MANGIA!!!  

 

Dining with a purpose! Eating for a cause!!!

 

This past week, I had the pleasure of being selected along with other food bloggers to be the first to try the upcoming menu for “Eat a Dish for Make A Wish”.  What is this you ask? Well let me tell ya, Maggiano’s Little Italy restaurants across the country have developed a special menu to encourage their guests to select certain items that will help in raising funds for the Make-A-Wish foundation, so from April 30-July 8, 2016 eat and drink at Maggiano’s.  

 

The campaign includes a $1 donation to Make-A-Wish through the purchase of any of the specialty dishes that are featured on the menu.  In addition to the entrees and desserts , $2 of every pitcher of sangria, which is yummy I might add, so drink up and .50 of every lemonade will be donated as well.  Also, guest donations will be made through the purchase of Star Cards.  It gets even better, $5 (up to $25, 000) will benefit Make-A-Wish every time the hashtag #EatADish4MAW is used so PLEASE visit a Maggiano’s Little Italy restaurant, take a pic of your specialty entree and dessert, post it and use tag it using #EatADish4MAW.  

 

As I sat at the long table with my fellow bloggers and listened to the amazing partnership between Make-A-Wish and Maggiano’s Little Italy restaurants I learned that this is not a new promotion it is one that has been going on for several years and this one is just one of a few that Maggiano’s does to support the charity. Now…on to the FOOD! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other Upcoming Events

 

Want to get involved?  Consider becoming a Wish Granter! This training is for volunteers interested in becoming Wish Granters. Wish granters work with wish children to help them determine their most heartfelt wish. Wish granters then work with the staff to help make these wishes come true! Bilingual wish granters are especially need this coming year. Time commitment varies, but is approximately 3 hours per month based on granting 3 wishes per year. Wish Granters must have strong communication skills, and be able to respond to wish families and staff within 48 hours. Volunteers are asked to complete 2 online trainings prior to attending the in-person training.

 

http://illinois.wish.org/news-and-events/calendar-of-events/volunteer-training/chicago-4

 

 

Wish Ball is one of the premier charity events in Chicago. This flagship fundraising welcomed more than 900 guests and raised more than $2 million last year. This year, Make-A-Wish Illinois is celebrating 30 years of granting wishes, spreading joy and making the impossible, possible.  Join us for an elegant evening celebrating our 30th Anniversary at our most anticipated signature event on Saturday, May 21, 2016 at Navy Pier in Chicago. 

 

For tickets http://illinois.wish.org/ways-to-help/events/wish-ball/tickets

 

Walk & Run for Wishes

 

Sign up for a great day of fun for a worthy cause. This costumed day includes a family fun walk and a timed 5K to benefit Make-A-Wish® Illinois at the beautiful campus of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

Costumes encouraged! Participants are invited to celebrate the spirit of a wish by dressing up as their favorite hero or character. If you ever dreamed of being a wizard, leaping buildings in a single bound, or wearing glass slippers and dancing the night away at a ball, this is the day to live out your dreams.

 

$30 for adult runners, $25 for adult walkers, $15 for students ages 18-22, $10 for children ages 18 and under, and free for wish families.

 

For information, contact Emily Seifert at 312.602.9425 (800.978.7474, x425 toll free)

 

http://illinois.wish.org/news-and-events/calendar-of-events/edwardsville_wrw

 

 

 

How to recommend a child to Make-A-Wish. It’s very simple and can be done by a child’s parent or close family member or a medical professional working with the child. The criteria are kids under 18 who have been diagnosed with a life-threatening medical conditions. More than 150 medical conditions qualify, including cancer, cystic fibrosis, organ transplants, heart conditions, severe forms of muscular dystrophy and many more. Learn more or refer a child at www.illinois.wish.org/refer. 

 

 

You can read about Illinois kids who have been granted wishes here.  Maggiano’s events will help with their goal of reaching more children just like them.