Founding Hope

Philanthropists are often made, not born. According to Bob Kelly, president and CEO of The San Diego Foundation, "Individuals often choose a charitable cause following a moving experience, one that touches him or her deeply. Whether heartwarming, inspirational, or tragic, these experiences can create charitable passions that grow into significant endeavors, in turn touching many other lives."

With the holiday giving season upon us, we thought we’d share four stories of San Diegans whose personal experiences inspired them to create nonprofit organizations that have improved the lives of thousands. Let them inspire you.

The Vision Of Children
Thanks to Vivian and Samuel Hardage, researchers are coming close to finding a cure for hereditary blindness, but the couple is the first to admit their efforts were personally motivated. "We were driven by a passion that any parent can understand," says Vivian. "We would do anything for our son."

When the Hardages’ son was born 17 years ago with a rare genetic vision disorder called ocular albinism, the prognosis was bleak. There was no research being done in that area back then, and out of the six doctors the Hardages saw, only two correctly diagnosed the disorder. They told the couple there was no cure and no treatment.

"Being an entrepreneur, my husband said, ’That’s not acceptable,’" recalls Vivian. "He refused to take no for an answer, and we agreed we’d just have to come up with the answer ourselves."

Taking it one step at a time, and receiving the generous support of their Rancho Santa Fe neighbors, the Hardages created The Vision of Children, a foundation with the goal of curing hereditary blindness and other vision disorders, and improving the lives of visually impaired individuals and their families.

"For the first few years, we ran it and funded it ourselves," says Vivian. "We were doing it out of love, and even though we had never done anything like this before, when you’re driven by such passion, you just do what needs to be done."

The Hardages found researchers in Italy who conducted gene therapy using their son’s disorder as a template, believing if they could unlock the mysteries of one, the cures for the other 25 genetic retinal disorders would follow. According to Vivian, "It’s all about research. It’s a time of huge hope and great progress. We’ve come a very long way and are really, really close to finding a cure and reversing blindness."

The incredible progress made by The Vision of Children’s scientific researchers has not gone unnoticed, attracting acclaimed tenor Andrea Bocelli, who will be performing at his fourth event for the foundation this month. His last concert, in 2003, raised $785,000.

"Creating The Vision of Children has given our son a real appreciation for the value of setting a goal and working toward it," says Vivian. "He’s learned the importance of plugging away and literally setting your sights high." (858/799-0810, www.visionofchildren.org)

The Emilio Nares Foundation
By the age of five, Emilio Nares had spent half his life fighting cancer. When he lost his battle on October 15, 2000, his parents knew they wanted to do something to help the thousands of other families who were in their position.

"We had spent two and a half years at Children’s Hospital and we saw a lot of families who didn’t have the support we had," says Richard Nares, Emilio’s father. "Many of these families were Latino, and they just didn’t have the financial or emotional resources to get through this tragedy."

Richard and his wife, Diane, were speaking at a luncheon in 2003 when a man came up to them and offered to help them start a foundation. The man turned out to be Michael B. Lopez, founder of the Bravo Foundation, an Escondido-based foundation that may be the only one in the country to give grants exclusively to small Latino nonprofit organizations.

"He saw a need and gave us a $15,000 grant to get started," remembers Richard. "We immediately started doing community outreach."

The Emilio Nares Foundation received 501(c) status in April 2003 and has since helped thousands of Latino families in the San Diego area who are battling childhood leukemia and other forms of childhood cancer. Its Crisis Bridge program provides emergency assistance to 125 families each year, helping families pay for rent, food, groceries, and other essentials and links them to social workers and other support services.

Because so many families lacked their own transportation to get to and from chemotherapy and other essential medical appointments, Richard started personally driving people to Children’s Hospital. In August 2005, the foundation bought a van, hired a bilingual driver, and has since transported 800 children and their parents at no charge. The foundation is hoping to raise $100,000 to expand this service and purchase another much-needed van.

"We received such an outpouring of love and support when Emilio was sick, we’re proud to be able to give something back to the community," says Richard. "More than 1,400 people joined the national bone marrow registry to help him find a matching donor, and now scores of patients with life-threatening diseases will have the chance for life. That means so much to us." (877/507-7788, www.emilionaresfoundation.org)

The Toby Wells Foundation
When 28-year-old Toby Wells passed away six years ago, this close-knit family was determined to find a way to honor his life and continue to care for the things that were important to him.

"Charity has always been a vital part of our lives, so it made sense for us to start our own foundation dedicated to the causes that meant so much to my older brother," says Adrienne Wells Castaneda. "He was such a wonderful person, and he would literally drive around to different animal shelters, rescuing dogs and giving them a second chance at life."

The family created The Toby Wells Foundation with the goal of offering grants to San Diego County nonprofit organizations that specifically help animals, underprivileged children, and persons with disabilities. In 2005 alone, the foundation provided more than $1 million worth of grants to dozens of organizations, including Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego, Canine Companions for Independence, and North County Wheelchair Sports.

Each year, The Toby Wells Foundation holds two signature fundraising events — a golf tournament and a high-end fashion show with a special appearance by designer Nicole Miller — in order to not just raise money, but to also offer people an opportunity to really make a difference.

"We believe that it’s just as important to hold events that celebrate and involve the people they’re benefiting as it is to raise money for them," says Castaneda, whose family basically funds the foundation, making sure 100 percent of every dollar donated is given right back to those who need it. Because of this, The Toby Wells Foundation hosts 350 foster children at an outdoor carnival each summer, invites 150 underprivileged children to a specially-created pumpkin patch each fall, and decorates Christmas trees for the Polinsky Children’s Center each winter, making sure each child there receives his or her own special holiday gift.

"We feel so blessed to be able to keep Toby’s vision alive," says Castaneda. "The foundation has given so much to our family, and we’re grateful for Toby’s inspiration." (858/391-2973, www.tobywells.org)

Conner’s Cause For Children
Sheri Sachs and Jamie Rodin also saw firsthand the horrors experienced by a family battling childhood cancer. Their sons went to preschool with a little boy named Conner Champ, and at two years old, the three children had frequent play dates and considered each other good friends. In 1993, at the age of four, Conner was suddenly diagnosed with brain cancer.

"When he got sick, we were all devastated," says Rodin. "It felt so personal, and we all knew it could have happened to any of our children. Besides the emotional trauma, though, we discovered that the financial costs of having a sick child are overwhelming, and there’s so much that’s not covered by insurance. We were very concerned about the family, and knew we had to do something."

Rodin and Sachs pulled the community together, holding small events like carnivals to raise money for their friends, the Champs. They set up a whole network of people to deliver meals and bring their kids over to play.

"We realized that if the Champs needed help, so must other people," says Rodin. She and Sachs decided to create a foundation, the mission of which would be to ease the burden for families who have children with life-threatening diseases. Their first fundraising event, a dinner dance and silent auction, raised $30,000.

Initially, Rodin, a social worker, ran the board while Sachs served as executive director. According to Rodin, word about the foundation quickly spread as more people got involved, donating time and money. "It was beautiful to see it take off," she says. "We were grateful and touched that so many people wanted to help."

Although Rodin and Sachs have since passed their torches, Conner’s Cause continues to play a vital role in the community.

"Sheri and Jamie were amazing, and had the love and effort to provide a great foundation for Conner’s Cause," says Judy Champ, Conner’s mother. "To me, the most meaningful thing that Conner’s Cause offers to parents of children with life-threatening illnesses is to relieve their financial burdens so they can spend more time with their children. Conner’s legacy will continue to live on by helping these children in their time of need. He is the angel that is watching over them." (760/487-1592, www.connerscause.org)
— Lois Alter Mark, photography by Vincent Knakal