His passion for helping kids with cancer is obvious. Meet Charlie Nelson.

At Pinky Swear Foundation, we are lucky to have a community of supporters dedicated to helping kids with cancer and their families with financial and emotional support. Key to this community is our Board of Directors, a group of individuals who invest their time, expertise, and strengths in working towards the vision of saying ‘yes!’ to every family. In this series, we’ll be introducing members from the Board of Directors and giving you a glimpse into their story.

Long before officially joining the Board of Directors in 2025, Charlie Nelson was already making a meaningful difference for kids with cancer and their families. As CEO of KLN Family Brands, Charlie and his team have championed Pinky Swear Foundation’s mission in a variety of ways, from supporting gala events to fundraising on the golf course to teaming up for a memorable afternoon at Yankee Stadium.

Now, as a Board member, Charlie leverages his connectedness, passion for his communities, and visionary mindset to help expand Pinky Swear’s impact and reach new levels of support for kids with cancer and their families. Read on to learn more about Charlie and why he chose to share his talents with Pinky Swear Foundation!

Q: What drew you to Pinky Swear Foundation?

A: Pinky Swear’s initiative of providing financial relief and support to as many families with a child battling cancer is what drew me to their organization. I have seen firsthand how this support has benefited families from my hometown.

Q: There are a lot of organizations that support the cancer community. What about Pinky Swear’s mission stands out to you?

A: I am a big believer in so many organizations that focus on finding a cure for cancer. With that said, there aren’t too many out there that are providing support and financial assistance like Pinky Swear does.

Q: What do each of the Pinky Swear values (Compassion, Collaboration, Celebration) mean to you?

A: For me, Compassion means, as difficult as it is, try and put yourself in the shoes of that mom or dad who is doing the best they can to be strong for their child during an extremely difficult time. Collaboration means many people need to work together to make this organization as successful as it hopes to be. Having a vision, driving awareness, fundraising - everyone needs to work hand in hand. Lastly, for me, celebration means a few things. One, we need to celebrate as an organization when we can reach and touch as many families as possible. Two, we need to celebrate when a child and his or her family have a success story of their own!

Q: Is there a particular accomplishment during your tenure on the Board of Directors that you’re proud of or hope to accomplish?

A: I am hoping that we can not only reach more people with support and financial assistance each year, but that our financial contribution can increase at the same time.

Q: What talents do you bring to the Board of Directors?

A: I am not sure if I bring any talents to the board that aren’t already there. I just hope my desire to make a difference is as strong as so many of the people who are already involved. I do hope to connect with a few more businesses, based on my background, hoping we can get creative in raising more money.

Q: What have you learned or hope to learn during your time on the Board of Directors?

A: I am hoping to be able to remind myself that it takes a village to make an organization like this work. I have already been able to connect with a number of impressive individuals since joining the board recently. As a CEO, it’s nice to see how other organizations operate and how board meetings can be beneficial and lead to positive change.

Q: What are your hopes for Pinky Swear Foundation in the childhood cancer space?

A: More than anything, I hope that Pinky Swear can lead by example when it comes to our presence in the childhood cancer space. At KLN, our vision statement ends with “We Challenge, We Grow, We Inspire.” I hope we can take some of that same mindset, especially when it comes to inspiring. If we can inspire other individuals and organizations to make a difference along the way, we have already won.

Q: If there was one thing you wanted people to know about Pinky Swear Foundation, what would it be?

A: That Pinky Swear is there for families right when their world gets turned upside down. They don’t wait, they act. And that kind of immediate, meaningful support is something every parent should have access to during the toughest time of their life.