Giving Back: Give Kids The World
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"Where happiness inspires hope."
About Give Kids The World
The story of Give Kids The World begins with a little girl with a wish and the desire of one man to make that wish come true.
The little girl's name was Amy. Amy had leukemia and one wish - to visit the theme parks in Orlando. To facilitate Amy's wish, the request of a complimentary stay was made to a respected hotelier. As he had done many times before, the hotelier gladly obliged and Amy's wish was that much closer to being realized. Sadly, the remainder of Amy's travel plans took too long to arrange and her wish was never granted; Amy had passed away. Time simply ran out.
This unfulfilled wish inspired a man, the hotelier, to make a vow that no child in need would ever be failed again. That man was Henri Landwirth and his desire to ensure that Amy's story would never repeat itself is where the story of Give Kids The World begins.
Landwirth enlisted the support of colleagues in the hospitality industry, including our world-famous theme parks, to assist him in bringing these special families to Central Florida within 24 hours if need be. He called the project "Give Kids The World", because that is just what he intended to do - provide memorable, magical, cost-free experiences to children with life-threatening illnesses and their families.
As the program expanded and the number of families continued to grow, it was apparent that Give Kids The World would need to create a place that could better serve the special needs of our families. The gates of Give Kids The World Village opened in 1989.
Today the Village is a 70-acre resort complete with over 140 Villa accommodations, entertainment attractions, whimsical venues, and fun specifically designed for children with special needs.
With the help of many generous individuals, corporations and partnering wish-granting organizations, Give Kids The World has welcomed more than 115,000 families from all 50 states and over 70 countries.
To read more about this special and magical village, visit their official website.
Official Links
1. Learn more at Give Kids The World's Official Website2. Like Give Kids The World on Facebook
3. Follow Give Kids The World on Twitter
4. Subscribe to Give Kids The World's YouTube Channel
5. Capture the moment; Give Kids The World's Flickr Account
How can I help?
There are many ways in which you can help Give Kids The World, from donations to volunteer work. Below are some links from their official website. Click them to learn more!1. Donate
2. How to Help
3. Their Wishlist
4. Volunteer
Bailee's Involvement
Bailee got involved with Give Kids The World after shooting some scenes of her movie "Letters to God" there in 2009.
Since then, she has visited the village several times to do volunteer work, interact with the kids, and more.
She loves it there and goes back whenever she has the chance.