Tim Evans, Founder of The Unforgettables Foundation, to retire after 25 years of supporting grieving families

It was a moment Tim Evans will never forget.

As chaplain of Loma Linda Children’s Hospital, Evans often stood by the bedsides of children who had just passed away, helping families grieve the loss of a child. He recalls one particularly heart-wrenching moment when a father, overwhelmed by the death of his 8-year-old daughter who was struck by a car, longed to give her a beautiful funeral but could not afford it.

That experience inspired Evans to create The Unforgettables Foundation in 1999, alongside his former wife, Sonja Evans, a nurse at Loma Linda University Hospital, and 30 board members. After a year of fundraising, the nonprofit was fully incorporated in 2001 and began assisting families. In its first year, The Unforgettables raised $35,000.

Evans said the foundation's first beneficiary was a San Bernardino family whose 11-year-old daughter died of sickle cell anemia in 2001. At the time, Evans was still employed full-time at Loma Linda Children’s Hospital and worked without a salary for The Unforgettables Foundation.

Evans' journey to becoming a chaplain and pastor began in London, where he was born in 1957 to Gomer and Beryl Evans. His father was a civil engineer, and his mother was a homemaker raising three sons. When Tim was 4, the family moved to Michigan. He later attended Andrews University, where he studied theology and history and earned a Master of Divinity degree. He also completed clinical pastoral education and received a globally recognized degree in charity leadership.

“As a child, my parents were deeply involved with the Seventh-day Adventist Church,” Evans said. He worked as a summer camp director and taught high school and college classes at Loma Linda University as an adjunct religion professor.

At 25, Evans began his career in Dayton, Ohio, before moving to Washington, D.C., where he worked in hospitals, churches, and schools. Eventually, he relocated to the Redlands/Loma Linda area to serve as chaplain at Loma Linda Children’s Hospital.

However, when he began fundraising for The Unforgettables Foundation, the hospital expressed disapproval, prompting Evans to leave. He led the foundation as a part-time, unsalaried leader for 10 years before becoming its full-time CEO. The organization is based in Redlands.

Over the past 25 years, The Unforgettables Foundation has helped 10,000 families with funeral costs, based on a sliding scale. Evans emphasized that the organization does not cover full costs but provides critical assistance. The foundation primarily serves families in San Bernardino, Riverside, and Orange counties. Families are often referred by memorial chapels, complete an application, and receive funds directly sent to the chapel to cover expenses.

The Unforgettables has expanded with chapters in Nevada, Ohio, and Tennessee, and plans to launch new chapters in Kentucky and Colorado. Additionally, there are three chapters in Ontario, Canada.

Each year, The Unforgettables hosts the Lights for Little Lives Memorial Walk on New Year’s Eve afternoon. Community members gather in Loma Linda to release doves and carry candles in memory of children. The upcoming event marks its 25th anniversary. Other fundraisers include a golf tournament, a gala, a bachelor and bachelorette auction, and a tour of Garner Holt Productions in Redlands, featuring special guests.

Evans announced he will retire as CEO in July 2025. Lori Delgado-Matich O’Connor, executive director of Habitat for Humanity San Gorgonio Pass Area, will succeed him. O’Connor has known Evans for 12 years and previously worked with the foundation on charity events. She also assisted in office operations for two years—until, as she jokingly noted, Evans fired her so she could gain the experience needed for a full-time role in nonprofit leadership.

O’Connor later became executive director of Habitat for Humanity San Gorgonio Pass Area, a position she has held for three years. She also earned certification as a fundraising executive. O’Connor expressed enthusiasm for the transition, during which she will serve as co-CEO alongside Evans for seven months, from January 1 to July 24, his 67th birthday.

“I am looking forward to continuing his legacy,” she said.

Monique Guerrero will remain in her role as office manager at The Unforgettables Foundation