Make a Wish Greece
Make-A-Wish Greece is a Civil Non-Profit Organization, founded in 1995, that grants wishes to children aged 3-17 with critical illnesses in Greece. Operating with 1-10 employees and two offices, it has delivered over 4,260 wishes in 30 years, funded exclusively through donations and corporate partnerships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersGlyfáda, Greece
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Make a Wish Greece does
Make-A-Wish Greece (Κάνε-Μια-Ευχή Ελλάδος) is a Civil Non-Profit Organization founded in 1995/1996 and headquartered in Dafni (Athens), Greece, with a regional office in Thessaloniki. The organization operates as a licensed affiliate of Make-A-Wish Foundation International, granting wishes to children aged 3-17 living with critical, life-threatening illnesses across Greece. Over 30 years of operation, it has granted more than 4,260 wishes, achieving 44.1% population coverage nationwide, with the global Make-A-Wish network granting one wish every 17 minutes worldwide.
The organization's core offering is the Wish Granting Program, supplemented by the WishStar Educational Programme (27 years of school outreach), annual Walk for Wishes events (14 cities in 2025), the Make-A-Wish Eshop for branded merchandise, and the Short Stories of Strength initiative. Technology infrastructure is built on Salesforce CRM for wish application management, Stripe (via Fundraise Up) and Piraeus Bank for payment processing, and Google Analytics for web tracking. The core CRM is EU-US Privacy Shield certified.
The business model relies exclusively on donations — no commercial revenue exists. Revenue streams include individual donations (SMS €2 to 19808, online portal, collection boxes in 13+ locations), corporate partnerships (DEI, SRS Group, AVIN, Yuboto, 8x8, Septona, PepsiCo), and e-commerce merchandise sales. The organization operates with full financial autonomy, allocating more than 75% of revenue directly to wish-granting, with annual audits by Certified Auditors and GDPR-compliant data handling. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors with CEO leadership and maintained a lean team of 1-10 employees.
Make a Wish Greece firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Make a Wish Greece
- Legal name
- MAKE-A-WISH GREECE (Civil Non-Profit Organization / Αστική Μη Κερδοσκοπική Εταιρεία ΚΑΝΕ-ΜΙΑ-ΕΥΧΗ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ)
- Website
- https://makeawish.gr
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Make-A-Wish Greece is a Civil Non-Profit Organization, founded in 1995, that grants wishes to children aged 3-17 with critical illnesses in Greece. Operating with 1-10 employees and two offices, it has delivered over 4,260 wishes in 30 years, funded exclusively through donations and corporate partnerships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Make a Wish Greece industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Charitable Wish-Granting Services
- NAICS
- Child and Youth Services (62411), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)
Keywords
Where Make a Wish Greece is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Glyfáda
- HQ country
- Greece
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Make a Wish Greece business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Donations from individuals via SMS (€2 per text), online portal, direct bank transfers, and in-person collection boxes. The organization operates with full financial autonomy relying exclusively on donations from individuals and companies.
- Corporate Partnerships: Sponsorship and support from corporate partners including DEI (ΔΕΗ), SRS Group of Companies, AVIN, Yuboto, 8x8, Septona, and PepsiCo. Partners support wish-granting through financial contributions, in-kind donations, and cause marketing campaigns.
- E-commerce Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including soft toys (mermaids and other characters representing wish stories) through the Make-A-Wish e-shop (makeawish-eshop.gr). Proceeds support wish-granting activities.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | SMS Donation - €2 per text message |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Online Donation Portal |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Event Participation - Walk for Wishes |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Make a Wish Greece product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Make-A-Wish Greece is a civil non-profit organization that grants wishes to children aged 3-17 living with chronic, life-threatening illnesses. The core Wish Granting Program fulfills tangible wishes (toys, electronics, home modifications) and experiential wishes (travel, celebrity meetings, special events) at no cost to beneficiary families. The organization funds this mission through individual donations, corporate partnerships, and merchandise sales, with more than 75% of revenue going directly to wish fulfillment.
Product overview
Make-A-Wish Greece is a civil non-profit organization that operates as a wish-granting charity. Its core offering is the Wish Granting Program, which fulfills wishes for children aged 3-17 with critical, life-threatening illnesses. The organization supports this mission through complementary programs including the WishStar Educational Programme (delivering hope messages across Greece), annual Walk for Wishes fundraising events, the make-A-Splash summer campaign, and the Make-A-Wish Eshop (selling merchandise inspired by wish stories). Donation mechanisms include SMS/call donations via 19808 and online donation platforms. The organization operates with full financial independence, with over 75% of revenues allocated directly to wish fulfillment, and maintains 44.1% population coverage across Greece after 30 years of operation with more than 4,260 wishes granted.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- WishStar Educational Programme: Educational programme that travels across Greece spreading messages of hope and giving
- WishStar
Products and services
- Wish Granting Program Core program that grants wishes to children aged 3-17 living with chronic, life-threatening illnesses in Greece. Wishes include tangible items (toys, electronics, home modifications) and experiential wishes (travel, celebrity meetings, special events) provided free of charge to beneficiary families.
- WishStar Educational Programme Educational programme that travels to schools across Greece delivering messages of hope and giving. Operating for 27 years, WishStar is the educational outreach arm of Make-A-Wish Greece.
- Walk for Wishes Annual nationwide walking event organized in 14 cities across Greece celebrating World Wish Day and raising funds for wish granting. Combines physical walking with evening celebrations; participants join with a €5 donation.
- Make-A-Wish E-shop Online store selling branded merchandise including limited edition soft toys inspired by children's wish stories (mermaids and other characters). Proceeds support wish-granting activities.
- SMS/Call Donation (19808) Phone and SMS donation service allowing donors to contribute €2 by calling 19808 or texting WISH to 19808 from any Greek mobile or landline phone.
- Short Stories of Strength Initiative where children whose wish was granted share their experiences with cancer, inspiring others with strength and optimism. Features stories of Vasiliki, Giannis, Eleni, Kostis, and Fotini.
- Thank You Night Annual gratitude celebration held at Megaron Athens Concert Hall honoring wish families, volunteers, donors, and corporate partners. Over 1,000 attendees annually.
- make-A-Splash Summer Campaign Summer fundraising campaign encouraging supporters to participate in water-related activities to raise funds for wish granting. Includes a corporate challenge component.
Quantifiable outcome
- More than 75% of revenue allocated directly to wish granting
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Make a Wish Greece
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Make a Wish Greece technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Make a Wish Greece partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- AVINflagshipAVIN has increased its support tenfold (dekaplasiazei/prosphora) for wish fulfillment. A major corporate partner whose enhanced commitment was highlighted in 2025 news.
- DEI (ΔΕΗ - Public Power Corporation)coreMajor corporate sponsor supporting the wish-granting mission. DEI is one of the primary corporate partners featured on the organization's supporter pages and materials.
- SRS Group of CompaniescoreCorporate sponsor contributing to wish-granting activities. Featured as a key corporate partner in supporter communications.
- YubotocoreYuboto has supported Make-A-Wish Greece for 6 consecutive years (2020-2025). Consistent corporate partner with ongoing commitment.
- 8x8 (LOGO-8X8)coreFeatured corporate sponsor on the organization's supporter pages and materials.
- SeptonacoreCorporate sponsor featured on the organization's supporter pages. Septona's partnership supports wish-granting activities.
- PepsiCocoreCorporate partner featured on the English-language supporter page. Supports wish-granting through corporate sponsorship.
- Salesforce Inc.coreCRM platform provider hosting the customer relationship management system used by Make-A-Wish affiliates to administer, coordinate, and track wish applications. Certified under EU-US Privacy Shield.
- StripecorePayment service provider processing online donations via the Fundraise Up application.
- Piraeus BankcoreCommercial payment service provider processing financial transactions on behalf of Make-A-Wish Greece.
- Make-A-Wish Foundation InternationalflagshipGlobal parent organization based in the United States providing administrative and technical support, licensing of the Make-A-Wish® brand, and international operational standards. Linda Pauling, co-founder of the global organization, participated in the 30th anniversary celebration.
- Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC)flagshipHost venue for the organization's 30th anniversary celebration event. The two-day celebration included events at the SNFCC Canal Café and Stavros Niarchos Hall.
- City of AthenscoreMunicipal authority providing official auspices for World Wish Day celebrations and Walk for Wishes events. Supports awareness-raising activities.
- WHSMITHminorRetail locations at Athens International Airport and Thessaloniki Airport host collection boxes for donations. Provides physical retail presence for donor engagement.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Make a Wish Greece competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Smile Train: International children's charity that funds corrective surgeries and 'gifts' to children in need. Comparable in the model of funding life-changing experiences/interventions for vulnerable children, donor-funded operations, and global affiliate footprint.
- Make-A-Wish America: The largest Make-A-Wish affiliate, operating the same wish-granting model for critically ill children in the United States. It uses identical operational standards, brand licensing, and beneficiary eligibility criteria, making it the most directly comparable peer in scale and execution.
- Make-A-Wish UK: UK affiliate of Make-A-Wish International that grants wishes to critically ill children using the same brand, model, and eligibility framework. Directly comparable in mission, beneficiary definition, and revenue model (individual donations + corporate partnerships).
- Starlight Children's Foundation: US-headquartered charity delivering wishes, entertainment, and hospital programs to seriously ill children. Closely comparable mission and beneficiary base, with overlapping wish-granting and quality-of-life programming for pediatric critical illness.
- SeriousFun Children's Network: Founded by Paul Newman, SeriousFun provides free camp experiences to children with serious illnesses. Highly comparable in delivering transformative experiences to the same pediatric critical-illness beneficiary segment, with similar donor-funded model.
- Make-A-Wish Italia: Italian Make-A-Wish affiliate operating the same wish-granting model for children with critical illnesses under the same global brand. Highly comparable peer in Southern European market dynamics, regulatory environment, and donor culture.
Broad incumbents
- Make-A-Wish Foundation International: Global parent organization and licensor of the Make-A-Wish brand. It operates across ~50 countries and provides administrative, technical, and operational standards support to all affiliates including Make-A-Wish Greece, making it the umbrella incumbent in the same wish-granting model.
- Ronald McDonald House Charities: Global nonprofit serving families of seriously ill children through housing and supportive programs. Comparable in mission and beneficiary base but operates a broader portfolio of family-support services rather than the focused wish-granting model.
Regional players
- Floga - Association of Parents of Children with Cancer: Greek nonprofit supporting children with cancer and their families through housing, financial aid, and psychosocial services. Operates in the same Greek market and partially overlaps on the pediatric critical-illness beneficiary segment, but with a direct-service rather than wish-granting model.
- ELPIDA - Association of Friends of Children with Cancer: Greek nonprofit supporting children with cancer, including operating the country's first pediatric bone marrow transplant unit. Competes for the same donor pool in Greece and serves an overlapping beneficiary segment, but through medical infrastructure rather than wish-granting.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Make a Wish Greece social profiles
Digital presenceMake a Wish Greece compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Make a Wish Greece financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Make a Wish Greece leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Make a Wish Greece funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Make a Wish Greece M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Make a Wish Greece
What does Make a Wish Greece do?
Make-A-Wish Greece is a civil non-profit organization that grants wishes to children aged 3-17 living with chronic, life-threatening illnesses. The core Wish Granting Program fulfills tangible wishes (toys, electronics, home modifications) and experiential wishes (travel, celebrity meetings, special events) at no cost to beneficiary families. The organization funds this mission through individual donations, corporate partnerships, and merchandise sales, with more than 75% of revenue going directly to wish fulfillment.
Is Make a Wish Greece a public or private company?
Make a Wish Greece is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Make a Wish Greece founded?
Make a Wish Greece was founded in 1995. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Make a Wish Greece based?
Make a Wish Greece is headquartered in Glyfáda, Greece, in the Europe region.
How does Make a Wish Greece make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Partnerships and E-commerce Sales.
Who are Make a Wish Greece's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Smile Train, Make-A-Wish America, Make-A-Wish UK, Starlight Children's Foundation, SeriousFun Children's Network and Make-A-Wish Italia. Broad incumbents are Make-A-Wish Foundation International and Ronald McDonald House Charities. Regional players are Floga - Association of Parents of Children with Cancer and ELPIDA - Association of Friends of Children with Cancer.
Does Make a Wish Greece have an API?
No public API is recorded for Make a Wish Greece.
What industry is Make a Wish Greece in?
Make a Wish Greece's product category is Charitable Wish-Granting Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAH, International Grantmaking & Development Foundations. Its NAICS code is 62411 and its SIC code is 8300.