Angelwish.org Wearing a New Hat Online Organization Targeted Toward Fulfilling the Wishes of Children Living with HIV/AIDS Takes on New Role as Physical Distributor

RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Angelwish.org, an organization dedicated to fulfilling the wishes of children living with HIV/AIDS online, today announced that, through a new relationship with The Today Show and the show’s annual toy drive, it is going above and beyond its holiday efforts of years past. After discovering that another organization that had been helping to distribute toys from The Today Show’s annual holiday toy drive backed out, Angelwish founder and CEO, Shimmy Mehta, decided to take Angelwish beyond its Internet-based realm and into a new role as physical distributor.

“Angelwish thrives on its ability to put smiles on thousands of children’s faces each year. When we heard that one of The Today Show’s regular toy drive distributors had dropped out of its role in the project, there wasn’t a second thought on what needed to be done,” said Mehta. “With this toy drive alone, Angelwish will be responsible for distributing more than 20,000 toys to children in need all over the United States. To know that, in a sense, we helped save the holidays for so many children – that’s what it’s all about.”

However, Angelwish’s newfound efforts are not thwarting its online operations, which provide the perfect solution for individuals short on time but big on making a difference – during the holidays and throughout the year. With just a few clicks of the mouse, people can choose to send specific gifts – ranging from items such as toys and CDs, to books and board games – requested by children living with HIV/AIDS throughout the United States. Individuals also have the option to contribute to the medical, nutritional or social needs of children overseas.

“When people think of children living with HIV/AIDS, they tend to think of children who are infected with the disease themselves. What don’t necessarily come to mind are the children living with parents or siblings that are sick, or who have dealt with the loss of a family member as a result of HIV/AIDS,” said Mehta. “We invite individuals year-round to take just a few minutes to grant birthday and holiday wishes of children affected in ALL of these ways – giving both the children and themselves reason to smile.”

Angelwish works with more than 112 HIV/AIDS Care Centers and programs in 24 countries around the world (more than 80 of these being in the United States alone). For more information on the organization, please visit www.angelwish.org.

About Angelwish.org and Shimmy Mehta, Founder and CEO

Angelwish.org was created in 1999 with the mission to provide the public with an easy way to grant wishes to the millions of children that are living with HIV/AIDS around the world. Infected or affected by the disease, their opportunities for a “normal” childhood are virtually impossible. By harnessing the power of the Internet, Angelwish helps donors add a ray of hope to their lives. In 2006, the organization expanded internationally, having established Angelwish.org.uk in London.

Shimmy Mehta first became passionate about helping children living with HIV/AIDS while he was a business student at Rutgers University in Newark. Learning that Newark had the fifth highest AIDS population in the country, he was determined to help and make it fun for others to do so as well. He founded and organized the TKE Challenge for Pediatric AIDS, an award winning 300-mile, 3-day cycling event through New Jersey, which provided a unique and fun way for his fraternity brothers to get involved in the community.

Working for PricewaterhouseCoopers, Shimmy saw the need for a simple and rewarding way for busy people like himself to get involved in the community. He matched the resources of his peers with the needs of the many children who are living with HIV/AIDS and created Angelwish.org.

Shimmy’s efforts have paid off as Angelwish has helped hundreds of individuals grant thousands of wishes in addition to receiving numerous awards and recognition for its work, including:

• The 1809th Point of Light
• The Russ Berrie Award for Making a Difference

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