Make-A-Wish America announces winners of the prestigious Chris Greicius Celebrity Award

Mason Crosby, Paramount Pictures, SB Projects, Twenty One Pilots, Unspeakable Gaming and The Walt Disney Company go above and beyond to make wishes possible for children with critical illnesses

PHOENIX, Nov. 17, 2022  /PRNewswire/ -- Make-A-Wish has announced the winners of the coveted Chris Greicius Celebrity Award, given each year to the celebrities, entertainers, athletes, influencers and industry partners who have played a significant role in granting life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Each of this year's winners have demonstrated a remarkable commitment to delivering hope to wish kids and their families when it's needed most.

• Mason Crosby: Since 2012, Mason Crosby, kicker for the Green Bay Packers, has been an ambassador for Make-A-Wish Wisconsin. In addition to spending time with wish kids whenever they visit the team, Crosby has served as chair of the chapter's gala committee, donated prized memorabilia for live auctions and helped raise more than $300,000 through a local promotion that gives $1,000 to Make-A-Wish for every field goal made throughout the season.
• Paramount Pictures: Paramount Pictures created an unforgettable wish experience for wish kid Luke, who had the chance to visit the studio lot for a yet-to-be-released Transformers project. The company has also been active with Make-A-Wish Mexico – granting a wish around the launch of the Clifford the Big Red Dog film. The wish kicked off a year-long partnership between Paramount and Make-A-Wish Mexico, which will result in four wishes being granted by the end of this year. Beyond wish granting, Paramount has allowed one of their executives to provide his expertise and insight as a board member for Make-A-Wish Greater Los Angeles.
• SB Projects: Scooter Braun and the SB Projects team work hard to instill the importance of granting wishes in their clients. Over the span of 13 years, more than 575 wishes have been cumulatively granted by SB Projects artists, including Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato and many others. The team has also found ways to involve its artists in Make-A-Wish campaigns via traditional or social media, generating millions of potential impressions for the wish granting organization.
• Twenty One Pilots: Since 2016, Twenty One Pilots has granted 20 wishes – a testament to the band's incredible popularity. When in-person meetings weren't possible in the midst of the pandemic, the band members immediately pivoted to meeting wish kids virtually, going out of their way to create memorable and unique online experiences.
• Unspeakable: Relatively new to wish granting, Nathan Graham and his team at Unspeakable – a YouTube channel with nearly 15 million subscribers – forged an instant connection to Make-A-Wish after granting their first wish in early 2020. Since then, they have not only granted an impressive 13 wishes, but they also taken their support a step further by making a monthly donation to Make-A-Wish.
• The Walt Disney Company: The Walt Disney Company became the first ever recipient of the "Icon Award" – a new and elevated tier of recognition under the Chris Greicius Celebrity Award umbrella. The first-of-its-kind award honored the countless cast members who have played a part in helping grant more than 145,000 wishes, including theme park and resort vacations, cruises, shopping sprees, studio visits, talent meet-and-greets and sports-themed experiences. The award was presented to Bob Chapek, CEO of The Walt Disney Company, who donates his time and talent as a national board member for Make-A-Wish America.

Each of the winners can take pride in knowing that the wishes they've helped to grant have a meaningful and lasting impact, often leading to better quality of life and improved health outcomes.

Started more than 30 years ago, the Chris Greicius Celebrity Award is announced every year at the Make-A-Wish Annual Conference where hundreds of staff members, board members, corporate sponsors and donors gather for a week of education, networking and inspiration. The award is named after Chris Greicius, the 7-year-old boy whose wish to be a police officer inspired the creation of Make-A-Wish in 1980.

"Each year, we give thanks and recognize some of our most passionate and dedicated celebrity supporters with the Chris Greicius Celebrity Award," said Leslie Motter, president and CEO, Make-A-Wish America. "There's never been a group of winners who have had a bigger cumulative impact on our ability to fulfill our mission. Through their wish granting efforts, in-kind support and public advocacy, these winners have truly been game changers for us, helping us to bring the powerful and lasting benefits of a wish come true to wish kids and their families around the world."

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Make-A-Wish has granted more than 20,400 wishes in the U.S. and its territories – hundreds of which have involved meeting celebrities either in-person or virtually. In addition to making themselves available to personally grant wishes, celebrities have the power to inspire their audiences to make wishes come true by donating to Make-A-Wish. To learn more and find out how you can get involved, visit wish.org.

Make-A-Wish creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Make-A-Wish is the #1 most trusted nonprofit operating locally in all 50 states throughout the U.S. Together with generous donors, supporters, staff, and more than 24,000 volunteers across the country, Make-A-Wish delivers hope and joy to children and their families when they need it most. Make-A-Wish aims to bring the power of wishing to every child with a critical illness because wish experiences can help improve emotional and physical health. Since 1980, Make-A-Wish has granted more than 520,000 wishes in nearly 50 countries worldwide; more than 350,000 wishes in the U.S. and its territories alone. For more information about Make-A-Wish America, visit wish.org.

SOURCE Make-A-Wish Foundation of America