Make-A-Wish North Texas shattered its fundraising record Saturday night, raising nearly $3.2 million at the 2026 Wish Night Gala.
✨ What an unforgettable night at Wish Night Gala at the Omni Hotel in downtown Dallas!
— Joe Kelley (@talkradiojoe) May 3, 2026
Honored to be here supporting Make-A-Wish — an organization that turns dreams into reality for incredible kids and their families.
Grateful for every smile, every story, and every bit of… pic.twitter.com/TIKMYQUsnK
The black-tie event, held at the Omni Dallas Hotel, brought together hundreds of supporters from across North Texas for an evening focused on hope, generosity and the life-changing power of a wish for children battling critical illnesses.
For the first time in the gala’s history, organizers secured more than $1 million in sponsorships and ticket sales before guests even walked through the doors. The final tally included more than $1 million from Fund-A-Wish donations, over $500,000 from the live auction and more than $100,000 from the silent auction. Event chairs Amy and Marty Brimmage took the stage to announce a $500,000 gift, drawing strong applause.
Since its founding in 1982, Make-A-Wish North Texas has granted more than 14,000 wishes to children across 161 counties in North, East and West Texas. The organization used the gala to spotlight its new “Two Years, Too Long” campaign, an urgent push to eliminate the waitlist so every eligible child can receive a wish without delay. Wish kids and their families shared personal stories throughout the night, underscoring how a single wish can provide strength and joy during difficult medical journeys.
CEO Kim Elenez called the record-breaking evening transformational.
“This year’s Wish Night was truly transformational for our organization and, more importantly, for the children and families we serve,” Elenez said. “The record-breaking support we saw is a powerful reflection of how deeply our community believes in this mission at a critical moment. Through our ‘Two Years, Too Long’ campaign, we are working with urgency to eliminate the wait for every eligible child, because a wish can’t wait.”
The funds will directly support wish grants and help accelerate the organization’s ability to deliver hope faster to families in need.
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