Princeton NJ Non-Profit Press Releases

One Simple Wish’s Danielle Gletow Named CNN Hero

Trenton, NJ – March 7, 2013 – Danielle Gletow, Founder and Executive Director of NJ-based nonprofit One Simple Wish, has been named a 2013 CNN Hero, an honor “saluting everyday people who are changing the world.“  Chosen from thousands of nominations worldwide, Gletow is among a select group of CNN Heroes to be named this year.

Gletow is being honored for her work advocating for and acting on behalf of foster children through One Simple Wish; the organization she founded with a mission to brighten the lives of foster children and vulnerable families, one simple wish at a time.

“I was inspired to create One Simple Wish after my husband and I became foster parents in 2006,” says Gletow. “I quickly recognized that children in foster care needed a greater sense of normalcy & comfort, so I developed a website where social service providers can post the simple wishes of the children they work with every day.  Donors from all over the country can then find a wish that speaks to their heart and budget and make it a reality.” 

Through its unique take on giving, the organization acts as matchmaker, allowing the infrastructure for social service agencies and other non-profit organizations providing services to foster children to reach out to the public and ask that a specific need or wish be met.  And with most wishes on the website (onesimplewish.org) averaging at just about $50-$100, it allows almost anyone to be able to make an impact.

“One Simple Wish makes giving easy and meaningful, but more importantly, it tangibly shows our nation’s foster kids and at-risk youth that someone cares about them enough to not only recognize their wishes, but to make them come true.” says Gletow.

The organization’s goal is that each of the nearly 500,000 children in foster care today is provided for.  Currently partnering with over 300 social service agencies in 35 states, the organization is well on its way to that goal, having granted over 4,000 wishes in its few short years of existence.  In addition to that, with support programs such as “Wish to Work” for children aging out of foster care, and the “Ohana Project” to satisfy immediate needs of children entering placement, Gletow has developed ways to further advocate for this often invisible population in our society.  The organization estimates that it has impacted approximately 20,000 since inception.

“I am so honored and humbled to have been recognized by CNN for the work that I am doing,” says Gletow, “but it is our donor base who are truly the heroes.  These are the people who take time from their busy lives to browse our site, read the children’s wishes and make them come true again and again.  The impact of these simple wishes granted is immeasurable to a child who otherwise has little support. So I thank our donors, sponsors and supporters from the bottom of my heart; and hope they know that they too are changing the world.”

To donate to One Simple Wish, visit their website www.onesimplewish.org. To read more about CNN Heroes, visit www.cnnheroes.com.

About One Simple Wish

One Simple Wish is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization dedicated to granting simple wishes to foster children, at-risk youth and impoverished families.  Through our website (www.onesimplewish.org) donors can browse through hundreds of wishes posted on behalf of these individuals and select a specific wish to grant.  Wishes range in value from $5 to $100, making wish granting simple and affordable.  As of January 2013, One Simple Wish has proudly granted more than 4,000 wishes to children and families in need. For more information about One Simple Wish; to grant a wish; to volunteer; or to recommend an organization for possible inclusion in OSW’s Community Partner Network, please visit www.onesimplewish.org or call 609-883-8484.