The first office of Give Kids The World opens at the Holiday Inn Maingate East, in Kissimmee, Florida. Nearly 80 Central Florida hotels begin welcoming families for a four-day stay with tickets provided by Walt Disney World and SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment.

Budget Car and Truck Rental and MEARS Transportation Group begin to provide local transportation for families.

Holiday Inn President, Michael Meeks, presents a check for $1 million to begin construction of Give Kids The World Village.

Henri Landwirth works with Gary Brown of Welbro Constructors, Inc. to raise a million dollars of in-kind services from various builders and contractors.

Give Kids The World breaks ground for the original eight villas to accommodate families.

The Give Kids The World Executive Advisory Board and Board of Directors dedicate Give Kids The World Village. Mayor Clayton makes his first appearance during the dedication.

The Peabody Orlando hosts Give Kids The World’s 1st Annual Black & White Gala.

Procter & Gamble Company and Perkins Family Restaurants join the Give Kids The World family.

Perkins Family Restaurants opens the Gingerbread House Restaurant.

Universal Orlando Resort begins to welcome Give Kids The World Village families.

Give Kids The World Village is on The Today Show with Katie Couric.

Guests at the 4th Annual Black & White Gala witness a live satellite uplink to the crew of Endeavor, Space Shuttle Mission STS-49.

Construction begins on 24 additional villas.

More than 1,000 families stay in hotels provided by InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG) due to increased demand.

Walter Cronkite reports on Give Kids The World Village

Give Kids The World and Meeting Professionals International (MPI) dedicate the Caring Center to volunteers.

The Give Kids The World office at Orlando International Airport opens.

Give Kids The World Executive Advisory Board Member, Walter Cronkite, and visiting children cut the ribbon for the new Castle of Miracles in celebration of the Village’s 5th anniversary.

The Star Fairy begins the tradition of placing a star on the ceiling of the castle for each wish child who visits the Village.

International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) adopts Give Kids The World Village as its charity of choice.

Give Kids The World celebrates its 10th anniversary.

Henri’s autobiography, Gift of Life, is published.

Give Kids The World welcomes its 25,000th family.

Give Kids The World Village celebrates the first annual Founder’s Day.

Give Kids The World Village celebrates the opening of the Park of Dreams.

Give Kids The World Village celebrates the new World of Wonders (WOW) with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and dedication. WOW includes 42 additional villas, the House of Hearts welcome center, Amberville Train Station, the Ice Cream Palace and Julie’s Safari Theatre.

Universal Orlando Resort and Marc's family dedicate Marc’s Dino Putt, a 7-hole miniature golf course.

The Give Kids The World Village of Hope float wins the prestigious Tournament Special Award in the 2003 Tournament of Roses Parade.

Gingerbread House Restaurant serves its two millionth meal.

Give Kids The World unveils the Village Vision, an expansion project that aims to more-than-double the size of the Village during the next decade.

Give Kids The World is rated the #1 Charity in Florida and in the Top 20 nationally by Charity Navigator.

Give Kids The World celebrates its 20th anniversary.

Murphy the Gingerbread Man character debuts.

Hasbro reveals the Give Kids The World Village edition of CANDY LAND game.

Give Kids The World Village is featured on NBC’s The TODAY Show.

Groundbreaking begins for Fairy Tale Forest villas.

Give Kids The World Village welcomes its 85,000th family.

Hasbro reveals the Village’s newest addition, Matthew’s Boundless Playground, and unveils Give Kids The World’s very own My Little Pony, “Twinkle Hope”.

The first 14 villas in the new Fairy Tale Forest open.

Boston Market joins the Give Kids The World Village family.

Boston Market opens Katie’s Kitchen, a free-standing café used to serve lunch and dinner to families.

Hasbro opens Twinkle Hope’s La-Ti-Da Royal Spa in the Castle of Miracles.

Give Kids The World celebrates Founder’s Day with the grand reopening of the Park of Dreams — complete with a 90-foot pirate ship, a water garden, splash pad, and Brooks’ Surf Shack.

Give Kids The World makes its screen debut in the nationwide release of the feature film, "Letters to God".

EA Sports/Tiburon donates a brand new game room for the Amberville Train Station.

Give Kids The World Village is featured on The TODAY Show.

Give Kids The World celebrates its 25th anniversary with a grand opening of two new Village venues — the Gallery of Hope and the Star Tower.

Photo: Orlando Sentinel

Give Kids The World Village reaches two million volunteer hours milestone.

Give Kids The World Village welcomes 120,000th family.

Harris Rosen makes one of the largest individual donations ever ($1 million) toward the addition of 24 new villas.

Give Kids The World renovates 56 villas in the World of Wonders (WOW).

The Village breaks ground on six additional villas, bringing a total villa count to 144.

The Hyatt Regency Orlando begins hosting Give Kids The World’s Black & White Gala.

Give Kids The World Village welcomes 125,000th family.

The “Extreme Village Makeover” project begins. Over a two-week period, Wyndham Vacation Ownership renovates 88 villas and Walt Disney World and Buena Vista Construction Company transform the administrative building into the Memory Maker's volunteer center. Learn more.

Zamperla donates Lori’s Magical Flight, a wheel-chair accessible ride.

Give Kids The World Village welcomes 135,000th family.

Mama Merry’s Pizzeria begins serving Papa John’s pizza. At the program’s kickoff, Papa John delivers pizzas to visiting families in his signature 1972 Camaro. Learn more.

Kevin Bacon competes with a guest in an Ice Cream Challenge (#GKTWChallenge) to see who could eat the most ice cream in six seconds. Learn more.

Give Kids The World Village celebrates the opening of Towne Hall and renovation of the Gingerbread House with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Learn more.

Phase One of Banyan Park, a new 24-villa complex, breaks ground. Once complete, this new project will allow 1,000 more families to stay at the Village each year. Help us with this expansion.