A GoFundMe crowdfunding campaign for El Golfo Restaurant owner Ada Villatoro has raised over $56,000.
Villatoro was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer in February 2023. Until recently, the Villatoro family has managed mounting medical bills, but surgery, a change in insurance providers, and the state of the current economy have put pressure on their ability to tackle the expenses of cancer treatment.
El Golfo Restaurant has been a Long Branch neighborhood fixture for 21 years, but has seen a recent dip in customers. The restaurant has stepped in many times to help the community over the years, including providing meals for first responders after the Flower Branch Apartments explosion in 2016 and providing meals to healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The GoFundMe campaign that started earlier this month first aimed to raise $30,000. Due to strong community support, the goal was first increased to $41,000 and is now $60,000.