Four families say they are still owed a combined $6,383 in travel expenses for anticipated trips that did not go ahead. Central Florida nonprofit Practically Perfect Wishes and Dreams (PPW), a wish-trip nonprofit, says it completed three wishes before closing and is working to reimburse the affected families.
In written responses to WKMG, PPW said it knew of four families with personal travel expenses tied to anticipated trips. The organization said it intends to repay the full $6,383, had contacted or tried to contact three families, and was continuing efforts to reach the fourth.
PPW is a wish-trip nonprofit.
A Reimbursement Plan Already in Motion
PPW told the station it sent an initial reimbursement installment on September 22 and expects to finish repaying the first family by October. It said it intended to reimburse affected families. PPW personnel also said they put approximately $10,000 of their own money toward trips and operations.
PPW denied allegations that its personnel used the program for personal gain.
How to Check a Florida Charity’s Records
For readers checking the records of charities that solicit donations in Florida, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services says such charities generally must register and file financial information, with religious, educational, political and governmental agencies excluded. Its Check-A-Charity tool provides registration information and figures on spending for administration, fundraising and programming. The department also says the Solicitation of Contributions Act requires an organization, when asked, to identify whom to contact for the requested information and provide it within 14 days. These general requirements do not indicate that PPW faced enforcement.
What public charity filings can show
The Internal Revenue Service says tax-exempt organizations must make annual returns and exemption applications filed with the agency available for public inspection and copying upon request. Those filings can offer financial context, but they do not by themselves establish whether a particular family’s trip expenses were funded.
One Central Florida Mother's Frustration
Patricia Squires, whose family includes her 22-year-old daughter with a cognitive disability and her 9-year-old son, told WKMG she had been trying to arrange a trip to Florida to visit Disney, a destination the family had not previously been able to afford. Squires said her son asked whether the trip was really going to happen. According to the report, Tina Rivero, who ran PPW, had told Squires that the hotel, Disney tickets and meals would be covered and that confirmations would arrive before the family left.
Squires told the station she discussed arrangements with Rivero the day before receiving PPW’s closure notice and was sent an itinerary listing hotel information and Disney activities. She said she could not afford everything Rivero had promised. PPW, for its part, said that granting a wish meant approval and planning were underway—not that arrangements were final or all expenses funded. The nonprofit said fulfillment could depend on later fundraising, which families could help coordinate but were not required to do.
Not Every Family Lost a Planned Trip
PPW said it sent closure notices to 80 families, but that figure did not mean 80 trips had been scheduled or planned. According to the organization, most families had not completed onboarding, and unfinished trips would not proceed. PPW said families had to complete paperwork before trip dates could be set.
Some families described a different outcome. Shalynn Miller told WKMG that PPW fulfilled a wish trip for her mother shortly before her mother died; Miller called it “the most phenomenal gift” her family could have received. Danielle Dickson, who described a group in which parents compared their PPW experiences, said its members lived in California, Pennsylvania, Missouri, South Carolina and Texas, including two in California.
Why the Nonprofit Says It Closed
PPW cited funding difficulties and negative accusations. PPW said it applied for a grant in June but had received neither a decision nor funding.
WKMG said it sent PPW questions earlier this month and interviewed three Michigan mothers after receiving a tip through its neighborhood network. The station said it was still seeking an interview with Rivero.
Despite the closure, PPW’s website continues to advertise that it is accepting applications for 2027 and 2028 trips. Listed destinations include Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Disney Cruises, Universal Studios Orlando, Royal Caribbean, Hilton Vacations, Carnival Cruises and Virgin Voyages.
