Danielle Gletow

Danielle Gletow, a passionate children’s rights advocate for nearly twenty years is all too familiar with the disheartening state of the foster care system. As a past emergency placement guardian and now adoptive parent, Danielle was a witness to the circumstances surrounding the “forgotten children” of the system. Often times, these babies, toddlers and adolescents are robbed of their blissful innocence but Danielle has sought to bring love, hope and joy to each child through the work of her foundation, One Simple Wish. By empowering everyday people to grant a child’s wish through the website, as well as programs, initiatives and community partnerships, she longs to brighten lives of foster children nationwide, and her noble efforts have not gone unnoticed. What began as a small startup in her Central NJ home with a personal $10,000 investment has grown to a million dollar nonprofit serving children in 49 states through a network of more than 800 Community Partner agencies – the largest of its kind. Danielle is a big believer in addressing "actual need" vs "perceived need" and has developed several programs that ensure more efficient and effective support for kids and families. She has appeared and been featured on various media outlets. These include NBC Nightly News, CNN, The Kate Couric Show, Christian Science Monitor, The Star Ledger, The Washington Post and Woman’s World to name a few. She was also named one of the Most Influential Moms in America by Family Circle and chosen out of tens of thousands of nominees as a top 10 CNN Hero. Her compassion, goodwill and ambition have driven her to be the change she wants to see in the world and she hopes to instill that within everyone she encounters—be it in front of an audience of fellow professionals or individuals she encounters in her every day life. Danielle lives in Central NJ with her husband, Joe, two daughters Mia and Lily and usually many dogs.