Introducing: Give Kids The World

Here’s a question for you: Would you consider donating a few hours of your Orlando holiday to a worthy cause? Specifically, would you donate those hours to help children with serious illnesses at a special resort village in the heart of Kissimmee?

We recently had the privilege of visiting the resort as part of its 40th anniversary celebrations, and were struck by how much its small army of volunteers make things tick, from greeting guests in the lobby to serving heaps of hot meals and, especially, ice cream at the main food outlets.

If it all sounds a bit fantastical, it is absolutely as real as it gets. This is the heart-warming Give Kids The World Village on South Bass Road in Kissimmee (practically a stone’s throw from our delightful Villa communities of Creekside and Bass Estates). Established in 1986 by Holocaust survivor Henri Landwirth, it has become a byword for voluntourism. But, at 89 acres, it takes a LOT of help to keep the Village running every day. In all, there are around 1,800 volunteer shifts needed every week, and that’s where the local community and, increasingly, holidaymaking helpers are so vital.

What IS Give Kids The World?

Part resort and part theme park, Give Kids The World is all heart, a place “Where happiness inspires hope” for children with a variety of life-threatening conditions, from cancer to leukemia, plus things like autism and cystic fibrosis. It includes four rides, a kids’ spa, daily activities, pony rides, evening parties, free food and drink and its own characters, led by Mayor Clayton, an ultra-friendly 6ft tall rabbit.

It accommodates children and their families from all over the world, including 50 or so from the UK every year, working in conjunction with their local Make-A-Wish foundations to greet them at the airport and get them in transport to the Village for a full week’s holiday that includes tickets to Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, SeaWorld and other Central Florida attractions.

The villas are all two and three-bedroom duplexes that can accommodate up to seven, and there are connecting doors for larger family groups. The children’s bedroom is the larger of the two (naturally!), and features bright, eye-pleasing décor, plus an oversize bathroom with roll-in shower and shower chair. Every villa looks different from the outside, with various fantasy and other whimsical touches to the architecture.

There is also a large splash pad and free-form, zero-depth-entry swimming pool, with its own snack bar and giant video screen for showing classic family films, plus fishing deck and nature trail. For entertainment, every Monday features a full Halloween party, with trick-or-treating, while Thursday evenings offer a Winter Wonderland event, with a visit – and presents – from Santa and Mrs Claus. There is just no end to how much the Village packs into a typical week’s holiday for Wish families.

Volunteer shifts

Founder Henri Landwirth frequently called the volunteers his “Angels on Earth,” and they genuinely are the lifeblood of the operation, albeit there are also around 150 full-time staff. Volunteers typically work in three to four-hour shifts from 7.30 in the morning to 10 at night, and their tasks include many of the most essential guest-related activities. Among the most fun places to work are Henri’s Starlite Scoops, the (free) ice cream parlour, and the Castle of Miracles, where each Wish family comes to create their child’s special star as their permanent legacy of love and distinction. There are currently in excess of 200,000 stars within the ceiling space of the Castle.

Volunteers are also needed to provide a food delivery service to all 166 villas and be part of the daily gift-giving ritual for Wish children, as well as driving the golf cart shuttles and evening Cookie Cart service, which delivers cookies and drinks around the Village. Among the regular volunteers are 70 British visitors each year, while both of Disney and Universal provide plenty of eager helpers each week, in addition to offering financial and material support. The essence of the job is to ensure the Wish children – and their parents and siblings – get a proper childhood experience, away from the routine of doctor’s visits, hospital stays and treatments.

Landwirth himself suffered the horrors of the concentration camps from the age of 13 to 18 and his astounding story is memorialised in both his autobiography, The Gift of Life, and a new animated film made especially for the charity’s 40th anniversary. Titled What Henri Gave The World, it plays daily in the Village, suitably on a special screen in the Castle of Miracles.

Want to volunteer?

Now there is a definite call to action, with the ever-present need for volunteers to help with most aspects of the Village. All volunteers are welcome and training is provided for all the tasks on offer, from serving food at the café to operating the various rides, which include a vintage carousel. Children from eight upwards can also join their parents in helping at places like Café Clayton, so it can be something the whole family can participate in.

To volunteer at the Village, go online on this link. You can also donate funds or goods, or organise your own fund-raising events [on this link](https://www.gktw.org/fundraising/. Every donation, of time or money, helps to keep Wish families smiling, and there simply is no better feeling than seeing those smiles on a daily basis!

Have you ever combined a holiday with volunteering for a good cause? Tell us about it on our social media outlets!