Give Kids the World
More than 20 years ago, a little girl named Amy had leukemia. Her family, knowing of Amy's longing to visit the theme parks in Orlando, Florida, contacted respected hotelier Henri Landwirth to ask for a complimentary stay at one of his hotels so they could bring Amy there to fulfill her dream. As he had done many times before, Landwirth gladly welcomed them to come and stay, but sadly, the trip took too long to arrange and Amy died before her dream was fulfilled.
As a result, Landwirth vowed to himself that never again would a seriously ill child go without realizing their dream. Landwirth himself knew what it was like for a child to endure sadness and suffering. Born in Belgium, Henry and his family were separated during World War II and he spent five of his teenage years in the Nazi death and labor camps. By the end of the war, his parents had both been killed, but he and his twin sister survived and were reunited. He found his way to America, where he served time in the Army and then used his GI benefits to land a job at a hotel in Fort Lauderdale. From that first job, Landwirth worked his way upward through the hotel industry, learning every step of the way, and for the next 50 years he develop a successful, innovative hotel industry career.
When Amy died without realizing her dream, Landwirth immediately enlisted the support of colleagues in the hospitality industry and asked for their help in developing a program to bring special families to Central Florida within 24 hours if need be, to help critically ill children live out their dreams. He called the project "Give Kids the World" because that was what he wanted to accomplish-provide memorable, joyful experiences to sick children and their families at no cost to them.
As the program grew larger and the numbers of families increased, Give Kids the World needed to create a specific location to better serve the needs of the visitors to the program. So the gates of Give Kids the World Village opened in 1989. The Village is a 70-acre resort that is home to more than 100 villa residences, entertainment venues, and fun attractions specifically designed for children with special needs.
Give Kids the World is a non-profit organization that is helped by many generous individuals, corporations, and other wish-granting organizations. Since 1986 the organization has welcomed more than 93,000 families from all 50 states and more than 65 countries. The mission of Give Kids the World is a simple and straightforward one - to give children a week full of smiles, endless laughter, and dreams come true, and to never turn a child away. Through the tireless support of volunteers, employees, and generous partners, Give Kids the World dedicates each and every day to these special families.
