By Amanda Rodriguez
There are evenings that linger, not just because the food was extraordinary or the wine was perfectly poured, but because the room was filled with people who showed up for something that truly matters. Harvest for Hope is that kind of evening. On Thursday, September 17th, the Emilio Nares Foundation (ENF) will host its 23rd annual Harvest for Hope at the breathtaking Fairmont Grand Del Mar, and this year promises to be its most memorable yet.
ENF was founded in 2003 by Richard and Diane Nares after losing their son Emilio to leukemia at just five years old. From that grief, they built something extraordinary: an organization ensuring no family navigating a life-threatening illness ever faces it alone. A parent should never have to choose between missing work and getting their child to life-saving treatment, ENF makes sure they never do. Since then, ENF has supported more than 15,000 children across Southern California, entirely free of charge, including transportation, family support, and compassionate care from diagnosis through survivorship. Harvest for Hope is what makes all of it possible.
Partners Who Show Up, Year After Year
What sets Harvest for Hope apart is the community it has quietly built over two decades, chefs, sommeliers, winemakers, and restaurateurs who donate their time, talent, and craft because they believe in ENF’s mission. Last year, 23 culinary and wine partners filled the room with extraordinary flavors from across San Diego and beyond. This year’s lineup continues that tradition of excellence.
Among those returning is Petra Belliti of Friuli Italian Wines, whose connection to ENF runs deeper than a business partnership.
“What they created through ENF is deeply meaningful, and being part of Harvest for Hope has always felt like an honor. It reminds me that even something as simple as pouring a glass of wine can be part of something much bigger.” Petra Belliti, Friuli Italian Wines
Chef and restaurateur Johnny Rivera, the talent behind Wolf in the Woods and Hash House A Go Go, brings his own personal ethic to the table. For Johnny, giving back is a core belief, goodwill is best delivered directly, in person, food to fork.
“It has always been my ethic to take our giving straight to the community. If we can give our goodwill eye to eye and fork to mouth, that is the most effective way to make change.” – Johnny Rivera, Wolf in the Woods & Hash House A Go Go
Every Bite Funds the Mission
Harvest for Hope is not just a fundraiser. It is a curated sensory experience wrapped in genuine purpose. As guests move through the Fairmont Grand Del Mar’s stunning grounds, they will taste signature dishes and sip wines crafted by people who chose to be there because it matters.
Every bite and every pour directly funds ENF’s programs. Every donation ensures children reach life-saving treatment when families have nowhere else to turn. This is where San Diego’s culinary and philanthropic communities become one, and where an evening out becomes part of Emilio’s legacy, still growing 23 years strong.
Reserve your table or become a sponsor at www.enfhope.org.
