Hope in Focus to Host Signature Fundraiser, Dinner in the Dark, Nov. 1 at Foxwoods

Hope in Focus, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing treatments and support for Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA), will host its annual fundraiser, Dinner in the Dark, on Saturday, November 1, 2025, at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut.

Hope in Focus invites guests to an unforgettable evening, beginning with a cocktail reception at 5:30 p.m. and followed by dinner at 7:00 p.m., featuring live music by The Cartells with dancing. During dinner, guests are given blindfolds to wear while enjoying a menu specially crafted by Foxwoods Chefs to appeal to the senses. This fundraising dinner helps people connect with the organization’s mission through a dynamic and enjoyable culinary experience, while raising awareness about vision loss. 

“This event is a vital part of our mission — not just to raise funds, but to foster understanding, build community, and celebrate progress,” said Courtney Coates, Executive Director for Hope in Focus. “We’re proud to mark more than a decade of impact and look forward to welcoming guests from southeastern Connecticut and across the country.”

All proceeds from Dinner in the Dark and its accompanying auction directly support Hope in Focus’s efforts to advance research by providing education, support, and outreach to individuals and families affected by LCA — a rare inherited retinal disease that causes severe vision loss or blindness, often beginning in infancy.

Simply Majestic, a founding supporter of Hope in Focus, is again sponsoring the annual Majestic Box fundraiser by donating 100 freshwater brown coin pearl pendants, valued at $100 each, which can be purchased in advance of the event. “This organization knows that by keeping hope in focus, they are motivating families to be active in advancing treatments for this rare disease, and keeping researchers motivated to continue seeking positive outcomes,” says Susette Tibus, co-owner of Simply Majestic, “We are honored to support this organization.”

“Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we can continue advancing critical research and outreach for our rare disease, in the United States and globally,” said Laura Manfre, Co-founder and Board Chair of Hope in Focus. “Hope is becoming a reality for some of our community as treatments for blindness advance, and we look forward to telling our guests about it at the dinner.” 

Tickets and Sponsorships

Individual tickets are $175. Guests may also purchase a 20/20 Vision Patron Table for $2,020, which includes preferred seating for eight. Sponsorship opportunities begin at $500. To purchase tickets or explore sponsorship packages, visit hopeinfocus.org/dinner or contact Courtney Coates at courtney@hopeinfocus.org or 860-266-6062.

Sponsors helping the organization to meet its fundraising goal include Simply Majestic, Eighty Six Media, Beer’d Brewing, The Cartells, and Foxwoods Resort and Casino, which contributes to the menu, offsetting the organization’s event expenses and allowing guests to enjoy an exceptional evening and gourmet experience.

Special thanks to this year’s generous sponsors:

ABC PhotoLab

Andersen Oil Company

Atsena Therapeutics

Beer’d Brewing Co.

Howard & Marcie Brensilver

Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT

Charter Oak Federal Credit Union

Chelsea Groton Bank

Design Intervention, LLC

Drinkcaffeine

Duncklee Cooling and Heating Inc

Eighty Six Media

Faceit We Waxit & More

Foundation Fighting Blindness

Foxwoods Resort Casino

Gales Ferry Medical Group

Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce

Groton Eye Center

Groton Utilities

Hoyt, Filippetti & Malaghan, LLC

Innovate & Organize

Integrity Clinical Services

Lahan & King

Liberty Bank

Melissa Allen Pilates & Movement

MeiraGTx

Mohegan Sun

Montville Florist

Mystic Financial Group LLC

Phase 1 Consulting

PubliCreatives

Simply Majestic

The Cartells

The Gaming Vault

Trident Revenue Management

About Hope in Focus

Hope in Focus is a nonprofit advocacy organization founded as Sofia Sees Hope in 2014 by Laura Manfre and Charles Priebe, parents of a child born with the rare, inherited blinding retinal disease, Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA). The global organization is dedicated to advancing treatments for blindness by raising funds for research and by providing information and support to the LCA community. Hope in Focus bridges the unnecessary chasm between the people who inform the science and the science that transforms how people live, while keeping families and individuals living with this rare disease at the forefront of each step.