--> Our Programs – Dream Foundation Annual Report 2017
our programs

Dream Program

Dream Foundation’s Dream program fulfills Dreams that provide inspiration, comfort and closure at the end of life. A nationwide network of volunteers, hospices, health care organizations and committed donors helps us give life to more than 2,500 Dreams each year.
Dreams by Age
  • 18-33 8%
  • 34-50 22%
  • 51-65 37%
  • over 65 33%
Type of Dreams
  • CELEBRITY 2%
  • DAY DREAM 7%
  • DISNEYLAND/WALT DISNEY WORLD 12%
  • FAMILY REUNION 17%
  • QUALITY OF LIFE 32%
  • SPORTS 4%
  • VACATION 26%
Dreams by Condition
  • CANCER 61%
  • HEART DISEASE 8%
  • LUNG DISEASE 11%
  • LIVER DISEASE 2%
  • ALS 2%
  • OTHER 16%
Airline Resources
  • FLIGHTS BOOKED WITH DONATED ROUND-TRIP TICKETS 53%
  • FLIGHTS PURCHASED BY DREAM FOUNDATION 41%
  • FLIGHTS BOOKED WITH DONATED AIRLINE MILES 6%

Donated round-trip tickets are from Southwest Airlines and Alaska Airlines.

Donated airline miles are from United Airlines, Alaska Airlines and Southwest Airlines.

An average flight requires 44,795 miles per ticket.

  • Dreamers with children in home 30%
  • Emergency Dreams Served 23%
  • Dreams using In-kind Donation 65%
  • Dream Deliveries 72%
volunteer hours
OFFICE 3,753
DREAM HOST 5,146
FLOWER EMPOWER 3,365
TOY PROGRAM 3,102
TOTAL HOURS 15,366
TOTAL VALUE OF HOURS* $446,997
* Based on California Independent Sector's value of volunteer time @ $29.09
https://www.dreamfoundation.org/annual-report-2017/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/DFV_New_Logo-stacked.jpg
Dreams for Veterans
Officially launched in Washington, D.C., in 2015, Dreams for Veterans tailors the Dream experience to veterans and their families. Dream recipients are U.S. military veterans who served in conflicts from World War II to the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars, those who have served during peacetime or who currently serve on active duty, including members of the Reserve and National Guard. Dreams for Veterans acknowledges veterans and honors their service by fulfilling their final Dream, providing them, their families and caregivers inspiration, comfort and closure at the end of life. In 2017, Dreams for Veterans served 212 Dreams for those who selflessly served our nation.
On Veterans Day in 2016, Dream Foundation, the only national Dream-granting organization for terminally-ill adults, was honored to enter into a new strategic partnership with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to improve the lives of veterans with life-limiting illnesses.
Through our Dreams for Veterans program, Dream Foundation and VA are working closely together to facilitate positive events, provide motivational support and fulfill final dreams for Veterans and their families. In addition, we are connecting to VA hospice care providers and palliative care social workers to offer resources to address some of the unique needs of veterans.

Billy

While enlisted in the U.S. Army, Vietnam veteran Billy was an aircraft mechanic who worked primarily on the Bell UH-1 Iroquois aircraft, aka a “Huey” helicopter, used for medical evacuations, instrument trainer and as a general utility aircraft.

After the military, Billy raised his four children and became a member of the 282 Assault Helicopter Company Black Cats. He never missed a Black Cat Association Reunion in 40 years, until he became too unwell to attend.

Billy dreamed of riding a Huey one last time with his four children. With help from Marpat Aviation, Dream Foundation was able to send Billy and his family on a ride in a Huey.

Before lift-off, a special pinning ceremony was held for Billy, where he was honored with his 50th Anniversary Vietnam pin.

Flower Empower

Flower Empower is a Santa Barbara-based, volunteer driven program. Since its inception in 1994, Flower Empower has served thousands of community members by providing more than 100,000 bouquets, fresh baked cookies, artisanal chocolates and cards, handmade by school children and other groups and individuals to people in hospices, cancer centers and private homes. Each week, 20 volunteers assemble 150 bouquets using donated flowers. In 2017, the Flower Empower program logged nearly 3,365 volunteer hours and arranged more than 8,300 bouquets. Flower delivery referrals come from cancer centers, nurses, doctors, hospices, elder support organizations and others.

“It’s always the unexpected pleasures of making someone’s day that makes this program so wonderful. Everyone always has a broader smile when they say goodbye than when they said hello!” ”

— SHERI, CURRENT FLOWER EMPOWER VOLUNTEER, PREVIOUSLY A RECIPIENT

Dream Toy Program

Dream Foundation Dreams touch not only the lives of Dreamers, but also those of their families. Nearly 30 percent of Dreamers have young children living at home. Each year, Dream Foundation’s Dream Toy Program reaches hundreds of children who have a loved one with a life-limiting illness. With each gift, we provide an opportunity to create happy memories and smiles. In 2017, our dedicated volunteers donated more than 3,102 hours to fill boxes with nearly 4,000 hand-selected toys donated by Hasbro and Ty., Inc., and these were delivered to 1,353 children in nearly 500 families across the country.

https://www.dreamfoundation.org/annual-report-2017/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/KellySwedaPhotography.Hasbro_delivery-8580.jpg

“We get to laugh and have fun as a family! Thank you for all the ways you make this world a brighter one!” ”

— KARI