All it takes to make a wish come true is you. That’s one of the Make-A-Wish Foundation’s many mottos that inspired National Fitness Partners to participate in the nonprofit organization’s annual fundraiser three years ago. This year, NFP expanded its efforts to help the Make-A-Wish Philadelphia, Delaware and Susquehanna Valley branches by raising $65,000, the most successful campaign NFP has had thus far.

In addition to the donation, NFP President and CEO Stephen Kindler Jr. served as the co-chair for the Make-A-Wish Evening of Wishes.

“Serving as co-chair of Evening of Wishes was both an honor and a responsibility. Make-A-Wish creates life-changing moments for children and families facing incredibly difficult circumstances, and I was proud to help bring our community together in support of that mission,” he said. “Seeing the generosity of our team members, club members, donors and community partners firsthand reinforced just how much we can accomplish when we come together around a shared purpose.”

In April, NFP-owned Planet Fitness® clubs collected donations, spread awareness and even held a mileage-matching initiative. Over 140,000 miles were tracked across the entire campaign, raising $14,000 in donations.

“Supporting a cause like Make-A-Wish is a powerful reflection of NFP’s commitment to making a meaningful difference beyond our business. Through our month-long fundraising campaign in April, all 200-plus NFP clubs came together to raise funds that help grant life-changing wishes for children facing critical illnesses,” said Michaela Vallonio, communications and community impact manager at NFP. “This collective effort has raised more than $100,000 over our past three campaigns, demonstrating the passion and generosity of our employees and the strength of our commitment to the communities we serve.”

The overall initiative culminated with the Make-A-Wish Evening of Wishes on April 23. The celebration and fundraising gala entailed highlighting local wish children and their families with stories and speeches as well as live and silent auctions to continue fundraising efforts. The other co-chair of the event was Kindler’s father, Steve Kindler Sr. The two prepped and planned for this event almost a year in advance, working with leadership, sponsors, donors and community partners to shape the event into a magical night. The long process was made all worth it that evening when a young boy’s wish to meet a local NFL superstar was made a reality.

“We were able to reveal a wish to a young boy who wanted to meet Saquon Barkley of the Philadelphia Eagles. Seeing his face when the video of Saquon inviting him to Eagles training camp played was truly inspirational,” Vallonio said.

With the continued success of the charitable events, NFP aims to continue this initiative for years to come.

“This was NFP’s third year participating in the Make-A-Wish campaign, and each year we’ve continued to see momentum build. The success of this year’s campaign reinforces our commitment to the partnership, and we look forward to continuing to support Make-A-Wish and expand our impact in the years ahead,” Vallonio said.