Fundraising for retirement communities

Neighbors wish each other well.
Together they raise real money for cancer research.

WishWell turns your residents’ birthdays into a year-round, automated fundraiser for a shared cause. No events. No volunteers. $250 guaranteed in year one.

  • No setup
  • 0 effort
  • Risk free

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The model this is built on

How the PAP Corps raises $350,000 a year for cancer research

The PAP Corps is a network of 40+ retirement-community chapters. Their residents wish each other happy birthday, donate a dollar per wish, and every single dollar goes directly to cancer research at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. They raise over $350,000 a year collectively — and they do it with no events, no chasing donors, and no staff overhead.

WishWell is the software that makes this model available to every retirement community. You don’t need a national organization, a dedicated fundraising team, or a big resident base. 50 neighbors is enough.

40+
community chapters
$350k+
raised every year
~$50
per resident, per year

Why one-off events aren’t enough for retirement community fundraising

Walks, galas, raffles, and silent auctions are great — but they concentrate revenue into a few stressful weeks of the year, exhaust volunteers, and leave long quiet months where nothing is coming in for your cause.

WishWell isn’t a replacement for your annual gala. It’s the passive layer underneath it: consistent, recurring income generated every quarter by the birthdays already happening in your community, with no extra staff time.

Birthday fundraising for retirement communities: how it works

Three steps. We handle the setup. Your residents do the fun part.

1

We set up your community

Book a free 30-minute call. We create your account, import your residents, pick your cause (e.g. cancer research), and brand it for your community.

2

Quarterly birthday wishes

Every quarter, residents see whose birthdays are coming up and send short well-wishes with a small donation for each one.

3

Real birthday cards delivered

On their birthday, every resident gets a physical card signed by their neighbors. 100% of donations go to your chosen cause.

Our promise
$250
guaranteed in year one.

If your community doesn’t raise it, we donate the difference out of our own pocket. No fine-print games.

What you get

  • Full done-for-you setup
  • We promote it with you
  • Every quarterly card & donation handled
  • If you miss $250, we pay the difference

What we need

  • 50+ people in your community
  • You follow our simple promotion process
  • Book a free 30-min discovery call

Limited-time promotion. Guarantee applies to new accounts during the promotion period.

We do all the work. You pick the cause.

  • We set up your WishWell account end-to-end on a 30-minute call.
  • We import your resident list (or give you a simple form residents fill out).
  • We connect the charity of your choice — cancer research, Alzheimer’s, veterans, community foundation.
  • We promote the fundraiser with you — posters, newsletter copy, email templates, bulletin-board announcements.
  • We run every quarterly cycle ongoing — wishes, cards, donations, reporting.
  • Your staff time required: effectively zero.

Frequently asked questions

How do retirement communities fundraise year-round without exhausting residents and staff?

Traditional community fundraisers — raffles, bake sales, walks — lean hard on a small group of volunteers and generate unpredictable one-off income. WishWell is passive: every quarter, residents are shown whose birthdays are coming up in the community, send a short well-wish with a small donation, and a real birthday card arrives for every celebrant. Staff do nothing ongoing.

What is an alternative to Facebook birthday fundraisers for a retirement community?

Facebook fundraisers were built for individuals, not communities. They require each resident to set one up, route money through Meta with payout delays, and leave the community with no donor data. WishWell runs community-wide, keeps donations in your account, and keeps every donor record with you.

How much can a retirement community raise with WishWell?

Communities average about $50 per resident per year. A community of 150 residents raises roughly $7,500/year automatically. The PAP Corps — a retirement community-based model — raises over $350,000/year across 40+ chapters for cancer research entirely through birthday wishes.

What if residents do not want to manage technology?

They don't have to. We set up WishWell for your community. Residents can participate by mail, in-person on a tablet at the community center, or online — whatever works. Our team handles all the technology on the back end.

Can residents support a cause like cancer research specifically?

Yes. You pick the cause. Many retirement communities choose cancer research (like the PAP Corps model), Alzheimer's research, veterans' causes, or their community foundation. Funds go directly to the charity you select.

Ready to fundraise year-round without burning out your staff?

Book a free 30-minute discovery call. We’ll set up WishWell for your community live on the call, pick your cause, and get you raising money by the end of the week.

$250 guaranteed in year one · No monthly fee · We do the setup

Looking for fundraising in a different community? Nurseries & preschools · See the full WishWell platform