KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Give Kids The World Village has announced it will remain closed for “an undetermined amount of time” due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

What You Need To Know

  • Give Kids the World Village to remain closed for time being

  • Majority of staff will be laid off on June 27

  • Nonprofit grants wishes for children with critical illnesses

​​In a statement released Tuesday, president & CEO Pamela Landwirth said the nonprofit resort for children with critical illnesses will also be forced to lay off the majority of its staff.

“It is with a heavy heart that I must share some devastating news both for me personally and for our entire Village family,” Landwirth wrote. “Unforseen circumstances directly related to COVID-19 have resulted In Give Kids The World having to remain closed.”

In addition to providing accommodations for children with critical illnesses and their families, Give Kids The World also grants wishes, which often include trips to area theme parks likes Disney World and Universal Orlando.

Make-A-Wish, a wish-granting partner for Give Kids The World, said it postponed all wish travel in response to COVID-19. On Tuesday, Give Kids the World said Make-A-Wish would not be scheduling any wish trips until a vaccine was in use. Make-A-Wish said Wednesday it had not made any decisions related to a vaccine. 

Currently, Make-A-Wish has not made any decisions as to when the currently postponed wish types will be safe to resume granting. The health and safety of our wish families is our priority and we hope to work with Give Kids the World Village to grant more life-changing wishes as soon as it is deemed safe,” a Make-A-Wish spokesperson said in an email to Spectrum News 13.

The initial statement from Give Kids the World has since been amended.

Give Kids The World will lay off about 150 of its staff members on June 27. A small team will remain to ensure the safety and security of the resort as well as prepare for its reopening.

Despite being closed, Give Kids The World is continuing in its fundraising efforts. The nonprofit will still fulfill the dreams of about 4,000 families that were postponed during the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Give Kids The World also sent care packages to all the kids who couldn’t make it to the resort amid the pandemic, giving away gifts such as coloring sheets and frisbees in hopes of sending a little piece of the park to their homes. 

Reporter Stephanie Bechara contributed to this story.