Manatos, who is Senior Vice President at Manatos & Manatos, a government relations and public policy company in Washington, D.C., and a member of Leadership 100 started out as a volunteer at the Foundation and later became a member of the chapter’s fundraising advisory board. In 2008, he joined the Mid-Atlantic governing board of directors. He has had many memorable moments with Make-A-Wish over the years. His second date with his future wife and fellow Make-A-Wish Triathlon competitor, Laura, also a member of Leadership 100 and the Fox 5 News Anchor in the Washington, D.C. area, was spent at a wish send-off celebration. Also sharing in the joy are his three young children who join him each year in crossing the finish line. “The moment I became a father, my commitment to and passion for the Foundation increased exponentially,” said Manatos. “The thought of how difficult it would be if one of my children ever had a life-threatening illness made me appreciate the power of a wish that much more.”

The Manatos family’s commitment to the Foundation does not end with his wife and children. His mother, Tina, also became involved with the Foundation, first as a volunteer and now as an enthusiastic wish granter, and his sister-in-law’s chocolate company, Edward Marc, has partnered with Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic for a number of events.

Founded in 1983, Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic has granted the wishes of more than 7,000 local children fighting life-threatening medical conditions such as cancer, pediatric AIDS, cystic fibrosis, Duchene’s muscular dystrophy, kidney and heart disease. In 2011, the Mid-Atlantic chapter granted a record number of 404 wishes.