TOWN OF CHENANGO, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – Dunkin’ is helping to make wishes come true for children facing life-threatening illnesses.

The coffee and donut chain has started its 11th annual Star Donut campaign. Now through September 12, local Dunkin’ locations will donate $1 to the Make-A-Wish Central New York chapter for every blue star shaped donut it sells.

Cassidy Lee is an 18-year-old wish kid who graduated from Chenango Forks in June. She has renal failure, which is the final stage of kidney failure. Lee is on dialysis and awaiting a kidney transplant.

She and her family got her wish granted to visit Disney World. Lee says she loved meeting the Disney characters.

“It’s an awesome opportunity for families to get to go out and spend time and kind of forget about everything in the moment of what’s going on. It just gives you a break,” said Lee.

Diane Kuppermann is the President and CEO of the Central New York chapter of Make-A-Wish, which covers 15 counties including Broome. Kuppermann says Dunkin’ has raised $700,000 for Make-A-Wish over the past seven years. She says the local chapter is coming off its biggest year ever.

“We granted 93 wishes this past year, one above our goal. And of course, in order to do that we needed the revenue to support it. And thanks again to people like Dunkin’ and their loyal patrons that gives us the confidence to keep reaching higher and to be able to grant these wishes faster. Because kids shouldn’t have to wait for their wishes,” said Kuppermann.

Kuppermann says Disney World is a popular choice for wishes. She expects to fulfill 38 Disney wishes next year.

Kuppermann says Make-A-Wish is finally starting to catch up on wishes that were postponed during the pandemic but says she still has about 180 children still in the pipeline.