The Emilio Nares Foundation Celebrates 20th Year of Giving Back
The Emilio Nares Foundation (ENF), a nonprofit that helps families navigate their child’s journey through cancer, is excited to celebrate its 20th anniversary this year. To commemorate Emilio’s 28th Birthday on Friday, January 6, the Emilio Nares Foundation will launch a new campaign to raise awareness about childhood cancer and encourage donations through various fundraising events and outreaches into the community throughout the next year. ENF is also pleased to announce the 20th annual Harvest for Hope fundraiser on Sunday, September 10, 2023, featuring signature food from local San Diego chefs, fine wine and spirits, craft beer tasting and live entertainment.
After co-founders Richard and Diane Nares’ son Emilio lost his brave battle with cancer at only five years old, they felt inspired to help other families in remembrance of Emilio’s legacy. Since 2003, the Emilio Nares Foundation has worked to provide support and hope to low-income and underserved children battling cancer and their families in Southern California. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the foundation. To commemorate Emilio’s bravery, which inspired ENF’s mission, the Emilio Nares Foundation is welcoming the community to join in celebrating 20 years as well as announce the 20th annual Harvest for Hope event.
“We are so thrilled and grateful to be celebrating such a milestone for the foundation,” says Diane Nares, co-founder of the Emilio Nares Foundation. “We started the Emilio Nares Foundation 20 years ago, after Emilio lost his brave fight with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), and it has grown and inspired so many within the Southern California community. We are incredibly grateful for our donors and their relentless efforts in joining us on our mission as we wouldn’t be able to serve the community and save lives without their support.”
ENF is calling on the community to help commemorate this milestone with a special donation to Ride With Emilio to increase their reach in the community further allowing them to service families and patients through one of the most difficult and sometimes devastating time of their lives. The flagship Ride With Emilio pediatric cancer patient transportation program provides free and reliable rides to and from treatment appointments for low-income patients and their families, many of whom don’t have a car and would be forced to ride public transit for hours just to make it to the hospital.
Over the past 20 years, Ride with Emilio has traveled over 1.4 million miles to safely transport children to their medical treatments. This campaign helps families navigate their child’s journey with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses, and ensures no child misses a medical treatment due to lack of transportation. All donations during this time will go towards the foundation’s Ride with Emilio free transportation program for children battling cancer.
Altogether, ENF has served over 600,000 families in Southern California and continues to support children fighting cancer and their families through fundraisers like Harvest for Hope. The annual Harvest for Hope food and wine tasting fundraiser, featuring plates from renowned San Diego chefs paired with wine, beer and other spirits, will take place on Sunday, September 10, 2023.
To learn more about the Emilio Nares Foundation or make a donation for their 20th anniversary, visit ENFHope.org.
Category: Donations, Events, feature, Local News, Nonprofit, Transportation
