UAW International Union and General Motors Launching Largest Partnership in Make-A-Wish Foundation® History

Make-A-Wish Foundation of America
Tuesday, 8 June 1999

ROMULUS, Mich. (June 8, 1999) — The UAW International Union and General Motors today kicked off a historic partnership with the Make-A-Wish Foundation by helping to grant a Michigan child's wish to visit Disney World. Wish child Caleb, from Lupton, Mich., is the first of thousands of children who will benefit from the UAW-GM commitment to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, dedicated to granting wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses.

To signal the start of their three-year partnership, UAW, GM and Make-A-Wish representatives hosted a send-off for three-year-old Caleb at the Detroit Airport Marriott Hotel, as he and his family prepared to embark on a dream trip to Disney World. While in Orlando, the family will be treated to an exclusive, VIP look at the new GM Test Track attraction, located at EPCOT Center.

"This partnership is about children—thousands of them—whose wishes will come true over the next three years because of the UAW-GM commitment," said Paula Van Ness, president and CEO of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America, adding that the agreement represents the largest commitment from a sponsor in foundation history.

"Our UAW-GM commitment to the Make-A-Wish Foundation is consistent with our common goals to improve the quality of life in communities across the country," said UAW Vice President Richard Shoemaker and GM Vice President Gary L. Cowger.

"The men and women of the UAW are proud to support the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which serves the needs of very special children," said Shoemaker, UAW vice president and director of the union's GM Department. "Encouraging people to pursue their dreams helps to build strong workplaces, families and communities, and that's important to the UAW."

"This partnership is another example of the UAW and General Motors working together for a common cause," said Cowger, vice president and group executive of GM Labor Relations. "In most cases, the causes affect our families, employees and communities in which we live and work. By teaming with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, we're expanding our influence to reach children with special needs around the country."

UAW-GM financial support will come from the UAW-GM Center for Human Resources, which is jointly operated by the UAW International Union and General Motors Corporation to develop and administer a wide variety of education, training and retraining programs. One of the most comprehensive of these joint activities is the UAW-GM Work and Family Programs, focusing on employee-assistance, child-care and elder-care services.

Since 1984, the UAW and General Motors have committed more than $3 billion toward education and training, making the UAW-GM Center for Human Resources the largest privately funded educational institution in the world.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses. Through private donations and the efforts of 13,000 volunteers nationwide, the foundation granted nearly 7,500 wishes last year and more than 58,000 wishes since it was founded in 1980.

For more information, or to contact Make-A-Wish Foundation of America, see their website at: www.wish.org