During the campaign, which ran from Monday, January 24 to Friday, January 28, officials said 4,509,542 miles were donated and $8,204 in monetary donations were collected.
Make-A-Wish Connecticut President and CEO Pam Keough discusses this year's Miles for Smiles campaign and how you can help make wishes come true for Make-A-Wish CT kids. The Miles for Smiles campaign runs from January 24 through January 28.
The Miles that were donated to Make-A-Wish will never expire once transferred to the organization and help offset costs to buy flights for wish kids and their families.
Fast Facts About Travel Wishes:
- Percentage of wishes involving travel: 70+ percent
- Average number of miles needed for one domestic round-trip ticket: 50,000
- Average cost of a round-trip ticket: $750
Four-year-old Grace from Wolcott loves the outdoors and her wish to travel came true thanks to Make-A-Wish CT. All this week you can donate your unused airline miles or make monetary donations online to help Make-A-Wish Connecticut grant local wishes! Visit nbcconnecticut.com/miles
Local
While Make-A-Wish Connecticut has begun to safely grant domestic travel wishes, 100 Connecticut wish kids with critical illnesses are still waiting for their travel wishes to come true this year.
A granted wish can have a lifelong impact on a wish kid, positively impacting their health and emotional well-being. Wishes can also give the child's family support and hope when dealing with a severe illness.
Nine- year-old Bodie and his family look forward to having his wish granted after beating cancer for the second time.
