Terri Klauber has spent years on the advisory board of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and on this episode she tells the hosts about the organization's ambitious local goal: granting a wish to every single eligible child in the Sarasota area, no exceptions. She walks through what that promise actually requires, from fundraising to the volunteer network that makes each individual wish possible.
Klauber gets specific about what a wish means to a child and a family going through a serious illness, describing it as more than a nice gesture. She explains how the process works, from referral to the moment a wish is granted, and why the emotional weight of that work has kept her committed to the cause for so long. The hosts ask about the fundraising side too, and Klauber is candid about what it takes to keep the promise funded in a community that has to compete for charitable dollars against many worthy causes.
A Promise With No Exceptions
Klauber talks about specific moments from wishes she has been part of, without losing sight of the bigger goal: making sure no eligible Sarasota child is turned away for lack of funding. She credits local donors and volunteers for making that no-exceptions promise realistic rather than aspirational.
The roundabout question gives the conversation a lighter turn, and the Rapid Fire Gauntlet closes out an episode that is ultimately about a Sarasota community deciding that some causes are worth fully funding, every time.
What you'll take away
- Make-A-Wish's local goal is to grant a wish to every eligible child in the Sarasota area with no exceptions
- Terri Klauber has served on the foundation's advisory board, guiding fundraising and mission work
- Sustained fundraising is required to keep the no-exceptions promise realistic
- The wish-granting process involves referral, coordination, and a dedicated volunteer network
- Local donor and volunteer support has been key to meeting the foundation's ambitious goal