Help Jack in the Box Grant Wishes for Make-A-Wish Kids

By Shana Fischer

As the owner of a successful Jack in the Box fast food franchise in Phoenix, Adam Stine spends his days feeding his community. One day, five years ago, he decided to feed his soul. Stine shared his plan with his employees — to raise enough money to grant a wish for a child in the Make-A-Wish program. Stine and his team were able to help Tiffany, a teenager battling a disease that would eventually leave her unable to walk. Tiffany’s wish — to walk on the beach in Hawaii, and thanks to Stine and his employees, she did. In fact, Stine’s fundraising efforts were so successful, Make-A-Wish was able to grant another wish for a child that year too.

Stine knew he wanted to do more. So he harnessed the power of five other franchisees and turned his one time wish granting into a much bigger project. Stine’s “Wish Stars” was born. During the month of March, customers can “buy” a star and donate a dollar or five dollars to Make-A-Wish. In 2016, thanks to incredibly generous customers, the participating Jack in the Box restaurants helped raise more than $300,000.

Make-A-Wish began in 1980. A U.S Customs agent on a stakeout with a DPS officer shared the story of a friend whose young son was dying of leukemia. The little boy wanted to grow up to be a customs agent. The agent said he wished he could make the little boy’s wish come true. So together, the two men approached the DPS Director and within days the little boy was given a helicopter ride to DPS, a badge and made a temporary DPS officer. He passed away several days later. That experience changed so many lives that the wife of a DPS officer decided to start a non-profit foundation dedicated to granting the wishes of terminally-ill children. Since then, Make-A-Wish has granted more than 285,000 kids their wishes. Last year alone, 15,300 wishes were granted. Wishes range from being a “firefighter for a day” to meeting a “favorite athlete” to “dream vacations”. And, it’s all made possible with generous donations from the community and other organizations.

For the sixth year, Stine and his fellow wish granters are at it again. All during the month of March, head into any of the more than 160 participating Jack in the Box restaurants in Arizona and buy a “Wish Star”. This year, the goal is to raise more than $500,000 which could pay for at least 58 wishes. There are more than 400 children in Arizona who are waiting for a wish to be granted and you can help make that wish come true.

To find a Jack in the Box restaurant near you, click on this link.