Five Questions With: Elise Strom

Elise Strom joined Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island in mid-September as the regional director in Rhode Island.
Elise Strom joined Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island in mid-September as the regional director in Rhode Island.

Elise Strom joined Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island in mid-September as the regional director in Rhode Island. With the regional office based in East Providence, Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island grants wishes for children between the ages of 2 1/2 and 18 with life-threatening medical conditions. In its 28-year history, the organization has granted more than 7,000 wishes for children in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

PBN: Why did you decide to work at Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island?
STROM:
I fell in love with the mission of Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island. As a parent, it is difficult to fathom what these families go through when faced with a life-threatening diagnosis. A wish is a powerful thing, and it is a wonderful experience to be a part of something that can bring profound joy and lasting hope so these seriously ill children can keep fighting and dreaming for the future.
I am inspired by our wish kids, their families and the support of the entire Make-A-Wish community, and will continue to approach our mission with life-affirming enthusiasm, imagination and creativity.

PBN: What has been your priority in your first three months in the regional office, and have you met it?
STROM:
Enlisting the help of Rhode Island businesses and organizations has been, and will continue to be, a key priority for me as we look to increase awareness in our community, and seek support in delivering our mission on a local level. It is always so empowering to meet so many passionate and dedicated people.
I have spent a lot of time learning about the organization as a whole and its supporters, including the Rhode Island advisory board and other volunteers who are dedicated to helping us reach our goal of granting every eligible child their heartfelt wish.
In addition to local partnerships and fundraisers, national companies such as Macy’s, Subaru of America Inc. and Dave & Busters, among others, are supportive, and building these relationships remains a priority for me. The implementation of the signature event in Rhode Island, “Evening of Wishes Dinner,” is among my top priorities. This event will be held on May 21, 2016 at the Omni Providence Hotel and is slated to have 300 guests in attendance. I am working closely with a committee of volunteers to engage local sponsors and to enhance our silent and live auctions.

PBN: What do you consider key needs for the Rhode Island region and how might you fulfill those?
STROM:
We have two key needs: to raise awareness about our mission and to garner sufficient funds and in-kind support so no child has to wait to experience the power of a life-affirming wish.
While we do receive funding from select local foundations and corporations, we also rely on philanthropic community leaders and individuals for support. The Evening of Wishes Dinner is the single largest event in Rhode Island to support Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The true impact of our donors’ compassion and generosity is immeasurable. Their support has helped us to instill hope and joy in our children and their families when they needed it most.
Increasing referrals for eligible children in Rhode Island is another area of focus for us. Parents or legal guardians, health care professionals treating the child, the potential wish child or a family member familiar with the child’s medical condition can officially make a referral for a wish.

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PBN: What are your fund-raising goals for 2016 and how do you plan to meet them?
STROM:
The 2016 revenue goal for Rhode Island territory is $750,000 to support the wishes of our children in our community. Individual and family foundation support is a major fundraising source for us, especially during this special time of year where people want to give something back, while ensuring that all of our children have their wishes fulfilled.
Supporters can help by providing an end-of-the year donation through our annual appeal [at http://massri.wish.org/ways-to-help/giving/more-ways-to-give ], or learn about more ways to give during the holidays, including our holiday tribute card program, our monthly Wishmaker Club and more [ http://massri.wish.org/news-and-events/news/fy16-news/season-of-wishes-2015].
Throughout the year, we rely on the support of individuals, businesses and local organizations through fundraising campaigns or events. In addition, area businesses can support Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island by offering employees the opportunity to participate in payroll deductions or one-time gifts through a workplace giving campaign.
Area companies can also offer event sponsorships, cause marketing promotions and/or host airline mileage donation campaigns to offset the costs of our children’s travel wishes, which is our greatest wish cost. Even local schools and colleges can participate in our Kids for Wish Kids and Wishmakers on Campus programs, so there is something for everyone in the community to engage with and support our mission.
We wouldn’t be able to sustain our work of granting high-quality wishes to our children without the generosity of our donors, partners, supporters and volunteers. They make wishes possible for these inspiring children and we can’t thank them enough.

PBN: How do you plan to increase business and volunteer support?
STROM:
Word-of-mouth and social media is a strong way for us to continue to spread the word about Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island to gain new support and referrals. In addition, we will continue to pitch stories to the local media, and I will work to attend as many public speaking opportunities as I can. My goal is to share our mission with large and small businesses [and] engage more civic organizations, schools and colleges.
Anyone can support Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island, so it is a matter of continuing to get the good word out about our mission and to share what we do to support children with life-threatening illness in our community.
Volunteer support is needed in assisting at events, in our office and also to grant wishes to our local children. We offer volunteer training out of the East Providence office and the next training is scheduled for March 9, 2016. We would not be able to grant as many wishes as we do if it were not for the generosity of the public and for our volunteer support.
If you would like to make a gift, host or support an event and/or host a corporate airline miles campaign, please contact me at estrom@massri.wish.org.

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