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Announcement

The Wendy Martinez Legacy Project Triples its Grant Giving, Announces New Awards



TWMLP awards over $60,000 to charity partners to support essential missions during COVID -19 pandemic 

 

Washington, D.C. August 13, 2020. The Wendy Martinez Legacy Project (TWMLP) announces new partnerships and the distribution of more than $60,000 in grants to charity partners designed to provide immediate relief during an unprecedented time of hardship.

 

TWMLP, founded by the family and friends of Wendy K. Martinez and sponsored by her former employer FiscalNote, is committed to keeping the generous and loving spirit of Wendy alive, following her untimely death in September 2018. While TWMLP has been forced to suspend most of its core community engagement activities, we wanted to make a positive impact during this critical time of need. 



“Following Wendy’s tragic death, we felt immense support from the people of Washington, DC, South Florida, and beyond. Today, we are blessed to be in a position to give back to these special communities, including in critical areas of healthcare and food relief,” says Juan Carlos (“Jr.”) Martinez, Wendy’s brother. 



Some grants continue to support our original partners, with a focus on harnessing running as a tool for empowerment and supporting women in the entrepreneurial and technology spaces. This year’s recipients include Latinas in Tech, Girls on the Run, and Back on My Feet, all of which are continuing to provide adapted services during this time. 



In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic is disproportionately affecting women and vulnerable communities. Given TWMLP’s focus on serving these groups, we are also directing support to organizations providing immediate relief, expanding our charitable reach. For example, we are now supporting MobileMed, an organization providing quality healthcare; the House of Ruth, which counsels and provides critical services to local victims of domestic violence; and Capital Area Food Bank and World Central Kitchen, two DC-based organizations that continue to provide meals to families impacted by COVID-19. 



Finally, given TWMLP’s commitment to international partners, we are supporting two Nicaragua-based organizations, Fabretto and XtraOrdinary Women. In the context of COVID-19, Fabretto will advance its mission of empowering children and families through education by providing distance learning and other health, nutrition, and hygiene services. XtraOrdinary Women will use our support to continue running cost-free job skills training programs, with the overall goal of breaking the cycle of extreme poverty and domestic violence in Wendy’s country of birth.



A full list of charity recipients is provided below: 



Some words of thanks from the 2020 TWMLP grantees: 



"Thank you to the Wendy Martinez Legacy Project. We are humbled to be selected for this gift that honors Wendy's legacy. Their support will continue to engage youth and allow us to respond to the immediate needs of families. Our youth and families will be connected to resources such as food distribution, rental assistance, telemental health services and case management and virtual programming such as GED classes, academic tutoring and mentoring, after school enrichment activities, and arts and media classes," remarked Lupi Quinteros-Grady, President & CEO of the Latin American Youth Center.



"Girls on the Run-DC is immensely grateful for the continuous support of the Wendy Martinez Legacy Project. Because of their support, parents and guardians are able to see their GOTR girl shine - even while practicing virtually.  One of our parents shared, 'Not only is [my GOTR girl] becoming a stronger athlete, she is becoming more confident in herself and developing good strategies to deal with life, which she especially needs during this difficult time we're living in,'" said Devoria Armstead, Executive Director of Girls on the Run-DC.



"The support of the Wendy Martinez Legacy Project has been critical in these challenging times. It allows us to reach our communities with needed food and hygiene supplies, as well as to keep the students learning through digital and printed educational resources. We are proud to be part of Wendy's legacy, and the positive change it fosters," shared Kevin Marinacci, CEO of Fabretto.



"We empower women in disadvantage in Nicaragua to become financially independent through job skills training and bootcamps for SMEs. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic we are currently providing extra mentoring, follow-ups and psycho-social support to our low income SMEs, at risk of losing their income, to build financial plans to survive and mitigate the impact of the crisis on their businesses and families. We do not want our women to have to rebuild. We know that it will be easier and more cost-effective for our entrepreneurs to sustain their existing livelihoods. The TWMLP donation supports a month of personalized business mentoring and follow-ups for 25 women," said Andrea Samantha Paltzer, Founder & Director of XtraOrdinary Women.



About the Wendy Martinez Legacy Project
Nearly two years ago, Wendy Martinez was the victim of a senseless crime, which took her life while she was running near her home in Washington, D.C. While the perpetrator took her life, her legacy and memory live on in the hearts of family and friends who loved her and who are dedicated to keeping her light shining. At the time of her death, Wendy had just become engaged to Daniel Hincapie and was planning for her wedding. She was the Chief of Staff at FiscalNote, a technology and media company headquartered in Washington, DC. FiscalNote is now a generous supporter of TWMLP. Wendy is survived by her parents Cora and Juan Carlos Martinez and her brother, Juan Carlos Jr. 



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