Make A Wish For Seniors?! Try These 4 Charities!

We’ve found several wish-granting organizations that work like Make a Wish for seniors! These nonprofits specifically help seniors make their dreams come true. Whether you want to travel, return to an old hobby, or check something off of your bucket list, these agencies may be able to help.

This list is dedicated to seniors who are at least 65 years old. We have separate lists of wish-granting organizations for adults and children elsewhere on our site.

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Make a Wish for Seniors Nationwide

No matter where you live in the United States, you may be able to get a wish granted from these organizations. Please note that each agency sets their own eligibility criteria, so it’s important to choose the right organization for you.

AARP Wish of a Lifetime

Renowned senior organization AARP also offers a program that works like Make a Wish for seniors. This program is called Wish of a Lifetime because they focus on helping seniors’ lifelong dreams come true.

Every wish granted from this organization must be tied to a compelling story. It needs to fulfill a lifelong goal or dream in some way. Some of the wishes granted by this organization including helping a veteran return to Pearl Harbor, helping a lifelong hockey fan attend a game, and helping a movie enthusiast attend an awards ceremony.

Because AARP wants to focus on granting the Wish of a Lifetime, this organization does not grant material items, like home furnishings or belongings. They focus on providing meaningful experiences that fulfill lifelong dreams.

In order to be eligible, you must meet the following requirements:

You must be at least 65 years old.
You must live in the United States or a US territory.
You must be physically and mentally capable of communicating and experiencing the wish.

You can apply online at the Wish of a Lifetime website. You just need to click the Submit a Wish button and complete all the prompts. You will need to write detailed answers about why the wish is meaningful to you, what prompted it, and when you first knew that you wanted this wish.

AARP focuses on compelling story experiences, so you’re more likely to be selected if you can emphasize why you deserve this wish and why it is meaningful to you. Presenting your story in a powerful way will improve your chances of being selected.

Twilight Wish

Low income seniors may be able to get a wish granted from Twilight Wish! This organization strives to help low income seniors make their dreams come true.

The types of wishes granted from this organization typically fall into one of three categories:

Simple Need wishes may include getting a wheelchair, adjustable armchair, or tablet.
Living Life to the Fullest wishes involve experiences and bucket-list adventures. This could involve going to a ballgame or another event.
Celebrating a Life wishes involve reliving memories and celebrating your life. This could include going back to your hometown for a visit.

There are some restrictions on the types of wishes granted by this organization. They don’t provide vacations, although they can help you with purposeful travel (like visiting your hometown one more time or visiting a family member). They also cannot help you with home repair, cash or bill payments, medical times, or funeral expenses.

In order to be eligible, you must meet the following guidelines:

You must a US citizen.
You must be at least 65 years old OR a permanent resident of an eldercare facility.
You must have an annual income that is less than 200% of the Federal Poverty Level.
You must have a history of giving back to others in some way, whether through military service, community volunteering, or serving your family.
You must be cognitively and physically capable of communicating and experiencing the wish.

You can apply for a Twilight Wish by downloading the application from their website. You will need to fill it out and include supporting documentation that proves your age, income, residence and more.

After your submit your application, it can take up to 60 days to receive a decision.

Make a Wish for Seniors in Certain States

There are many local charities and nonprofits that help people in their local areas make their dreams come true. If you live in the service area for one of these organizations, they may be able to help you make a wish for seniors near you!

An Elderly Wish Foundation (CA)

This organization serves a very specific group of people in a very small geographic area. They have granted specific wishes for eligible seniors, such as new wheel chairs, special birthday dinners, or trips to local destinations.

In order to be eligible, you much match these guidelines:

You must live in Contra Costa County, California.
You must be at least 50 years old.
You must be diagnosed with a serious or chronic illness.

If you meet the requirements, you can contact the organization for application instructions.

Senior Wishes (NY)

Senior Wishes provides wishes for seniors. They focus on granting wishes that will make a big impact on your quality of life or happiness. You don’t even need a medical diagnosis to apply for a wish!

The wishes granted by this organization include travel to a hometown, reconnecting with a loved one, celebrating a passion, or engaging in an old hobby. Lifelong dreams like riding in a hot air balloon, going to a ballgame or learning a new skill may also be granted.

In order to be eligible, you must meet the following criteria:

You must be a US citizen.
You must be at least 65 years old.
You must live in Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans or Wyoming County in New York.
You must have an annual household income that is less than $38,000 for a single person or $44,000 for a couple. If you are a permanent resident of a care facility, that counts too.
You must be cognitively, emotionally, and physically capable of communicating and experiencing the wish.
You must be unable to fulfill the wish on your own or with help from your family.

To get started, complete the wish application on the Senior Wishes website.

Closed Programs

Because these programs rely on donations and volunteers to maintain their services, they usually don’t last forever. In the course of researching this post, we came across many different articles that referenced programs that are no longer operational.

Some of the closed programs include:

Seniors Have Dreams Too (last update in 2016)
Bucket List Foundation (everything on the site is past-tense)
Never Too Late (ended in 2011)

Summary

There are many different wish-granting organizations that operate like Make a Wish for seniors! These range from well-known nationwide organizations like AARP to little-known local organizations like Senior Wishes. This list includes many different options for seniors who would like to have a wish granted.

Nicole Thelin

Nicole is the founder and lead researcher of Low Income Relief. After a personal experience with poverty and homelessness following her husband's sudden medical discharge from the U.S. Army, Nicole discovered the life-changing impact of community resources. This experience ignited her passion for empowering others to navigate similar crises. Nicole launched her writing career at age 16, working for various newspapers and publications. Her commitment to in-depth research and accessible content has been recognized by Google for Publishers and other industry leaders. For over 20 years, she has applied her investigative skills to uncover the most helpful, up-to-date information on benefits programs and community resources, ensuring Low Income Relief maintains the most extensive resource databases available.