Shortly after the conclusion of the 2025 season — a memorable one on the field — George Springer returned to Toronto on December 3, 2025. But this time, he didn’t step onto the diamond. Instead, he walked into a modest downtown restaurant to lend his star wattage to something far bigger than baseball.
Rather than signing autographs or posing under stadium lights, Springer stood beside 11‑year-old Delfina Budziak, a Make‑A‑Wish recipient who overcame life‑threatening health challenges early in life and still plays baseball on a boys’ team — a testament to her resilience. The look on her face when he entered? “I just couldn’t speak for like three minutes,” she admitted.
That heartfelt moment marked the public launch of the “Santa’s Secret Menu” — a holiday fundraising initiative by Make‑A‑Wish Canada in partnership with Jack Astor’s restaurants nationwide. Through festive menu items, optional bill round-ups or the purchase of “stars” for a symbolic Tree of Wishes, diners can contribute directly to granting dreams for sick children.
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How it works: Diners at over 40 Jack Astor’s locations across Canada can order specially themed holiday dishes or desserts. With each order or voluntary tip, funds go straight to Make‑A‑Wish. Patrons can also purchase stars for the Tree of Wishes.
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Scale of need: According to Trudeau’s post about the event, there are roughly 3,700 children in Canada still waiting for their wishes to be fulfilled. Springer’s involvement aimed to raise awareness — and urgency — around those numbers.
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Initial impact: Within the first 24 hours, donations reportedly spiked by 25%. Wishes began being announced — from a teen in Vancouver dreaming of a coding bootcamp, to a young artist in Calgary wanting art supplies, and a sibling pair in Halifax hoping to chase the Northern Lights. The momentum was immediate and heartfelt.
Springer isn’t new to philanthropy. He’s previously used his platform to support various causes — including working with organizations advocating for youth and children. But what makes this moment stand out is the authenticity. According to the coverage, his emotional reaction during the event was unfiltered: “I thought I’d seen it all on the field, but this wave? It floored me.”
For fans still processing the heartbreak of the 2025 World Series, this felt like a different kind of victory — one that extends beyond wins and losses. A reminder that athletes can use their reach to heal, inspire, and uplift.
Springer himself hinted that this isn’t a one‑off: “If we can light up one face, why not a thousand?” With the campaign underway — and Canadians already embracing it — the next few weeks could bring even more hope to kids across the country.
In recent years, we’ve seen increasing examples of athletes stepping off the field to make real-world impacts — whether by supporting social justice causes, fundraising, mental‑health advocacy, or community engagement.
Springer’s holiday campaign ties into a broader trend: celebrities and athletes lending their platforms to charitable causes during the offseason — when public attention might wane, but the need remains.
For the children touched by Make‑A‑Wish, a dinner order or a purchased star at a restaurant isn’t just charity — it’s a reminder that someone believes in them, and a chance for a childhood memory shaped by joy instead of hospitals and treatments.
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