The following listing answers some of the common questions we
hear. If you don’t find the answer to your question below,
please contact us at 309-353-7300. Or, email us at
info@DreamsForSeniorsCharity.org.
Q. What is Dreams for Seniors Charity?
Q. When was Dreams for Seniors Charity founded?
Q. What types of dreams have you granted?
Q. How can I support Dreams for Seniors?
Q. What qualifications must a senior have to qualify to have a dream granted
by Dreams for Seniors?
Q. Can I request a dream for myself?
Q. How do I request a dream?
Q. Are there any limitations to the dreams that can be
fulfilled?
Q. How do I make a financial contribution to Dreams for Seniors
Charity?
Q. Are my monetary donations to Dreams for Seniors Charity tax
deductible?
Q. What is Dreams for Seniors Charity?
A. Dreams for Seniors Charity (Dreams for Seniors) is a
501(c)(3) non-profit organization focused on celebrating
seniors, granting their wishes and making dreams come true.
In our bustling society, we don’t often pause to applaud and
appreciate our elders who have had such a positive impact on our
lives. Through Dreams for Seniors, anyone in Peoria, Tazewell
and Woodford, Illinois, counties can submit a “senior dream” for
consideration.
Perhaps your elderly neighbor wants to reconnect with a
friend she hasn’t spoken to in years. Or your grandmother would
like a computer so that she can stay in touch via email with
family and friends. Or a nursing home resident you visit would
like to go to a Cubs game at Wrigley Field.
That’s where we step in. We bring together the resources and
“people power” to make those dreams come true.
Q. When was Dreams for Seniors Charity founded?
A. Dreams for Seniors Charity was founded in 2005 by Debbie
Davison, Executive Director, in Pekin, Illinois. For years,
Debbie has served as the director for the local affiliate of the
Dream Factory and wanted to form a similar organization focused
on seniors.
Q. What types of dreams have you granted?
A. Dreams for Seniors has granted a wide-range of dreams for our
dream recipients. And we’ll consider any reasonable dream
request. In general, our dream requests have fallen into one of
the following broad categories:
• Reunion with family
and/or friends
• Home cleaned, repaired
and/or yard upkeep
• Getting connected via
computer/Internet
• Going “back in time” to
perform a job or take part in fun event similar to one in the
past
• Support for the
necessities (food, shelter, clothing)
• Realize a lifelong
dream
• Meet a hero
• Attendance at a special
event
To learn more about the actual dreams granted by our
organization, check out these stories.
Q. How can I support Dreams for Seniors?
A. Glad you asked! Being a member of the Dreams for Seniors
family means celebrating seniors and making their dreams come
true. There are a variety of options to support out
organization. You can learn the details by checking out our
Get
Involved section.
Q. What qualifications must a senior have to qualify to have a
dream granted
by Dreams for Seniors?
A. Naturally, we wish we had the resources to grant dreams to
every senior citizen in our service area.
They’re certainly all
deserving.
Dreams for Seniors, however, must focus on those seniors least
likely to be
able to achieve their dream without our help. So we
needed to put some parameters in place to help us focus
on those
elders most in need. In summary, individual dream candidates are
senior citizens 68-years-old or older who are critically or chronically ill (or a younger person
suffering from a life threatening disease).
Each dream submission is carefully assessed to determine its
match to our dream granting guidelines.
• Be 68-years-old or older with a chronic or critical disease or a younger person suffering from
a life threatening disease.
• Have the physical and mental ability to participate in the
dream’s fulfillment.
Q. Can I request a dream for myself?
A. Yes. If you’re a senior meeting our dream granting
guidelines, you deserve it!
Q. How do I request a dream?
A. Either call our office at 309-353-7300. Or visit the
Request
a Dream section of this website and complete the online form.
Q. Are there any limitations to the dreams that can be
fulfilled?
A. Yes. Here again, while we wish we could fulfill every dream
brought to our attention, we simply must focus our resources on
those seniors with the greatest need. Certainly the “type” of
dream request and the “cost” to fulfill the dream are the two
primary considerations. The recipient’s dream must be able to be
fulfilled within our organization’s dream spending guidelines
(typically $500 to $1,000 per dream). Or, we must be able to
find and partner with a sponsor who will partially or fully
donate their time and/or services. Also, we obviously would not
fulfill any dream request that would put the dream recipient or
any of our volunteers in danger.
Q. How do I make a financial contribution to Dreams for Seniors
Charity?
A. First, thank you so much for supporting our organization.
Trust that your contribution will have a positive impact on the
lives of senior citizens in our area. Simply send in your check or money order
with our
form to
our office. After
receiving your contribution, Dreams for Seniors Charity will
send you a receipt to acknowledge your donation and serve as a
record for your tax return.
Q. Are my monetary donations to Dreams for Seniors Charity tax
deductible?
A. Yes, in many instances. However, your personal tax bracket
and your filing status determine the actual deduction for your
charitable contribution(s). If you have questions, we recommend
you consult with you tax accountant and/or check out this area
of the
Internal Revenue website and then consult with your own
tax accountant. |
