Make-A-Wish Iowa

06/05/2026

Emmy wished to design her own shoe as a celebration of creativity, confidence and self-expression. She came prepared with her own shoe design, and when the Nike team shared their ideas, she found even more ways to make the final design her own. 👟✨

Watch the full wish story: https://youtu.be/O8HpjygFwOY?si=9DoGQWK9E57pCIBc

06/05/2026

Shop. Save. Help make Wishes come true! Stop in at Jay's CD & Hobby this June!✨

06/03/2026

Congratulations, Callie, on 2 years of impactful work at Make-A-Wish Iowa. 💫 As one of our dedicated Wish Specialists, she works directly with our wish families during the wish planning process and ensures every wish is as unique as the child who makes them. We are very thankful to have her on our Make-A-Wish Iowa Team. 💙

To learn more about our staff, visit: https://wish.org/iowa/our-staff

06/02/2026

We are excited to announce the addition of Kaitlyn Kinyon to the Make-A-Wish Iowa team as another new Wish Specialist! Welcome to Make-A-Wish Iowa Kaitlyn! 💫

05/28/2026

05/27/2026

Meet Wish Alum, Brady. Brady’s wish was to have a place where he could spend time with his brother, family and friends: a theater and game room. When he was imagining his wish, he even drew what his movie room could look like, from reclining chairs and a popcorn maker to a snack stand, big TV and refrigerator. 🍿🎥🌟

After a fun day at Lost Island Amusement Park, Brady received the news that his wish had been granted. When he came home and saw the space come to life, it was everything he had imagined.

"It's been a wonderful space for Brady and his family and friends to share with him. He was excited to show everyone. This will be a wonderful space for years to come." - Brady's Mom 💙

To help grant more life-changing wishes like Brady's, visit our Amazon Wish List: https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/2SV0XU84ZZKT0?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_ggr-subnav-share_NBSSRA6DCK19ZNMGMJ8Y

05/20/2026

Congratulations, Diane, on 2 years of impactful work with Make-A-Wish Iowa! Thank you for your dedication to leading and supporting our volunteer community. We are lucky to have you as an integral part of our team. 💫

Learn more about our staff: https://wish.org/iowa/our-staff.

05/18/2026

This past weekend, the Gladiator Assault Challenge (GAC) took place at Seven Oaks in Boone, Iowa. Competitors completed physically challenging obstacles to test their overall endurance.

The Gladiator Assault Challenge partnered with Make-A-Wish Iowa to raise over $3,000 for children battling critical illnesses in Iowa. Thank you for your continued support! 💙

05/14/2026

Last Saturday, because of the incredible support of our wish community, we surpassed our goal of filling all the stars and granting 33 life-changing wishes at this year's Make-A-Wish Iowa Des Moines Gala. Together, we raised more than $600,000 and will grant 40 wishes to Iowa children fighting a critical illness. 💙💫

From all of us at Make-A-Wish Iowa, thank you for sharing hope, strength and joy with children and their families when it is most needed. A special thank you to our Presenting Sponsor, Community Choice Credit Union. Their support ensured this night was a huge success!

Take a walk in Steven's and Emmy's shoes by watching the wish video linked below. This story, first shared with guests at the gala, is a powerful reminder of what happens when a community comes together to make life-changing wishes possible: https://youtu.be/O8HpjygFwOY?si=cdW6g0o0nIPiJ0Z2

Please enjoy some photos of the evening's sparkly highlights captured by Christopher Maharry. ✨