Give Kids the World Village

Give Kids The World Village

Formation	1986; 35 years ago (1986)
Founder	Henri Landwirth
Purpose	Nonprofit resort for critically ill children and their families
Headquarters	Kissimmee, Florida
Location	Kissimmee, Florida
Region served	Worldwide
President	Pamela Landwirth
Main organ	Board of Directors
Budget	$31.6 million US
Website	www.gktw.org

Give Kids The World Village is an 89-acre, whimsical nonprofit resort in Kissimmee, Florida that provides critically ill children and their families with magical weeklong wish vacations at no cost. Tragically, more than 30,000 children in the U.S. are diagnosed with a critical illness each year, and half of those eligible for a wish choose to visit Central Florida and its world renowned theme parks. Give Kids The World is the nonprofit that fulfills all of these wishes - providing every child and his/her family with an unforgettable, all-expenses-paid dream vacation including transportation; storybook villa accommodations; all meals and snacks; donated theme park tickets; nightly parties; daily gifts; and unique interactive experiences at the Village, featuring an array of accessible rides, attractions and venues. Since 1986, Give Kids The World has welcomed nearly 177,000 families from all 50 states and 76 countries to laugh together, play together, and create priceless memories away from hospital stays and medical procedures. Give Kids The World has been rated Four Stars by Charity Navigator 15 years in a row. Less than 1% of all U.S. charities have achieved this distinction. For more information, visit www.gktw.org.

History[]

Give Kids The World was founded by Henri Landwirth. Born in Antwerp, Belgian, Henri spent five years in the Auschwitz and Matthausen concentration camps^{[citation needed]} during World War II. By war's end, both of his parents had been killed but, miraculously, Henri and his twin sister, Margot, survived and were reunited. Henri worked his way to America on a freight ship, arriving in New York City with $20 in his pocket and little knowledge of the English language. He was soon drafted into the U.S. Army and served during the Korean War. After his service, Henri used the GI Bill to study hotel management while working the night desk at Manhattan's Wellington Hotel. In 1954, he moved to Florida and began managing the 100-room Starlite Motel, the temporary home to the Mercury 7 astronauts, who became his lifelong friends. In 1969, he opened a Holiday Inn franchised hotel in Orlando. In the 1980's, Henri began offering complimentary hotel rooms to children with life-threatening illnesses who wished to visit Walt Disney World. One day, Henri noticed that a reservation for a little girl named Amy, who had leukemia, had been canceled. When he asked why, he was told that while he had donated the accommodations, the rest of the travel arrangements had taken too long, and time simply ran out; Amy passed away before she could make the trip. Henri was heartbroken, and vowed to never let a child's wish go unfulfilled. In 1986, with the support of treasured partners and countless compassionate individuals, Henri founded Give Kids The World Village. The Village now encompasses 89 acres, 166 private wish family villas, and an array of accessible rides, attractions and venues.

The Village[]

The Enchanted Carousel at Give Kids The World Village

Give Kids The World Village is a whimsical, 89-acre nonprofit resort unlike any place on earth. Every aspect of the Village was built with childlike wonder in mind. The Village encompasses 166 private storybook villas; four accessible rides and attractions, including the Enchanted Carousel, the Jurassic Junction (JJ's) train experience, Kelly's Sunny Swing and Lori's Magical Flight; the Gingerbread House Restaurant; the Serendipity pirate themed entertainment stage; two wheelchair accessible pools; Jack's Wacky WaterWorks splash pad; horseback riding; a nature trail, gardens and koi pond; Henri's Starlite Scoops, a space-themed accessible ice cream parlor; Jersey Jaxson's Playroom; Julie's Safari Theater; Matthew's Boundless Playground, featuring the world's largest game of Candy Land; Amberville Train Station; the Happy Harbor Fishing Pond; a chapel; and the Castle of Miracles, where the stars of every child who has visited are displayed on the ceiling. During a typical year, the Village relies on the passion and commitment of volunteers to fill approximately 1,800 volunteer shifts each week. Since 1986, nearly 177,000 critically ill children and their families have visited Give Kids The World from all 50 states and 76 countries.

Wish program[]

Children between the ages of 3 and 18 who have been diagnosed with a critical illness by a licensed doctor are eligible for a Give Kids The World wish. More than 250 wish-granting organizations around the world determine the eligibility of each child and work with Give Kids The World to arrange each wish.

References[]

External links[]

• Official website

Coordinates: 28°17′25″N 81°27′27″W / 28.290324°N 81.457508°W / 28.290324; -81.457508