Make-A-Wish kids are making their lists, and Macy’s is checking them twice.
Macy’s is partnering with the charity for the 11th annual Believe campaign to give the gift of joy to children with critical illnesses, and you can help. Write a letter to Santa sharing your wishes and drop it off in stores in the red Believe letterboxes or submit it online at macys.com/believe. For each letter sent through December 24, Macy’s will donate one dollar to Make-A-Wish, up to $1 million.
Wish kids, Metro police, and First Responders gather for a photo at the launch of Macy’s Summerlin Believe campaign
The national campaign’s local launch took place at Macy’s Downtown Summerlin on November 2. Make-A-Wish Southern Nevada kids were escorted to the store in a fire truck and police squad cars. The kids walked the blue and red carpet, waved to the crowd and were greeted by local first responders and community members. The Make-A-Wish kids then wrote letters to Santa and dropped them into the Macy’s Believe mailbox.
“Believe is a special moment for the Macy’s family each year,” said Lauren Anania, Macy’s director of cause execution. “As we celebrate the wonder of giving, we feel privileged to support Make-A-Wish in its quest to grant the wishes of children in need. We are proud of the passion that our colleagues bring and grateful to our customers for turning this program into a tradition of endless generosity and community through the collection of millions of letters over the last 11 years.”
Since 2003, Macy’s has donated more than $112 million to Make-A-Wish, including more than $17 million through its annual Believe campaign. It has helped grant more than 13,000 wishes and has impacted more than 2.6 million people, including wish kids, their families, volunteers, community groups, nurses and doctors.
Two wish kids write their letters to Santa at the launch of Macy’s Summerlin Believe campaign
Macy’s was inspired to create the campaign by the true story of an 8-year-old girl named Virginia O’Hanlon who, in 1897, wrote a letter to the New York Sun asking if there really was a Santa Claus. Editor Francis P. Church wrote back, “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist.” His response became an iconic phrase, and Macy’s Believe campaign was founded in that spirit of holiday goodwill and kindness. Even today, it seeks to capture the spirit of Church’s words and bring the magic of the holiday season to children across the country.
“This holiday season we are, once again, inspired by Macy’s partnership and generosity through the Believe campaign,” said Janell Holas, vice president of brand & marketing for Make-A-Wish America. “Macy’s makes it simple for everyone to make a difference in the life of a wish child by writing a letter to Santa. When you meet a wish kid, the transformative power of a wish is undeniable. Macy’s has seen this firsthand through the thousands of wishes they have helped to grant and they share our vision for granting the wish of every eligible child.”
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus
