The Morton Grove Foundation will do its best to ruin people’s diets, all to support good causes, when it presents the annual Taste of Morton Grove fundraiser Thursday, March 11.

This year’s extravaganza, “A Taste of Home,” will feature jambalaya from the Bringer Inn, award-winning Greek chicken from Kappy’s, chopped salad from Giordano’s, bowtie pasta with vodka sauce from Graziano’s and firehouse chili from the Morton Grove Fire Department.

China Chef, Catered by Design, Dairy Queen, El Sol, Gulliver’s, Maier’s Bakery, Maggiano’s, the Melting Pot, Orchard Village, Pizano’s, Wa-Pa-Ghetti’s and The White Eagle will also be serving their specialties.

“It’s a wonderful event. It benefits a lot of charities in our area,” said Maria Toth, a Morton Grove village trustee who volunteered to help the Taste.

“With the economy the way it is, these organizations need the extra support. It brings together everyone in Morton Grove. It’s a nice, good-feeling type of event.”

The Taste will be held at White Eagle Banquets and Restaurant, 6845 Milwaukee Avenue, Niles. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. The pre-sale price of tickets is $30, and they may be purchased at Morton Grove Village Hall, Century 21 Marino and Inland Bank. Tickets at the door on the night of the event are $40.

In addition to the food, the event will feature live and silent auctions and raffles.

Proceeds from the Taste are contributed to charitable organizations that directly benefit Morton Grove and the surrounding community.

Anyone in the community, whether they attend the Taste or not, may purchase a raffle ticket for $25. First prize is $4,000, second prize is $1,000 and third prize is $500.

The foundation plans to donate more than $40,000 from this year’s Taste to the following local charities and organizations: Association of Horizon, Community Nutrition Network, For Autistic Kids Foundation, Foundation for Nager & Miller Syndrome, Friends of the Morton Grove Forest Preserves, Have Dreams, Leukemia Research Foundation (Davidson-Brin Chapter), Maine-Niles Association of Special Recreation, Maine Center, Misericordia, Morton Grove Baseball & Softball Association, Morton Grove Days Commission, Morton Grove Farmers Market, Morton Grove Lion's Club, Morton Grove Sportsman's Club, Morton Grove Woman's Club, Orchard Village, Pathway Center, Ray Graham Association, Shore Training Center, Standing Tall Charitable Foundation and Turning Point.

For ticket sales, contact Kathy Hancock at the Morton Grove Chamber of Commerce at (847) 965-0330.

For more information on the Morton Grove Foundation’s Taste of Morton Grove 2010 event, contact Terry LeBeau at (312) 907-4035 or Jim & Yvette Karp at (847) 967-0222.