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100% of all donations go directly toward fulfilling the dreams of kids battling life-threatening or chronically debilitating illnesses.*

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They caught 50 fish during this excursion
Brayden

dreamed of

Fishing and hiking with his family in Bar Harbor Maine
Callyn & Family getting ready to leave for her dream trip
Callyn

dreamed of

Going to Orlando and Give Kids The World
Chance loves Christmas
Chance

dreamed of

Going to Orlando and Give Kids The World
Ayven and Family at Disney's Animal Kingdom
Avyen

dreamed of

Vacationing to Orlando and Give Kids The World with his family
Hailee

dreamed of

Going to Orlando and Give Kids The World
Eden

dreamed of

A room makeover
Emma Hatcher Disney Cruise Dream
Emma

dreamed of

Carribbean Cruise
Matthias

dreamed of

Meeting Mickey Mouse
Lilly

dreamed of

meeting acapella group Pentatonix
Siblings in matching shirts take a photo in front of the Disney Castle
Emma

dreamed of

going to Disney World
Child and her mother posing with WWE star John Cena
Haven

dreamed of

meeting WWE wrestler John Cena
Family with baby taking a photo in front of a SeaWorld sign
Mackenzie

dreamed of

going to Disney World
Finish On The Field
October 18, 2025

at

8:00 am
5K & 2.5K
Finishing on the Field
40th Anniversary Gala
April 30, 2026

at

6:00 pm
The Dream Connection: Making Dreams Come True for over 40 years
Get Your Tickets Now to the 40th Anniversary Gala.
Thank You Garza Law Firm!
The Garza Law Firm Dream Connection Benefit Ride, held on May 31st, was a huge success. Starting with breakfast at Bootlegger Harley Davidson on Lovell Road, and then 100 plus moto (…)
Thank You MDRT!
MDRT Foundation gave The Dream Connection a grant of $5000, which will go toward funding a dream for an East Tennessee child fighting chronically debilitating or life-threatening i (…)
MDRT Logo

What We Do

Dream Connection is a nonprofit that connects kids and their families with the funding they need to enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime experience – and forget about hospitals, medicines and treatments for a short time.

The Dream Connection works like this:

1.
A Child is Nominated

2.
We learn about their dreams

3.
We pair them with a Dream Captainto pilot the process

4.
We find a way to fulfill their dream!

The Latest Dreams Come True

See some of the dreams that recently became reality – thanks to generous donors like YOU!


They caught 50 fish during this excursion
Brayden's Dream
"It’s been incredible!"
What a perfect morning! We walked to the lighthouse, picked shells, then saw porpoises, grey seals, eagles, and caught more than 50 fish! It’s been incredible!
Callyn & Family getting ready to leave for her dream trip
Callyn's Dream
"Callyn got to experience the magic of her dream trip and create these special memories with her family"
Callyn got to experience the magic of her dream trip and create these special memories with her family.
Chance loves Christmas
Chance's Dream
"Chance got to make these unforgettable memories and share his contagious smile with us!"
Hailee is most excited to explore The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios!
Ayven and Family at Disney's Animal Kingdom
Avyen's Dream
"The stay at Give Kids the World Village was beyond our expectations. It was like staying in a fairy tale, with so much to do."
The stay at Give Kids the World Village was beyond our expectations.
Hailee's Dream
"Flying for the first time is a magical experience"
Hailee is most excited to explore The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios!
Eden's Dream
"She envisioned a space with light, airy, and modern boho vibes"
Eden's dream of a room makeover was a hit!
Emma Hatcher Disney Cruise Dream
Emma's Cruise Dream
"Emma's Caribbean Cruise"
Emma's dream cruise wasn’t just a getaway - it was a celebration of everything she’s overcome.
Matthias's Dream
"From magical rides to unforgettable moments"
DREAM CHILD: Matthias Martin DREAM CAPTAINS: Mary Palmer and Dusty Fagan We are excited to share that our amazing friend Matthias recently experienced the trip of a lifetime to Giv (…)
Lilly's Dream
"Lilly’s Pentatonix dream was made extra special with a limo ride to the concert where she also go to meet the group"
Lilly Bitner is a bright child with a bright smile. But sometimes, even the brightest of smiles have a hard time shining when battling illness. After being referred to us, the Drea (…)
Siblings in matching shirts take a photo in front of the Disney Castle
Emma's Dream
"Emma’s dream was for her and her brothers to go to Disney World so the Dream Connection did just that."
Emma’s dream was for her and her brothers to go to Disney World so the Dream Connection did just that. The family got a trip to Orlando which included round trip flight, a rental (…)
Child and her mother posing with WWE star John Cena
Haven's Dream
“She met so many superstars and had such a great time!”
Haven and her family made the trip to Birmingham, where they explored the surrounding museums and activities before experiencing the highlight of the trip—the WWE Live and a meet (…)
Family with baby taking a photo in front of a SeaWorld sign
Mackenzie's Dream
"A community that cares is a wonderful thing.”
“I want to go to Disney World.” Sitting on the clinic table, she smiled big in anticipation, completely at ease with the IV tubing delivering the chemotherapy of the week.

The Dream Connection by the Numbers

29

Dreams Fulfilled Each Year

40

Years of Making Dreams Come True

1128

Total Dreams Fulfilled by The Dream Connection

16

Counties Served in East TN

About The Dream Connection

Dream Connection is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization run entirely by volunteers that is focused on raising money to help fulfill the dreams of children diagnosed with life-threatening or chronically debilitating illnesses.

Established under Tennessee law in October 1985, The Dream Connection remains the only organization of its kind serving 16 counties of East Tennessee.

Memorable fulfilled dreams include trips to Dollywood, Disney World and LEGOLAND, as well as meetings with Tennessee native Kenny Chesney.

Group photo at the airport

Meet Our Dreamy Sponsors & Partners

Garze Law Firm Logo
Full Spectrum Marketing Logo
Olympus Car & Coach Logo

*Garza Law’s support ensures every dollar donated goes toward a child’s dream

The Latest from the Dream Connection

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Turn a Kid's Dream Into Reality!

Want to bring joy and light into a child’s life? Your contributions help us make a big impact on kids with dreams that seem big to them – but are small compared to what they endure every day.