Give Kids the World is a non-profit organization that was created to fulfill the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses and their families to experience the popular attractions of Central Florida. Its story began with a little girl named Amy, who had leukemia and wished to visit the theme parks in Orlando. Amy's family requested a complimentary stay to renowned hotelier Henri Landwirth, who gladly obliged as he had done many times before. Unfortunately, the rest of the travel plans took too long to arrange and Amy passed away before her wish could be granted.
Landwirth made a vow that this would never happen again and reached out to his colleagues in the hospitality industry to bring families to Central Florida within 24 hours if necessary. Give Kids the World grew quickly and Landwirth saw a need to create a place that would better serve these children and families. In 1989, the Give Kids the World Village opened its gates to the public. Today, it is a 70-acre resort featuring over 140 villa accommodations, whimsical venues, and entertainment attractions especially designed for children with special needs.
Since its inception, Give Kids the World has provided magical and memorable experiences to more than 127,000 families from over 70 countries for free. No child has ever been turned away and none ever will. With the assistance of numerous compassionate individual and corporate supporters, thousands of tireless volunteers, and dedicated staff members, Give Kids the World has been able to give deserving families a rare opportunity to relax, have fun, and enjoy quality time with each other.
Named one of the “12 Most Caring Individuals in America” in 1988 by the Caring Institute, Landwirth has since retired from a lengthy and successful career in the hotel industry. He now dedicates his time and efforts to improving the lives of people in need through the many non-profits and foundations he has founded.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment