Volunteer 

Introduction

Change lives... become a volunteer! 

You can help make the wishes of children with critical illnesses come true in your community when you become a volunteer for Make-A-Wish Illinois. Time commitments and volunteer needs vary by community. Bilingual (English/Spanish speaking) volunteers are most needed. 
 
More than 1,500+ specifically trained volunteers generously give their time and energy. Our volunteers come from all walks of the community to become involved in the mission through a variety of capacities. 

Your Journey Starts Now

A few steps, and you'll volunteer with Make-A-Wish! 

At every level of the organization, volunteers are critical to the mission. Get started today and soon you can bring hope and joy to area children with critical illnesses as a Make-A-Wish volunteer. 

  1. Attend a volunteer orientation:  Learn about Make-A-Wish Illinois' mission to grant wishes for children with critical illnesses and how you can help. Register for an upcoming orientation on our Events page. If you cannot find a date to attend, contact us, and we will reach out to get you started on your volunteer journey.

  2. Fill out application: Once you have attended an orientation, you will receive a link to complete the volunteer application from a Make-A-Wish staff member. 

  3. Complete a Criminal Background Check:  As standard procedure, all volunteers and staff members are required to complete a background check every three years.  

Welcome! You are now an integral part of delivering the mission of Make-A-Wish Illinois. 

High Need Areas

Volunteers are especially needed in the following areas.

  • Adams County
  • Champaign County
  • Chicago, south and west side neighborhoods
  • Cook County (south)
  • DeKalb County
  • Kane/Kendall Counties
  • LaSalle County
  • Metro East St. Louis area
  • Illinois Quad Cities area
  • Rockford area
  • Bilingual volunteers statewide (Spanish/English)
     
Individual Volunteer Roles
​​​​​​​Event Volunteers

Lend their time to help with Make-A-Wish events. Event volunteers roll up their sleeves to do a variety of event support that helps raise funds and creates awareness about Make-A-Wish. 

Outreach Volunteers

Interact with interested parties at volunteer recruitment and medical outreach events with the intent of recruiting more volunteers or identifying prospective wish children.

Translators

Help facilitate wish experiences for non-English-speaking families. Translators attend wish visits and do participate in phone calls but are not directly involved in planning the wish. Additional training required for this role.

Wish Granters

Work with a partner or individually (virtually) to meet with the child and their family to help determine the heart of that child’s wish (Wish Discovery), and/or then work with Make-A-Wish staff to make that wish a reality (Wish Creation and Wish Fulfillment). Additional training required for this role.

Wish Family Ambassadors

Represent Make-A-Wish Illinois at a number of external outreach and fundraising events to share their wish experience. Open to Wish Alumni and their families.

Committee Roles

Please note that volunteer committees operate on separate recruiting schedules and may not always be looking for new volunteers. For more information in individual committees, please email the appropriate staff member under the committee description.

Associate Board

Unites young professionals to support the mission through event-based fundraising and spreading awareness in the community, especially among Generation X and Millennials. 

Regional Councils

Assists with fundraising, medical outreach and community relations efforts on behalf of Make-A-Wish Illinois in local communities. Councils include volunteers who are leaders in their respective communities.

Regional Councils are active in the Bloomington, Champaign, Edwardsville, Peoria, Quincy, Rock Island and Springfield areas. For more information reach out to Janet Glavin at [email protected] or Laura Huerta at [email protected].

The Chicago Neighborhood Council focuses on efforts in Chicago's Austin, Little Village, North Lawndale, Pilsen and Hyde Park neighborhoods.  For information, contact Marimar Gutierrez at [email protected].

Wish Ball Committee

Works to plan and execute Wish Ball, the signature fundraising event for Make-A-Wish Illinois. Wish Ball is held annually in Chicago. For more information contact Jillian Seguin at [email protected].

Walk Committees

Walk For Wishes® is a fundraiser that celebrates past wishes and raises fund for future wishes. The Walk For Wishes committees serve as the visionaries and implementers for each local event. These leadership roles are very important to us and will work year-round to engage the community in exciting and new ways! There are opportunities to join the Walk for Wishes event committees in downtown Chicago, suburban Chicago, Champaign, Moline, and Rockford. For more information, contact [email protected].

Celebrate Our Volunteers

2023 Volunteer Awards

Upcoming Volunteer Events
Volunteer FAQs
What are the steps in the volunteer onboarding process?

First, you attend an online orientation. After the webinar, you will be sent an application which takes about 15-20 minutes to fill out. You will then  complete a background check. We get the results back in about 5-10 days.

How do I get a link to the application?

The link to the application will be sent after you attend the volunteer orientation. If you do not receive the link, contact: [email protected].

How do I get the link to the background check?

A member of our talent team will send it to you once you complete the application. The link will expire in 9 days after you receive it, please fill it our as soon as possible. 

Is there a cost to the background check?

Is there a cost to the background check? Yes. The cost of the background check is $25.73 and is charged directly to you by our third-party provider First Advantage. If this cost would be a barrier to your involvement with our chapter, please let us know before completing the form. Due to the nature of our work, all volunteer applicants must complete a criminal background check every three years.

I completed a background check for another organization. Can it be transferred?

No, you will need to fill out another background check for Make-A-Wish Illinois. We can only transfer the background check if you were a staff member or volunteer at another chapter (and it has not expired). 

How long does the onboarding process take?

Typically, about two weeks total depending on when we receive the background check results.

How old do you have to be to volunteer?

Although all official volunteers must be 18 years old, there are several other volunteer opportunities including hosting a toy drive or organizing a fundraiser at school through our Kids For Wish Kids program.Â