Four Stars for Dream Foundation

The Santa Barbara-based Dream Foundation has received a four-star rating (the highest possible) by Charity Navigator for the fourth year in a row, says a recent press release. The four-star rating is given to only 13 percent of the over 5,000 national charities listed.

Charity Navigator investigates the fiscal responsibility of a charity by examining program expenses, administrative expenses, and fundraising expenses. It uses those costs to determine a foundation’s efficiency.

The Dream Foundation is the first and also the largest “wish-granting organization for adults in the end stages of life,” according to the press release. It works for adults ages 18 and older, and helps their families make it through the wake of financial and emotional devastation that follows a serious illness. In 2010, the Dream Foundation granted their 10,000th wish. Wishes range from vacations to things like heaters or mattresses to make life more comfortable. The Dream Foundation relies on public donations, not only of money but of airline miles, hotels, tickets, and materials to improve the quality of life for suffering patients.

Thomas Rollerson, the Dream Foundation’s founder, said, “While we are a national organization, our roots are here in Santa Barbara. This acknowledgement is a testament to the fact that this community’s investment in dreams has been put to good work.”