Wings Etc. donates additional $100,000 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®

The Wings Etc. Foundation has harnessed customer generosity to contribute a total of $150,000 since September 2023 and announced an ambitious new goal: to raise $1 million by 2030.

FORT WAYNE, Ind.— Wings Etc. proudly presented St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital with a check for $100,000 at the 2025 Wings Etc. Brand Summit, held September 22–24 at Four Winds Casino Hotel in South Bend, Ind.

The gift, powered by guest generosity and The Wings Etc. Foundation’s commitment to “improving children’s lives,” brings total donations since September 2023 to $150,000. 

“St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis is a leader in changing outcomes for children affected by cancer and other diseases,” said Eric Stuczynski, Wings Etc. CDO/CPO and president of The Wings Etc. Foundation. “We’re honored to stand with them and to engage our guests and franchise family in supporting their life-saving mission.”

At the brand summit, Stuczynski reaffirmed the partnership, announcing an ambitious plan to raise $1 million for St. Jude by 2030.

“Wings Etc. is eager to be truly impactful in improving the lives of children,” Stuczynski said. “We’re driven to be an enterprise for good, and we know that St. Jude is leading the way, giving hope to children and their families.”

The $100,000 contribution reflects Wings Etc. customer donations collected since April 2024 through Wings Etc. restaurants, with support coming from in-store messaging, social media outreach, round-up campaigns and special events. Franchisees and corporate leaders also host charity tournaments and community fundraisers that fuel the partnership.

“We are immensely grateful for the support of Wings Etc. leadership, patrons and franchisees who selflessly support the families of St. Jude,” said Patrick Schaecher, Midwest Territory Area Executive Director for ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. “Generous donations from partners like Wings Etc. help ensure families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food – so they can focus on helping their child live.”

The Wings Etc. Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization founded in September 2023, reflects Wings Etc.’s deep commitment to community and children’s health. The foundation and its partners also support Big Brothers Big Sisters, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Toys for Tots, and dozens of local causes in Wings Etc. markets. The company’s commitment to St. Jude represents its biggest singular effort to date. 

Wings Etc. corporate leaders and franchise owner-operators are leaning into the campaign, expecting to accelerate giving and achieve the seven-figure mark in the next five years. “This is a cause we can all get behind,” Stuczynski said, “and we’re excited to make a lasting difference.”

For more information on The Wings Etc. Foundation, visit www.wingsetcfoundation.com.

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About Wings Etc. Grill & Pub

Founded in 1994 by Jim Weaver in northern Indiana, Wings Etc. is a family-friendly grill and pub featuring award-winning jumbo Buffalo wings, 22 signature sauces and rubs, dozens of TVs tuned to sports programming and a casual, non-corporate-y, laid-back vibe that makes people want to just come in and hang out. See wingsetc.com.

With 82 corporate and franchise locations, Wings Etc. has enjoyed more than 30 years of successful franchise growth. Wings Etc. has been listed among Entrepreneur magazine’s “Top 500 Franchises” and was included in the magazine’s “Top Chicken Franchises” in 2024. It has been named one of Franchise Business Review’s “Top Food Franchises” and a “Top 200 Franchise.” Wings Etc. has been included in Franchise Gator’s “Top 100 Franchises” and its “Fastest Growing Franchises”; it was among the “Top Emerging Franchises” in 2023. Wings Etc. has also been awarded “Best Wings” in multiple markets. See www.wingsetcfranchise.com.

The Wings Etc. Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, is dedicated to improving children’s lives. Learn more at wingsetcfoundation.com.

©2025 Wings Etc., Inc. Franchises independently owned and operated.

About St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Its purpose is clear: Finding cures. Saving children.® It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. When St. Jude opened in 1962, childhood cancer was largely considered incurable. Since then, St. Jude has helped push the overall survival rate from 20% to more than 80% in the United States, and it won’t stop until no child dies from cancer. St. Jude shares the breakthroughs it makes to help doctors and researchers at local hospitals and cancer centers around the world improve the quality of treatment and care for even more children. Because of generous donors, families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food, so they can focus on helping their child live. Visit St. Jude Inspire to discover powerful St. Jude stories of hope, strength, love and kindness. Support the St. Jude mission by donating at stjude.org, liking St. Jude on Facebook, following St. Jude on X, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok, and subscribing to its YouTube channel.