Magic Moments was founded in October 1984 by Alabama mothers Shelley Clark and Buffie Marks who wanted to provide special wishes for children with serious illnesses. They organized a group of community activists who shared their vision, and with $500 seed money from the Birmingham Junior League, Magic Moments was born. They made their goal a simple one: to put a smile on the face of a child who, because of circumstances beyond his or her control, has been deprived of the opportunity to simply be a kid.

Starting with a small network of community leaders in 1984, Magic Moments has now grown to an organization of 53 Board members including a Regional Board in Montgomery and Mobile, 20 Advisory Board members, a staff of four and over 350 volunteers who help provide magic moments to children all across the state of Alabama.