A son's promise. A fishing community's mission. A fight worth casting for.
In March 2022, I lost my dad Donald to liver cancer. He was my best friend. We grew up camping, fishing, and hunting together — the outdoors was where we connected, where we were ourselves. Before he passed, he made one request: help kids fighting cancer, because no child should have to go through what he went through.
I carried that request with me. Fishing has always given me peace and a connection to nature — and to him. So I asked myself: what if the thing I love most could honor the promise I made?
That's how Kindlewood Cares was born. The name comes from "kindle" — to kindle a love of the woods, the water, the outdoors. It's what my dad passed on to me, and it's what I want to pass on to others. In 2025, we ran our first tournament season. Nineteen anglers showed up, competed hard, and together we raised over $1,490 for The Jimmy Fund at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
We're just getting started. Every cast, every tournament, every dollar brings us closer to honoring my dad's wish — and to a world where fewer families hear the words he heard.
— Brian Barde, Founder
Kindlewood Cares organizes online bass fishing tournaments where anglers from across the country compete — and every dollar raised goes toward fighting cancer through The Jimmy Fund at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and helping kids experience the outdoors through The Outdoor Dream Foundation.
Our inaugural 2025 season brought together 19 anglers across 3 tournaments, raising over $1,490 for charity. In 2026, we're expanding to a full 5-tournament series with an Angler of the Year championship race.
Our primary beneficiary is The Jimmy Fund, which supports Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's mission to provide compassionate care and groundbreaking research to treat and conquer cancer. Since 1948, The Jimmy Fund has raised billions of dollars through the generosity of millions of people — and we're proud to add our voice (and our fishing rods) to that legacy.
We also support The Outdoor Dream Foundation, a nonprofit that fulfills outdoor sporting dreams for children diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses. Through donations and community outreach, we help give kids the chance to experience the joy of the outdoors.
Our tournament model is designed for accessibility and impact:
Each year, a handcrafted custom fishing rod is built and raffled to support our mission. The 2025 rod raffle raised approximately $1,000 for The Jimmy Fund.
View Jimmy Fund RodsTournaments Held
Unique Anglers
Raised for Charity in 2025
Kindlewood Cares, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. EIN: 99-2506111
All donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. For questions about our tax status or to request documentation, please contact us.