Cooking for Wishes

Now in its 14th year, Cooking for Wishes is a four-course, interactive dinner where guests at each table prepare their own meal under the direction of Executive Chef Jamil Piñeda and Phil Mancini of Michael’s on East. The evening features wine selected by Michael Klauber, live and silent auctions, and perspective from a family on the life-changing nature of its wish experience.

HOSTS of the evening are Michael’s on East Co-owners Phil Mancini and Michael Klauber, and EVENT CHAIRS are Terri Klauber, Renee Phinney, and Lauren McComb Dixon.

Proceeds from the Wizard of Oz-themed fundraiser will underwrite the cost to grant life-changing wishes for local children that have critical illnesses.

“The fundraising done at Cooking for Wishes is vital to fulfilling the mission to find every medically-eligible child on the Suncoast and grant them a life-changing wish. Because of all our efforts, kids and their families will now benefit from what research shows is not just a nice experience, but a necessary one.” — Terri Klauber, Cooking for Wishes co-chair.

Make-A-Wish Southern Florida has granted more than 14,000 life-changing wishes since 1983 for children who have critical illnesses. It aims to grant a wish for every medically-eligible child in its territory and understands these experiences are more than nice, they’re necessary to the health and well-being of families at a critical time in their lives.

Wish kids most often ‘wish to be’ (something), ‘wish to meet’ (someone), ‘wish to go’ (somewhere), ‘wish to have’ (something), or ‘wish to give’ (something) and the nonprofit organization makes this happen for the child and his/her entire family at no cost or obligation.

The Southern Florida chapter’s territory includes 22 counties/four regions: the Suncoast (Sarasota, Manatee, and surrounding counties), Tampa Bay, Southeast and Southwest Florida. It also includes the U.S. Virgin Islands.

$450 for individual tickets; $3,600 for a table of eight

www.cookingforwishes.com for additional information, sponsorship opportunities, or to purchase tickets

For more information please contact Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida at (941) 378-9474 or tmarini@sfla.wish.org