PHOENIX (Oct. 24, 2008) – The Make-A-Wish Foundation of America recognized actor and comedian George Lopez for his dedicated wish-granting efforts Thursday night.

Lopez received his Chris Greicius Celebrity Award from the world’s largest wish-granting organization during its Celebration of Philanthropy event at the Arizona Country Club. The award recognizes his extraordinary dedication to helping grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions in the past year.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Orange County and the Inland Empire in California nominated Lopez for the 19th annual award. The chapter staff was moved by his willingness to participate in a teenager’s wish to meet him on Easter weekend. Lopez drove from his home to the family’s home in Santa Ana, Calif., for the meeting with wish kid Isaiah.

Though the family was in the midst of moving to a new home, Lopez stayed the afternoon to visit with Isaiah and his family. The day turned into something bigger than just Isaiah's wish; it became an event to celebrate Isaiah, with Lopez blending in like one of the family.

Each year, the Foundation honors its most passionate celebrity wish granters with the Chris Greicius Celebrity Award. The award’s namesake is the 7-year-old boy from Phoenix whose wish to be a police officer inspired the founding of the Make-A-Wish Foundation in 1980. The Make-A-Wish Foundation has honored prominent celebrity wish granters from sports, entertainment and politics with this award since 1990.

“George delighted Isaiah and also the other wish kids he’s met,” said David Williams, Make-A-Wish Foundation of America president and chief executive officer. “He understands how much the gift of his time and just helping a wish kid laugh and have a good time can inspire them. He truly deserves the Chris Greicius Celebrity Award, and we’re privileged to be able to present it to him and show our appreciation for his generosity.”

Make-A-Wish^® chapters nominated celebrities for their efforts during the past year to grant amazing wishes to the wish kids who wanted to meet them. The Foundation’s Celebrity and National Sports Program staff chose the Chris Greicius Celebrity Award winners from those nominations and also selected industry icons for their dedication to wish kids in creating and planning memorable wish experiences for them.

The Celebrity and National Sports Program arranges the wishes of children who ask to meet their favorite TV or movie star, musician, athlete, entertainment personality or other public figure. During fiscal year 2008 (ending Aug. 31), the Make-A-Wish Foundation fulfilled 880 celebrity or national sports wishes, about 6 percent of the more than 13,400 total wishes granted by the nonprofit organization.

For past winners of the Chris Greicius Celebrity Award, please see the accompanying list.

About the Make-A-Wish Foundation: The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Founded in 1980 when a group of caring volunteers helped a young boy fulfill his dream of becoming a police officer, the Foundation is now the largest wish-granting charity in the world, with 66 chapters in the United States and its territories. With the help of generous donors and nearly 25,000 volunteers, the Make-A-Wish Foundation grants a wish every 40 minutes and has granted more than 171,000 wishes in the U.S. since inception. For more information about the Make-A-Wish Foundation, visit www.wish.org and discover how you can share the power of a wish^® .

# # #

Make-A-Wish Foundation^® of America

Celebrity Wish Granters/Chris Greicius Celebrity Award

Recipients List

1990: Scott Hamilton

1991: Don Majkowski, Jesse Ventura

1992: Willard Scott

1993: Billy Ray Cyrus

1994: Ken Griffey Jr., Hulk Hogan

1995: Richard Dean Anderson

1996: Karl Malone

1997: Kevin Sharp

1998: John Travolta

1999: David Hasselhoff, Geoffrey Bodine, Steve Burns, Kristi Yamaguchi, Backstreet Boys

2000: Mariah Carey, President Bill Clinton, Dawson’s Creek, Michael J. Fox, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Chuck Norris

2001: Bob Costas, Paul Walker, Cher, The West Wing, National Hockey League, Jeff Gordon

2002: Mark Wahlberg, Tony Hawk, Major League Baseball, *NSYNC, Emeril Lagasse, Michael Levitt

2003: Adam Sandler, Kurt Warner, David Brubeck, National Football League, Erin Dogan (Sony Studios/Columbia Pictures), Doug Frank (Warner Bros. Studios)

2004: Garth Brooks, the cast of Charmed, World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. (WWE)

2005: Clay Aiken, American Chopper, Johnny Depp, National Basketball Association, Will Smith, Keith Urban

2006: Raven, Jerome Bettis, Good Charlotte, Nigel Barker, Major League Soccer, US Soccer Federation, Sue Aitchison (World Wrestling Entertainment), Cheryl Kisob (Disney Worldwide Outreach), Tony Stephens (Credence Artist Network)

2007: Law & Order: SVU, My Chemical Romance, Criss Angel, Brett Favre, ESPN, Mary Alice Stephenson, film producer Ian Bryce, Sandy Marshall (NASCAR Foundation), Orlando Bloom

2008: George Lopez, Deal or No Deal, Rascal Flatts, Donald Trump, Dirk Nowitzki, Palace Sports & Entertainment (NBA Detroit Pistons), Howie Schwab (ESPN), Dean Kurtz (International Speedway Corporation), Lori Rischer (THE FIRM), Kenny Ortega (Disney’s High School Musical director, choreographer and producer), Spooky Stevens (unit publicist)