Statement by The Children's Wish Foundation of Canada Regarding CNN / Tampa Bay Times Investigation

PICKERING, ON, Dec. 18, 2014 /CNW/ - This afternoon, The Children's Wish Foundation of Canada issued the following statement regarding the CNN / Tampa Bay Times / Center for Investigative Reporting story entitled Above the law: America's worst charities which has recently been reproduced on several websites.

The article, which was originally published in June 2013, ranks an American organization called Children's Wish Foundation International 3^rd on its list of America's worst charities.

The Children's Wish Foundation of Canada is not currently nor has it ever been associated or affiliated with Children's Wish Foundation International.

The supporters of The Children's Wish Foundation of Canada demand and deserve transparency and accountability. The Children's Wish Foundation of Canada was an early adopter and code builder of Imagine Canada's Ethical Code Program. This code lays out a set of standards for charitable organizations to manage and report their financial affairs responsibly.  For more information about Imagine Canada visit www.imaginecanada.ca and to read the Ethical Code Handbook, go to http://www.imaginecanada.ca/files/www/en/ethicalcode/ec_handbook_2011_en.pdf.

In a recent letter to Children's Wish, Barbara Mercer, the mother of a wish child, states: "...you have no idea how much the work you do means to people…please know that you are making a difference in a child's life and you are making things so much easier for their families."

The Children's Wish Foundation of Canada
Each year, thousands of Canadian children between the ages of three and 17 are diagnosed with a life threatening illness.  Since 1984, The Children's Wish Foundation of Canada has worked tirelessly to grant exceptional wishes to over 21,000 children and their families.

This year, the Foundation expects to grant over 1,000 new wishes and is proud to have never refused a wish to an eligible child, and with the help of volunteers and generous donors, is able to grant nearly three wishes every day.  Each wish is an individual adventure, carefully structured to meet the needs of a particular child and family. The Foundation is a national charity with chapters in every province and territory. Visit www.childrenswish.ca for more information.

SOURCE: The Children's Wish Foundation of Canada

Paul St-Germain, Director, Communications, The Children's Wish Foundation of Canada, Phone: [phone], Toll-Free: 1-800-700-4437, Email: [email protected]