The Rainbow Connection is extremely thrilled to be announcing that this year, we will be granting Wish #4,000. This is such an incredible and huge milestone and The Rainbow Connection team could not be happier! With such an incredible milestone, we want to take a walk down memory lane to acknowledge the thousands of Wishes and children that have allowed us to get to this place.

There have been many milestones and many special Wishes, but we selected some of our favorites to share and reflect on as we approach Wish #4,000.

1985: Is the year The Rainbow Connection became a non-profit organization and the year our first ever Wish was granted. Wish #1 allowed John to meet Muhammed Ali and shadowbox bedside together.

2022: Keydenn receives Wish #4,000. His journey began when his kidney disease was found in an ultrasound while his mother was only five months pregnant with him. Keydenn was placed on the kidney transplant waiting list when he was four years old. Thankfully, Keydenn’s mother was a perfect match and gave one of her kidneys to him. Their surgeries went well and there were little complications. Now, over a year later, Keydenn is doing GREAT!! Despite being on multiple medications, he continues to grow, gain weight, and is a very happy kid who just recently finished kindergarten!!

Keydenn will eventually need another kidney transplant but his Wish Trip to Disney World gave him something to look forward to and a chance to make special memories with his family.

Over the past 37 years, TRC has had the privilege of meeting so many brave children. This mission is possible because of generous donors, volunteers, community partners and Board Members. There have been many changes since the organization began but providing hope and joy to Michigan children has remained constant. TRC looks forward to celebrating Wish #4,000 and every opportunity to make a wish come true.

The Rainbow Connection is happy to share with you the everyday ways you are able to support our mission in making wishes come true for Michigan children with life threatening medical conditions.

Every day there are ways that you can support The Rainbow Connection. Donations are able to be made through Amazon Smile, Target Circle, Walgreens Rewards, and Kroger Rewards. Each donation process is a little different than the other but they all provide the same outcome: more wishes for our children!! No support is too little, and no donation is too small. To us, every amount counts and all support is greatly appreciated!

Amazon Smile: To donate here, AmazonSmile is a website operated by Amazon with the same products, prices and shopping features as Amazon.com. The difference is that when you shop on AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of eligible purchases to your charity of choice. To select The Rainbow Connection, simply set up a profile at smile.amazon.com and select The Rainbow Connection as your charitable organization.

Target Circle: To support us here, simply vote for The Rainbow Connection with Target Circle to help grant wishes! Every time you shop with Target Circle, you receive a vote to give a local non-profit. The more votes The Rainbow Connection gets, the larger donation we will receive! Now through June 30th, log in at target.com/circle or through the app and vote for The Rainbow Connection!

Walgreens Rewards: To donate here, at Walgreens, you earn unlimited 1% Walgreens Cash rewards when you shop and you can choose how much to donate. Now through May 31^st, you can contribute $1, $5, or more of your cash rewards to The Rainbow Connection. It really adds up! To learn more about the myWalgreens program and donate your rewards cash, visit walgreens.com/mywalgreens

Kroger Rewards: To donate here, select The Rainbow Connection as your charitable organization at Kroger.com/account/enrollCommunityRewardsNow. Then every time you shop and swipe your Plus Card, Kroger will make a contribution to The Rainbow Connection!

Your support and generosity are truly appreciated by our Wish Families and our staff here at The Rainbow Connection. We sincerely thank you for your continued support so that we are able to continue making wishes come true for our children here in Michigan! 

The Rainbow Connection’s (TRC) strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency have earned it a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator.  This is the tenth consecutive time that The Rainbow Connection has earned this top distinction, an honor only 3% of all charities across the United States achieve.

“The Rainbow Connection’s exceptional 4-star rating sets it apart from its peers and demonstrates its trustworthiness to the public,” according to Michael Thatcher, President & CEO of Charity Navigator. “Only a quarter of charities rated by Charity Navigator receive the distinction of our 4-star rating. Based on its 4-star rating, people can trust that their donations are going to a financially responsible and ethical charity when they decide to support The Rainbow Connection.”

Since 1985, The Rainbow Connection has been granting wishes for Michigan children with life threatening illnesses and providing support services to wish families in need. Although a lot has changed over the 37 years since the organization began, the magic of a wish continues to provide hope and joy to Michigan children. Over 3,900 wishes have been granted by The Rainbow Connection, which include wishes to Disney World, shopping sprees and celebrity meet and greets.

Click here to read more about wishes that have been granted by The Rainbow Connection.

In 2016, Zack’s wish to go to Denmark with his family was granted. He chose this wish because his family recently had an exchange student from Denmark live with them and they became very close. This trip gave them a chance to see each other again and spend quality family time together.

Six years later, Zack was performing in the musical Cinderella at Stagecrafters in Royal Oak. For each musical, Stagecrafters supports a different charity and Zack recommended The Rainbow Connection (TRC). Volunteers sold merchandise, took donations and answered questions about TRC at each performance. A portion of the proceeds from merchandise sales were donated to support our mission of granting wishes to Michigan children with life threatening medical conditions. One night, after the final curtain call, Zack gave a speech about what his wish meant to him.

Thanks to Zack, Stagecrafters and the generous people attending their shows, TRC received a donation of over $2,500! The significance of this donation goes beyond the dollar amount.  A core value of The Rainbow Connection is staying connected to wish children before, during and after their wish. TRC hosts an annual Picnic and Holiday Party for wish families. The Special Response program offers financial support to families in need and the Scholarship Program provides $1,000 scholarships to wish children pursuing secondary education. When Zack recommended TRC for a donation, it was reminder of the importance of staying connected with our wish families far beyond their wish. We are so grateful to Zack and the Stagecrafters community for their support!

The Rainbow Connection (TRC) is excited to announce that we have been awarded both the 2021 Platinum Seal of Transparency by GuideStar and, for the ninth consecutive year, the Four Star rating from Charity Navigator. This is the highest level of recognition offered by both GuideStar and Charity Navigator.

Receiving four out-of-four Stars for nine straight years is an honor only 4% of charities evaluated by Charity Navigator receive. Both of these ratings represent The Rainbow Connection’s commitment to fiscal responsibility in stewarding the donations provided to us in fulfilling our mission of providing wishes to Michigan children with life threatening illnesses.  Of each dollar spent in 2020, over 86 cents was devoted to TRC’s mission.

The Rainbow Connection is referring to this year as the year of HOPE! With travel pretty much suspended last year due to the pandemic, TRC was limited to the types of wishes that could be granted. However, we are off to an amazing start in 2021, already granting wishes to the most requested place – Disney World! Thanks to safety protocols at Disney theme parks and their partners, TRC is once again giving hope and providing opportunities to create priceless memories to so many children in need.

Last month, Kim’Miyah, along with 16 other wish children, returned from her magical wish trip to Disney World! Each family stayed at Give Kids the World, a private village reserved for wish families that features a spa, Movie Theater, mini golf, carousel, ice cream shop, and more!

Kim’Miyah’s mom shares, “This trip meant so much to us, we had an amazing time. It was like a dream come true for Kim’Miyah, her sister and I. When Kim’Miyah saw Minnie in the parade, her face brightened up and they were blowing kisses to one another. It was such a priceless moment!”

Click the following links to learn more about TRC’s commitment to fiscal responsibility and transparency on both their GuideStar profile page and the Charity Navigator profile page.

The Rainbow Connection office is bustling with excitement because more than 30 wish families will be travelling to Disney over the next month!  We want to take you behind the scenes to show you how our wish department prepares for these exciting moments.

First, TRC staff work closely with our Wish Families choosing dates, filling out required forms and securing travel arrangements.

Approx. 1-2 weeks prior to the wish departure date, we assemble and distribute the Wish Delivery Packages. The Wish Delivery Package includes a personalized wish binder. This contains all the specific details for the wish including reservations, activities, contact lists, itineraries and more! Once they’ve had a chance to review it, their Wish Coordinator schedules a call to walk them through the details, answering any questions along the way. It’s important that our families feel prepared and excited for their upcoming wish! Each package also contains travel details, a Rainbow Connection T-shirt for all family members, and fun surprises for the kids!

When a child’s wish is to visit the theme parks in Florida, they stay at a magical place called Give Kids the World. This is an incredible resort located in central Florida that partners with The Rainbow Connection to provide Wish Families weeklong magical wish trips to children diagnosed with life-threatening medical conditions. Tickets to all of the local theme parks including Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, Sea World, Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Epcot Center and Legoland are provided. (www.gktw.org)

Each child’s wish is made unique with experience tailored to their heart’s desire. Perhapes they want a Mickey Mouse autograph, to meet their favorite princess or explore Harry Potter World. Whatever the wish, The Rainbow Connection makes sure that each child and their families have the opportunity to make lasting memories.

Make sure to follow us on Facebook @rainbowconnectionmichigan to see more wish stories and pictures over the next few months!

The Rainbow Connection (TRC) has been granting wishes for Michigan children with life threatening medical conditions since 1985. Although a lot has changed over the 35 years since the organization began, the magic of a wish continues to provide hope and joy to wish children.

Check out these 9 facts you might not know about TRC and the magic of making a dream come true.

1. It’s more than a wish. In addition to granting wishes, TRC provides an umbrella of support services for all families served. When a child becomes seriously ill, life is suddenly turned upside down for all family members. The Special Response and Enhancement Program provide families with support and fun activities as they continue to experience hardships. College Scholarships are available for wish kids who go to college too!
2. We grant wishes throughout the state of Michigan. TRC provides services to children throughout the 83 counties in the state of Michigan. In 2020, 80% of wishes were granted for Wayne, Oakland and Macomb County children, but our Wish Staff travel to Traverse City, Marquette and wherever they are needed for our wish children.
3. The Rainbow Connection does not have a waiting list. Our Wish Coordinators work hard to maintain the quality of care and service while we maintain our no wait policy. When the child is ready for their wish, TRC is ready to make it happen.
4. Wish Kids receive surprise Happy Packs in the mail! Whether a child is going through a tough time in treatment, or just needs a pick me up, TRC sends a Happy Pack in the mail to cheer the child up. The surprise packages include coloring books, nail polish, card games and more!
5. The first wish was to meet Muhammed Ali on July 24^th, 1985. 16 year old John Bowden wished to meet heavy weight champion Muhammed Ali. He came to visit John at Children’s Hospital in Detroit and while the visit was set up specifically to meet John, Ali stayed to visit many sick kids throughout the hospital. The gesture by Ali brought joy to John during a difficult time and the impact remains with his family to this day.
6. Wish Kids love to give back to other Wish Kids. Many of our wish kids raise funds to support other wish families. Ryan’s wish was granted in 2014 and he has been connected with TRC ever since. In 2016, Ryan started Leto Strong, an annual golf outing that has since raised over $25,000 to grant more wishes!
7. We grant all kinds of wishes! Since 1985, over 3,750 wishes have been granted to Michigan children. In 2019, we granted 68 trips to Disney World, 28 shopping sprees and 2 meet and greets with celebrities!
8. When a wish is received, the wish child and their family are joining The Rainbow Connection Family for life! With our Holiday Party, Summer Picnic and year round Enhancements, we love to visit with wish families throughout the year.
9. Hundreds of TRC supporters and volunteers make our mission possible. 2020 has been a tough year, especially for our families who are caring for a child with a life-threatening illness. When the pandemic hit, we knew that our families needed support now more than ever. Because of the incredible connections that we have made with new and old community partners, donors, supporters, and volunteers, we have truly been able to support our families in a big way. In 2020, 856 wish family members received support through our Special Response Program. In 2021, we anticipate granting more wishes than usual in the year ahead as we work hard to keep true to our promise: no child in need of a wish will ever be turned away or made to wait.

Follow us on Facebook for even more wish stories at www.facebook.com/rainbowconnectionmichigan. For more information on events and volunteer opportunities visit www.rainbowconnection.org