On Thursday, Aug. 21, dozens of restaurants across southeast Wisconsin will be serving up more than just great meals. They’ll be joining forces for Do Good With Food, a one-day dining event that raises money for Children’s Wisconsin. And every bite counts.
Now in its sixth year, the event has already raised more than $200,000 for programs and services at Children’s Wisconsin. But for many of the chefs, owners and restaurant teams involved, this isn’t just another fundraiser. It’s personal.
Where food & gratitude meet
Do Good With Food began in 2019 thanks to Gino and Leanne Fazzari, owners of downtown’s Calderone Club and San Giorgio Pizzeria Napoletana. Their newborn daughter, Vivianna, nearly lost her life after a tear in her thoracic duct caused serious complications. A swift, expert response from the NICU team at Children’s Wisconsin saved her life.
To say thank you, the Fazzaris started Do Good With Food, donating 100% of their restaurants’ proceeds around Vivianna’s birthday to the hospital that gave them their daughter back.
As word spread, other restaurateurs — many with their own deeply personal connections to Children’s — joined in.
Stories that fuel the mission
- Matt and Amy Schmidt (Water Street Brewery, Vagabond) participate each year to honor the burn center team who cared for their son Cam after a serious kitchen accident. Today, Cam is 13, thriving and barely bears a scar.
- Emily Matejov (GM, Water Street Brewery – Grafton) is grateful for the pediatric specialists treating her son Aidan, who was diagnosed with aggressive thyroid cancer following an ER visit for appendicitis.
- Tracy Broekman (Lowlands Group) and her partner Brian honor the compassionate care they received for their daughter Stella, who was born with Down syndrome and faced complex medical challenges before passing away in the NICU.
- Carmelo Fazzari (Calderone Club – Fox Point) remembers the skilled surgeons who performed intricate cranial surgery on his premature son more than two decades ago.
These are just a few of the stories behind the kitchens, bars and dining rooms opening their doors — and their hearts — for this event.
How to take part
This year, 36 restaurants will donate a portion of their food and/or beverage sales to benefit Children’s Wisconsin’s Emergency Department and Trauma Center (EDTC), Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and the Nourishing Partners Program, which helps connect families to nutritious food resources.
The lineup is as diverse as it is delicious, ranging from casual taverns to fine dining icons:
Calderone Club (Downtown & Fox Point), San Giorgio Pizzeria Napoletana, Harbor House, Maxie’s, Saz’s State House, Sweet Diner, Buckatabon Tavern & Supper Club, Oak Barrel Public House, Blue’s Egg + Bakery, Bartolotta’s Lake Park Bistro, Mo’s – A Place for Steaks, Story Hill BKC and many more.
From downtown to the suburbs, you’ll find a plate — or a pint — that supports the cause.
Why it matters
“Events like Do Good With Food connect deeply to our Brighter Than Ever campaign, which allows Children’s Wisconsin to respond to what kids and families need right now,” says Christine Baranoucky, Vice President of Engagement, Stewardship and Corporate Philanthropy for the Children’s Wisconsin Foundation. “We are so grateful for our partners in this work and are excited for another successful year.”
Dining out has never tasted so good — or done so much good.
Learn more and see the full list of participating restaurants at childrenswi.org/food.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
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