Make-A-Wish® Ohio Kentucky & Indiana is the largest chapter of the national nonprofit which grants wishes to kids battling critical illnesses. Funded entirely by the community, wishes have proven physical and emotional benefits that are more than just a “nice-to-have.” Wishes can actually have lasting impacts on children and their families throughout their health journey.

SUCCESS STORY

How the largest chapter of a national nonprofit broke fundraising and performance records with public relations and brand journalism.

The opportunity

Since its founding in 1983, Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana has granted more than 17,000 wishes to kids with critical illnesses. Three out of four parents say the wish experience marked the turning point in their child’s fight against their illness. Each year, Make-A-Wish strives to grant as many wishes as funding will allow.

One of the strongest ways to inspire potential donors, referrers of children to Make-A-Wish and past wish families is by elevating mission moments that spotlight the power of a wish. Approach Marketing began working with Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana in 2015, and over the course of a four-year partnership worked to create and share a steady stream of wish stories to support fundraising and development via traditional media, influencer engagement, social media, events and more.

The approach

We sprang into a brand journalism role for Make-A-Wish, identifying ways to capture, strengthen and amplify impact stories across all channels. PR helped to shape wish experiences and annual fundraising events to maximize audience visibility and traditional media interest.   

• Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana signed a nine-year-old boy to a professional football team for a day, generating 185 media placements in outlets like The Today Show and USA Today and contributing to 678 million impressions.   

• We coordinated a sold-out red-carpet movie screening event in Louisville with one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, which led to 65 media placements and 6 million media impressions.  

• During an annual BIG Wish Gala in Kentucky, we created a surprise wish moment that attracted all local media outlets, resulting in 36 stories. 

• We fueled corporate and retailer-driven fundraisers for Make-A-Wish by sharing messages of thanks and support directly from kids to donors, which increased contributions. 

• We worked to invite high-profile influencers to Galas and other fundraising events in key markets throughout Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, introducing the Make-A-Wish organization to target audiences and sharing information about how to support the mission.  

• We coordinated media relations for heartwarming wish events throughout the chapter, securing local media placements in both major metro areas as well as small towns throughout Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. 

• We captured and shared compelling content on Make-A-Wish social channels to illustrate fundraising milestones, mission moments and opportunities to support the cause. This included live storytelling during events.

The impact

This always-on campaign helped to keep Make-A-Wish top-of-mind in the community, media and social feeds of potential donors, wish families and volunteers. The three-state chapter granted a record-breaking number of wishes because of community support, volunteers, and funding. In one year, Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana granted 916 wishes – the most ever by any of the 62 Make-A-Wish chapters in the history of the national organization.

Through working with this nonprofit, the Approach Marketing team became so invested in the Make-A-Wish mission that we teamed up to grant and sponsor a local child’s wish and helped plan his special day. Our team funded Trevor’s wish to become a construction worker, volunteered at the event and coordinated media relations efforts for this wish in Columbus.