Located in Kissimmee, Florida, Give Kids The World Village will reopen for wish families Jan. 17, 2021. After a nearly 10-month closure due to COVID-19, the 89-acre non-profit resort will be open and ready to again welcome families and kids with week-long wish vacations.
Give Kids The World Village, specifically designed for critically ill children and their families, has provided free-of-charge and much-needed vacations for qualifying families from around the world since 1986. Henri Landwirth, a Holocaust survivor and humanitarian, created the program with a focus on granting every wish possible.
Since the closure in March, more than 6,000 critically ill children have had wishes postponed due to the pandemic.
The long-awaited reopening will welcome kids and families in a limited capacity. Guests can expect GKTW to operate along a comprehensive COVID-19 safety plan, developed in collaboration with infectious disease specialists at Nemours Children’s Hospital. Click here for a video detailing the reopening.
With safety the top priority for GKTW, the decision to reopen is in full support by Village partners, including Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld and the Nemours Children’s Hospital.
“Experts consulting with Give Kids The World have given clear guidance on the scale and staging of reopening, masking, social distancing, handwashing, food service, facilities cleaning, crowd management and transportation, and Give Kids The World has implemented all of these recommendations. Reviewing the reopening preparations at Give Kids The World, we are confident that medically complex children and their families can safely visit the Village,” said Dr. Kenneth Alexander, MD, PhD, Nemours Children’s Hospital.
“We are thrilled to be getting back to our mission of spreading joy and creating the happiness that inspires hope for critically ill children and their families through magical stays in our storybook Village,” said Pam Landwirth, president and CEO, Give Kids The World.
Click here for more on the village, and how to volunteer and donate.
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