Taking inspiration from disappointment, the man in the story, Henri Landwirth, reached out to friends and co-workers in the hospitality industry and launched Give Kids the World. Landwirth, a Holocaust survivor and native of Belgium, called the project “Give Kids The World,” because that is just what he intended to do.
Through the help of many generous individuals, corporations and partnering wish-granting organizations, Give Kids The World blossomed over the last 20 years into a 70-acre village resort dedicated to giving children with life-threatening illnesses a magical week-long family vacation.
Children between the ages of 3-18 with a life-threatening illness can request a visit to Central Florida’s theme park attractions through one of 250 wish-granting organizations and arrange for a fairytale stay at the Give Kids The World Village.
The Village, which opened in 1989, boasts 140 villas designed for children with special needs and includes a Gingerbread House Restaurant and ice cream all day in the Ice Cream Palace. A carousel and castle provide a fairytale setting, while fun and fantasy rule the daily entertainment that include visits from Santa Claus, talent shows, tea parties, fun by the pool and a life-sized Candyland game.
In addition to their stay at the Village, each family receives tickets for SeaWorld Orlando, Universal Orlando and Walt Disney World along with transportation.
Give Kids The World has welcomed more than 132,000 families from all 50 states and over 75 countries.
An independent nonprofit foundation, Give Kids The World relies on donations to help make these children’s wishes come true. According to their annual report, 91.7 cents of every $1 donated goes toward programs and services for the families.
Financial donations tell only part of the story as Give Kids The World relies on thousands of Village volunteers each year. Last year alone, more than 16,000 volunteers served over 363,000 hours. Volunteers travel from across the country and around the world, and sometimes previous guests return to give back to the organization that helped them. Anyone age 12 and older is invited to learn more about their volunteer opportunities.
Visit www.gktw.org to learn more about this incredible organization and the fairytale wishes it grants for children and their families.
