After losing their son Emilio to cancer just before he turned six, Richard Nares and his wife Diane decided to do something to help other families with sick kids. So they created the Emilio Nares Foundation which provides free rides from home to treatment for sick children and their families.
“We were fortunate we had a big family and a safety net, but many families we were with during Emilio’s treatment, they did not have the resources,” Richard says. “Whether a car, money, someone to talk to — these things were so important for us to get through his journey. And then you realize many people lack that. When Emilio passed away we just felt this big moral obligation to help.”
They started the foundation in 2005 with Richard using his own car and money to give rides. But thanks to grants and donations, their program now has six passenger vans and full-time drivers, providing 4,200 rides to 220 families in need in San Diego, Imperial, and Orange County, California. It’s an incredibly valuable service for families who are already dealing with so much and a lovely way to honor their late son.
Check out our new website: www.ENFHope.org