HUNTINGBURG – The beneficiary for the 2026 100 Cooks Who Care event has officially been announced.
Organizers revealed Tuesday afternoon that this year’s event will benefit Dubois County YoungLife. The announcement came during a gathering at the OFS Corporate Headquarters in Huntingburg, where committee members, past participants, and community supporters learned which organization will receive proceeds from the upcoming fundraiser.
The bi-annual event is set for Saturday, September 12th at the Huntingburg Event Center.
Planning for 2026 began earlier this year. In January, the organizing committee met with representatives from 12 local charitable organizations that submitted applications. After hearing presentations from each group, committee members cast their votes to determine the selected beneficiary.
Representatives from Dubois County YoungLife were on hand for Tuesday’s announcement. YoungLife leader Terry Fogle says the impact of being selected goes far beyond a single night of fundraising.
“We’re already in the process of hiring for our Jasper Young Life position, moving that from part-time to full-time or adding additional part-time help. What this grant will allow us to do is expand beyond Jasper into Northeast Dubois and Forest Park, starting part-time positions there and growing those into fully thriving ministries in the future.”
Fogle says the funds will immediately support staffing expansion across the county.
“We’re already in the process of hiring for our Jasper Young Life position, moving that from part-time to full-time or adding additional part-time help. What this grant will allow us to do is expand beyond Jasper into Northeast Dubois and Forest Park, starting part-time positions there and growing those into fully thriving ministries in the future.”
100 Cooks Who Care, formerly known as 100 Men Who Cook, began in 2014 and has become one of Dubois County’s premier fundraising events. Presented by Old National Bank, the evening features local “celebrity chefs” preparing appetizers, entrees, and desserts for attendees to sample.
Guests tip their favorite chefs, while additional funds are raised through sponsorships, ticket sales, and auctions. The most recent event in 2024 generated more than $209,000 for the Southwest Indiana Child Advocacy Center Coalition. Since its inception, the event has raised more than $1 million for area nonprofit organizations.
Chef sponsorship forms are now available, with ticket sale details expected later this year. With a beneficiary now selected, organizers say preparations will continue over the coming months as the community looks ahead to another evening of food, fun, and philanthropy this September.
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