Cooking for Wishes Raises More Than $400,000

February 23, 2022 – Sarasota

The interactive cooking demonstration and lunch at Michael’s On East featured live and silent auctions, raffle prizes, and the touching story of a wish child (details below) whose life was changed forever by a wish to go to Hawaii with her family. More than 250 people attended the cooking event, raising more than $400,000, enough to grant 50 life-changing wishes for critically-ill children on the Suncoast.  

WHO: Make-A-Wish® Southern Florida (www.sfla.wish.org)   

WHAT: Presented Cooking for Wishes, a four-course, interactive lunch where guests at each table prepared their own meal under the direction of Executive Chef Jamil Piñeda. The 12^th annual luncheon featured wine selected by Michael Klauber, live and silent auctions, and perspective from a teen on the life-changing nature of her wish experience.  

IMPACT: The event raised more than $400,000, enough to grant 50 life-changing wishes for critically-ill children.

WISH: Leanne Millikan is a high school senior that battles lupus. At one of the darkest periods of her life, Make-A-Wish provided the opportunity for the teenager and her family to enjoy a dream vacation in Hawaii.

STORY: It was a respite from all the trials and tribulations of Leanne’s illness and enabled to the family to focus on each other, have fun, and escape the day-to-day medical issues. 

Today, Leanne is president of Make-A-Wish’s Youth Leadership Committee and works to enable other children to have the same type of life-changing experience that was so impactful in her own life.  

WHERE: Michael’s On East; Sarasota 

WHEN: Tuesday, February 22, 2022 

ABOUT: Make-A-Wish Southern Florida has granted more than 13,000 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.  

SOCIAL: Follow and engage with Make-A-Wish Southern Florida on Facebook,Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.