One Simple Wish

Updated: January 2023

One Simple Wish is a 501(c)3 NJ nonprofit organization that works with a network of over 2,000 Community Partner agencies throughout the United States to spread love, hope and joy to kids and young adults who have been impacted by trauma, crisis and foster care. Among other programs, we operate an online wish registry that enables donors to grant a wish submitted by a deserving child or family in need through this network as well as from individuals who aged out of foster care. These individuals are vetted and their time in care is verified by our team.

WISH VALUES

One Simple Wish values and approves each wish submitted to our website. The value includes the original price of the item, 2.9% credit card fee, sales tax and shipping charges (when applicable) and a program fee to allow us to sustain operations. The program fee typically does not exceed 10%.

One Simple Wish makes every effort to provide the donor with the most accurate wish value available at the time the wish is posted. If the item is found at a lower value, the donor understands that any additional funds will be deposited into an account for One Simple Wish to use towards our programming. If the wish was undervalued, One Simple Wish uses program-restricted funds to cover the cost of these items, or if necessary, unrestricted funding.

All funds received by One Simple Wish are used 100% towards furthering the mission of the organization and at no time shall be accepted as profit, in accordance with non-profit organization status.

DONORS (Wish Granters)

Donors may browse wishes and grant wishes on our website with or without registering.

Registration is required if a donor wishes to receive a thank you note from the child and from One Simple Wish. Whether or not they register, donors will always receive a confirmation of their donation from PayPal, our merchant.

By registering with One Simple Wish, potential donors are not entering into any contract.

By registering you agree to receive email communications from One Simple Wish relating to our programs. You may opt out at any time by following the link in our emails or by emailing us at [email protected]. You may not opt-out of transactional emails such as donation confirmations or wish updates.

Donations made directly to a wish will be used to fulfill that specific item. One Simple Wish will make every reasonable effort to arrange for the service or experience to take place between the donor and the Community Partner and/or individual. However, if it becomes too difficult to make this arrangement or more than 30 days passes without any progress, One Simple Wish reserves the right to make alternative arrangements to ensure that the service or experience is provided or to apply funds to a new wish. Before any funds are applied to a new wish, One Simple Wish will contact the donor to choose another wish. If the donor does not respond within two weeks, One Simple Wish will select an alternative wish with criteria as close to the original wish as possible.

COMMUNITY PARTNERS (Wish Makers)

Wishes are collected through Third Party Partners known as Community Partners. These Community Partners must be recognized and registered nonprofit organizations operating for at least one year. They must provide references and must apply to become a member of our network of Community Partners. All applications are reviewed by One Simple Wish and Community Partners are not eligible to make wishes on behalf of individuals until their applications are approved.

Community Partners understand that by making wishes on behalf of individuals they are certifying that this individual is in fact in need and that they maintain all responsibility if the individual is fraudulent in any manner.

By joining the network of Community Partners, Community Partners recognize that they are entering into a relationship with One Simple Wish until their wishes have been granted. If they sever their relationship with One Simple Wish prior to all wishes being granted, any outstanding wishes will be removed from the website. Community Partner’s acknowledge that they are not entering into any other type of partnership, arrangement or agreement with One Simple Wish other than to make wishes on behalf of individuals and to have those wishes granted.

Community Partners agree to have their organization information displayed on One Simple Wish’s website and in printed materials including but not limited to brochures, press releases and print advertisements. If at any time a Community Partner decides to sever their relationship with One Simple Wish, Community Partners understand that materials printed before the date the relationship ended may still be used and that those materials may include the Community Partner’s organization name and other information. Further, One Simple Wish reserves the right to communicate past affiliation with these organizations to the public.

Community Partners understand that One Simple Wish will contact them once a donor makes a request to fulfill a wish they have submitted. Community Partners agree to be available to arrange for the delivery of the wish during the Community Partner’s regular operating hours. One Simple Wish will make every effort to accommodate the schedule of the Community Partner but Community Partners are aware that fulfillment of certain wishes may need to occur on a weekend, in the evening or otherwise outside of the normal operating hours of the Community Partner and that they may need to be available at these times with advance notice.

Community Partners understand that One Simple Wish will make every effort to fulfill a wish within 30 days of the time that wish has been granted and covered by a donation for the full value of the wish.

Community Partners acknowledge that they will not receive any direct funds from One Simple Wish except in the event we cannot fulfill a wish by any other means. If a Community Partner is seeking the sponsorship of an event or program, they must apply separately and not through the wish-granting platform..

While every effort will be made to do so, One Simple Wish makes no guarantee that all wishes made will be granted.

Wish Posting Guidelines:

It is important to us that wish limitations are kept to a minimum and that the children and young adults are able to select the wish that they have identified will bring them hope, joy & love. If you feel that you have a wish that may fall outside these general rules feel free to contact us for further discussion. As a general rule, wishes for the following will not be approved.

Wishes with an original price that exceeds $425. We have a Big Wish program that may be able to address these. You can contact [email protected] for more information on that program.
Wish forms that are incomplete, lack detail, do not follow our suggested format, or require significant edits (this includes using all caps or extra characters due to copy/paste from a Word doc).
Wishes for items from more than one vendor or for more than one recipient.
More than 3 wishes for the same recipient at one time.
Wishes that require reimbursement to be fulfilled.
Wishes for Visa/Amex Gift cards (must be to a specific store that sells gift cards online);
Wishes for checks made out to the child or child's family (checks will only be filled directly to a vendor).

Additionally, Community Partners are expected to include all info possible for the wishes posted. If the contact address on file is a PO Box, an alternate delivery address will need to be provided for items larger than an envelope. If the request is for lessons, tickets, or something besides a standard item, please provide the name and address for payment within the Wish Notes.

Thank you notes are a required part of our Wish Granting program. Community Partners are expected to send a thank you note for the Wish Granter from either themselves or the child a wish was granted for. These can be uploaded to the website.

DIRECT WISH INTAKE

In cases when the wish recipient has aged out of foster care and is no longer represented by an agency that qualifies as a community partner, One Simple Wish may be able to directly intake with understanding of the following

Direct intake wishes are reviewed individually by a committee of former foster youth once per month. This committee will determine in the wish can be accepted based on the following criteria -

Mission alignment - The individual must be able to provide the committee with documentation to verify time in foster care. If an individual cannot provide verification to the committee, the wish cannot be accepted
Wish Value - Any given wish cannot exceed $425. We have a Big Wish program that may be able to address these higher valued needs. You can contact [email protected] for more information on that program.
Other available resources - One Simple wish values our ability to help when other resources cannot be accessed. To continue to have funds available for these exceptions, we ask that needs that can be met by another outside resource, that those resources are accessed first.
Complete wish details - each wish submitted directly to the committee must come through the proper channel. Please view “Submit a wish” for more information and to access the wish submission form
Payment requirements – One Simple Wish must be able to either make a direct payment to a vendor, or purchase an item for the wish program. No cash or personal checks can be provided, nor any reimbursement for an item already purchased. If there is not information on how One Simple Wish can make payment for the wish, the wish cannot be accepted.

The review committee will meet once per month to accept wishes. If they are accepted, One Simple Wish will post to the platform to be funded by a wish granter.

It is important to note that One Simple Wish is not an emergency response organization, our staff are not trained social workers, and the wish granting program is not structured to successfully address life-threatening or emergency needs. One Simple Wish does not have any government contracts or government funds to address the needs and each wish is individually reviewed, posted and fundraised for, prior to being able to release payment. If you need emergency support or feel that you are in distress please reach out to a trained professional or call 988.

BIG WISHES

Community partners and individuals who have a wish submission over $500 can submit a completed big wish submission form for consideration. Each big wish will be reviewed once per month by a committee of former foster youth, who will collectively select 52 big wishes each year to intake. There is not funding available for more than 52 big wishes each year through this program.

Big wishes will be crowdsourced and One Simple Wish does use social media to allow for multiple donations. If the wish recipient is uncomfortable with sharing their story and/or photo on social media they will be ineligible for a big wish.