Stars & Stripes tournament raises $5.6M for children’s charities

The 29th annual Stars & Stripes Tournament raised $5.6 million over four days at the Hilton Los Cabos Beach & Golf Resort, with proceeds supporting children’s charities including Miracles for Kids. The event paired golf, fishing, celebrity entertainment and fundraising with direct experiences for families facing critical illness.

Why it matters: - The Stars & Stripes Tournament is a major fundraising event for children’s charities, including Miracles for Kids, which serves families facing life-threatening illnesses. - The weekend raised $5.6 million, adding resources for financial aid, housing, basic needs and wellness support for families under medical and financial strain. - The event also gave children and parents a rare break from hospital visits, treatments and daily stress.

What happened: - The 29th annual Stars & Stripes Tournament took place over four days at the Hilton Los Cabos Beach & Golf Resort. - Philanthropists, business leaders and families from across the country attended. - The event featured an 18-hole golf tournament, deep-sea fishing in the Sea of Cortez, pickleball with celebrity host Terrell Owens, a poolside silent auction, resort activities and nightly fundraising events. - Evening performances included Beck, Leon Bridges, John Oates of Hall & Oates and Taylor Dayne. - Miracles for Kids brought two families to Cabo to share their experiences with guests.

The details: - Stars & Stripes is named for the children it serves and for its marlin-and-fishing tradition. - The tournament has grown into one of the country’s premier charitable destination events. - Miracles for Kids has been a leading charitable partner of the Stars & Stripes Children’s Foundation for 17 years. - The event’s “Angel Flights” are children given a respite from critical illness. - One former Angel Flight recipient, who first attended at age 8, returned as a young adult and was offered full-time employment on stage through Merge Opportunities, a charitable partner supported by the foundation. - Autumn Strier, co-founder and CEO of Miracles for Kids, said the weekend gives families a chance to relax, reconnect and enjoy time together without daily pressures. - The organization says 82 cents of every dollar collected in 2025 went to programs that directly benefit families. - Miracles for Kids is based in Orange County, California, and serves more than 500 families annually across hospitals including CHOC Children’s, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital, Rady Children’s, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, By the Bay Health, City of Hope, Loma Linda University Hospital and Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

Between the lines: - The tournament blends entertainment and philanthropy, but the event’s central appeal is the emotional connection between donors and families. - The on-stage job offer to a former recipient underscored how the event can turn short-term support into longer-term opportunity. - The foundation’s long-running partnership with Miracles for Kids suggests the event is built around sustained giving, not a one-time gala.

What's next: - Miracles for Kids says supporters can learn more, volunteer, donate or sponsor a family at MiraclesForKids.org. - The organization is also directing supporters to its social channels, including Instagram @MiraclesForKids and its pages on LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and X.

The bottom line: - The Stars & Stripes Tournament used celebrity-driven fundraising to generate $5.6 million while spotlighting the children and families the money is meant to help.