In 2007, the Miss America Organization adopted Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals as its national charitable partner, raising funds for hospitalized children across the country and the Miss America Scholarship Fund.

The organization has raised more than $9.5 million dollars and made countless appearances on behalf of the children treated in Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, like the Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children in Jackson.

That number is continuing to grow thanks to events like the one held Monday by the Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen contestants at Newk’s Eatery, said Renea Foley, associate producer of the pageant.

“We’re raising money for the Children’s Miracle Network,” she said. “It’s Miss America and Miss America’s Outstanding Teen’s national platform.”

Each state contestant is encouraged to raise money for Children’s Miracle Network, Foley said.

“This is a fundraiser to help our new 2015 Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen have money to go to Miss America’s Outstanding Teen with,” she said.

Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen Grace Munro said fundraisers like these really do help.

“When they’re preparing for Miss America’s Outstanding Teen, they’re not having to raise money on the side as well,” she said. “This is kind of a way to go ahead and help out the winner.”

Foley said last year the Newk’s fundraiser brought in $300, and they got an additional $250 in donations from the table they set up near the entrance.

“We get a 10 percent of all sales form 5-8 p.m., whether it’s eat in or takeout,” she said. “There are 24 girls here altogether.”

The girls served various roles from bussing tables and greeting customers to waiting tables and holding signs outside.

Munro said she’s been to Batson’s Children’s Hospital twice, and she’s been able to see the way some of the money donated to Children’s Miracle Network is used.

“We were able to go around to different rooms and visit the children and give them teddy bears,” she said. “We felt like we were making an impact. It’s nice to see new faces instead of seeing their doctor.”

Munro said as Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen she also went to the monthly birthday parties along with Miss Mississippi.

“They’ll all come down on one day, and we’ll celebrate with them,” she said. “We had ice cream and snow cones and we colored. You can just tell where all of Children’s Miracle Network’s money goes and how it benefits the children. It’s a great cause we’re out here promoting tonight.”

Foley said the fundraiser also helps garner support for the Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen Pageant.

“We’re really trying to get the word out there,” she said. “Everyone knows about the Miss Mississippi Pageant, but every year we hear people say they’ve never even heard of the Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen Pageant.”

The pageants organizers are really trying to highlight the pageant, Foley said.

“We’re on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook,” she said. “Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen does almost as many appearances and Miss Mississippi does, but of course, she’s in high school, so it has to work around her school schedule.”