The Big Raise 501c3 will return to Reunion Resort near Orlando, Florida, February 20–23, 2027, for its 10th annual Hearts for St. Jude event — a multi-day fundraiser combining golf and pickleball tournaments with a black-tie dinner gala to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital's childhood cancer research programs.
The event is a natural fit for hospitality and foodservice professionals: resort venues, catering teams, and food-and-beverage sponsors are core partners in executing the gala format that anchors the weekend. Industry operators looking for cause-marketing opportunities or corporate sponsorship platforms in the hospitality space will find the expanded 2027 program worth evaluating.
A Decade of Fundraising
Since its inception, the Hearts for St. Jude series has raised more than $3.3 million for pediatric cancer research. The 2026 edition represented the largest attendance and highest fundraising total in the event's history, and organizers say the 2027 program has been expanded accordingly. Jon A. Anderson, Chairman of The Big Raise 501c3, stated the organization's target plainly: "Our goal is to exceed $1 million raised annually at this growing event."
The 2027 schedule opens Sunday, February 20, with golf and pickleball tournaments, followed by the evening dinner gala. Monday's tournament rounds continue before the weekend closes with a live musical performance by Seventh Heaven on Monday night — a programming arc designed to retain attendees and sponsors across all four days.
Why Hospitality Operators Should Pay Attention
Events of this scale — multi-day resort fundraisers that blend competitive sport with formal dining — represent a significant revenue opportunity for resort food-and-beverage operations, off-premise catering providers, and beverage sponsors. The Reunion Resort property near Kissimmee is a full-service destination resort, and events like Hearts for St. Jude generate meaningful ancillary spend across rooms, dining outlets, and banquet services.
For operators exploring cause-related partnerships, the hospitality sector's involvement in charitable fundraising has grown steadily as brands seek authentic community ties. Coverage of that trend appears regularly in our restaurant industry analysis and hospitality sector reporting. The Big Raise model — pairing a sport-and-gala format with a nationally recognized charity like St. Jude — offers sponsors clear brand alignment alongside direct philanthropic impact.
Sponsorship and registration details for the February 2027 event are available at jointheraise.com/reunion-2027. The organization also works with Food & Beverage Magazine partners and industry networks to broaden its sponsor base each year.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
