Eliza Flores: Gymnast, fundraiser and champion for change

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Eliza Flores, 17, exudes confidence when asking questions, approaching people and making new friends.  

She is motivated, articulate and self-sufficient. Most importantly, she has a passion for helping others. 

"She loves to volunteer and not only that, but she likes to get other people involved in volunteering," said her mother, Christy. "She’s got that kind of star and that drive... she is everything I wish I would have been at her age.” 

Eliza keeps herself busy. She practices gymnastics for four hours every day, goes to school, and still finds time every month to participate in several activities that benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®.  

"She’s constantly asking, ‘What else can I do for the kids of St. Jude?’" Christy said. 

Eliza credits her parents for instilling the importance of volunteering and giving back to the community.

Her brothers, Jose and Noe, share her dedication and have actively fundraised for St. Jude through their involvement in Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE), a men’s college fraternity with St. Jude as its primary charity. Remarkably, TKE achieved a record-breaking fundraising total of $1.285 million this year. Their goal is to contribute $10 million over the next decade, and they’ve already made significant progress, having raised $6 million toward that commitment.  

"I have always been kind of involved in volunteering. I think it is so good for your community and for you and your mental health," Eliza said. 

Her journey with St. Jude began in 2023 with her first fundraising initiative, which she called “Mexican Mondays.”  

The idea came about after a business meeting with her father, who owns a Mexican restaurant chain. Eliza and her dad agreed that she would receive 10 percent of the proceeds from all the restaurants on the first Monday of every month to donate to St. Jude. This initiative lasted a few weeks and raised over $6,000. 

Eliza, who lives in Tennessee, is also a member of the St. Jude Leadership Society (SJLS), a philanthropic program for high school students to develop as leaders and support the work of St. Jude. This year, she is a mentor for other girls in the program where she shares resources with them and ensures that they also make an impact.  

She is optimistic about her mentees and her generation. 

 “I think we all want to see good in the world and see change happening in a positive way, and volunteering goes hand in hand with that idea. Being positive and lifting other people will help my generation make the world a better place for our kids when we get older.” 

Commitment and compassion

Eliza vividly remembers her first visit to the St. Jude campus, which solidified her commitment and helped her realize her fundraising efforts’ impact.  

“I think it’s so incredible that no families receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food, and that this hospital brings people together through donations to benefit kids from around the world,” she said. 

Eliza, who was born and raised in the United States, identifies as bicultural. Her father was born in Mexico, while her mother was raised by parents of Mexican ancestry. 

“I take pride in both sides of my heritage because that is what has made me who I am today,” she said. 

Eliza has several ongoing projects for St. Jude, including “Parents Night Out,” an initiative she hosts once a month. For a fee, parents can drop off their kids for a few hours to enjoy a night out while the children play at the gymnastics center where she practices. All proceeds from this event go directly to St. Jude, with the support of other volunteers. 

In May, she hosted a bowling alley fundraising event with over 70 teams, with all proceeds going to St. Jude. 

A month later, she received an award from St. Jude for her consistent fundraising efforts, which have resulted in approximately $11,000 over two years. 

Despite overcoming a profound speech impairment, Eliza is a year away from graduating high school and aspires to enter the medical field. 

“From the first event I participated in, I knew helping St. Jude was something I wanted to continue doing for as long as I could. I just love it."