGO, 12
LEUKEMIA
“I WISH TO GO TO PARADISE ISLAND”
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
Thank you to our generous 2013 corporate sponsors!
Canada
LOUIS BEAUDIN & FRANÇOIS LÉGER
It is fitting to recognize Louis Beaudin and François
Léger as the joint winners of the Volunteer of the
Year award, because it is their strength as a team
that allows them to achieve such great things. For
more than five years, Louis and François have been
superstar volunteers at the annual 48-HOUR RIDE.
The dynamic duo is always an essential aspect of
the success and prosperity of the event, taking on
indispensable organizational roles with enthusiasm.
Both Louis and François spread energy, humour,
smiles, spirit, and passion to everyone around them—
on very little sleep, if any! The event demands huge
levels of energy and commitment, and these two
volunteers rise to the occasion and continuously go
above and beyond our wildest expectations.
According to our star volunteers, “A weekend of
almost no sleep seems like a small price to pay for
the many children who will be benefitting from an
incredible experience, for making a difference in
their lives.”
Québec
LOUIS BEAUDIN
Hallmark Canada
The Hospital Activity Book for Children
LS travel retail
Isagenix
West49
TD Bank
Brooks Brothers
FRANÇOIS LÉGER
AON Reed Stenhouse Inc.
Aaron’s Furniture
Bayer CropScience Inc.
Canadian Pacific Railway
Ltd.
Claire’s Stores Canada
Corp.
Corner Framing Studio
Country Style Food Services
CoverGirl®
CSN Collision Centres
D&B
DCS Holdings Inc.
Foot Locker Canada Inc.
HSBC Bank of Canada
Skyline Hotels & Resorts
Bowring
Bombay
Benix
Echoage
Flight Centre
Hush Puppies
Insight
Jakks Pacific (Canada) Inc.
John Fluevog Shoes
Leon Frazer & Associates
Inc.
London Honda
Marklyn Group Inc.
Marquis Spas
MDP Investment Group Inc.
Meliora Realty Holdings Inc.
Mobile Giving Foundation
Canada
NCAA Division II
O.C. Tanner Recognition
Company Limited
Purolator Inc.
Rogers Group of Companies
- Blue Jays
RW&CO.
South Hill Designs, Corp.
Suzy Shier
Things Remembered
United Health Group
FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR 2013
Statement of Financial Positio
Assets
2013
Cash and Investments
$452 303
Accounts Receivable
66 862
Other
32 109
Total Assets
$551 274
2012
$327 646
99 281
9 726
$436 653
Liabilities
Programs
Fundraising
USE OF FUNDS
Accounts Payable and Accruals$50 568
$23 325
Long-term debt101 380
Total Liabilities $50 568$124 705
Net Assets
Total Liabilities and Net Assets
Administration
Statement of Operations
Disney
TYPE OF WISH
Travel
Other
Electronics
Celebrity
$500 706
$551 274
2013
Revenues
Activities
Donations and Grants
Donations In-Kind
Total Revenues $1 185 223
240 051
170 312
$1 595 586
$311 948
$436 653
2012
$997 483
440 131
172 443
$1 610 057
Expenditures
Program and Support Services $899 901
$1 019 194
Fundraising477 022404 904
General and Administration
29 905
76 891
Total Expenditures
$1 406 828
$1 500 989
Net Income
$188 758
$109 068
Make-A-Wish® / Fais-Un-VoeuMD Québec BOARD OF DIRECTORS
PRESIDENT
LUC FILIATREAULT
Entrepreneur, Partner
OpenText Ventures
VICE-PRESIDENT
SHAWN ZARBATANY
President
Zardev & Estérel
TREASURER
JOHN COCHRANE, CPA, CA
Partner
Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton
SECRETARY
MATHIEU PICHÉ-MESSIER
Partner
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
Directors
DR. KARL SCHWARZ,
MD,MSC, FRCS
Schwarz Plastic Surgery
Montreal
KARINE J. BOLDUC
Director, Security,
Prevention and Business
Continuity
Desjardins
CAROLINE MICHAUD
Consultant
Chaud-Show
GÉRALD SAVARIA
President and Chief
Executive Officer
LS travel retail North
America
PAUL RAYMOND
President and Chief
Executive Officer
Alithya
STÉPHANE HUOT
President and Chief
Executive Officer
Groupe Masdel
PATRICK DUSSAULT
President and Chief
Executive Officer
4iQ Holding
Employees of the Foundation
MICHELLE SYLVESTRE
Chief Executive Officer
LUC CHARPENTIER
Project Director
KAYLA ZIGAYER
Wish Coordinator
ALEXANDRA HALL
Administrative Assistant
JANET CASSAR
Communications and
volunteer coordinator
We grant the wishes of children with lifethreatening medical conditions to enrich
the human experience with hope, strength,
and joy.
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@MAKEAWISHQUEBEC
@MAKEAWISHQC
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