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Day of Giving: Martis Camp Foundation awards $446,000 to 43 local nonprofits

A surprised Ben Martin answers the door, discovering a $10,000 check.
Kelly Heapy

Members of the Martis Camp Foundation went door to door on Wednesday in order to hand deliver nearly 30 enormous grant checks to community nonprofits in the Truckee/North Tahoe community.

A total of $446,000 was donated to 43 organizations, making this the largest grant of any year in Martis Camp Fund history – with an average grant being $10,619.

“We support groups doing impactful work in the areas of youth development, education, human services and recreation,” said Wendy Damonte, the foundation’s executive director. “We are helping these organizations expand, touch more lives and ultimately thrive.”



The money donated to the fund comes directly from people who live in the Martis Camp community.

“We are so pleased that we’ve been able to contribute to the success of these great organizations,” said Liz McDermott, chair of the foundation’s Community Grants Committee. “We know that these organizations do great work for our community, and we are happy to support them.”



Adventure Risk Challenge is a multi-year recipient of foundation grants. ARC Executive Director Sarah Ottley said that the last 18 months have been extremely challenging for the organization and support from organizations like the foundation allow it to continue its work.

“I continue to be grateful for our values alignment, and MCF support over the last several years is absolutely one of the reasons we have been able to grow our Tahoe/Truckee programming.” Ottley said.

The High Fives Foundation was given $10,000 by the Martis Camp Foundation for its efforts in aiding those who have experienced life-changing injuries.
Kelly Heapy

Development Director of the Truckee Humane Society, Dale Lawrence, received around $10,000 from the fund. Lawrence called the foundation one of his group’s long-standing supporters.

“…they just keep getting more and more generous every year, which is really refreshing and really needed.” Lawrence said.

The donation will go toward community support programs, such as low to no cost community spay and neuter programs, pet pantry food distributions, and wellness clinics for free or low cost vaccinations and microchips for pets.

Members of the Community Grants Committee cuddling kittens at the Humane Society after handing off anther donation.
Kelly Heapy

Many donations went toward youth development programs and arts in the community, such as the Tahoe Truckee School of Music – whose purpose is to inspire young people and strengthen the community through music, according to Executive Director Ben Martin.

“Children who don’t get a music education during their K-12 years likely never will. Music brings our community together by transcending age, gender, nationality, religion, politics and finances.”

The Tahoe Truckee School of Music offers free music workshops to the region, as well as free music performances at many locations and events such as Truckee Thursday and Commons Beach Summer Concerts. The school plans to continue to service the community with the use of these funds.

An ecstatic Rachel Faulk from Glenshire Special Friends is presented with her check.
Kelly Heap
PARTNERS

For 2021, the Martis Camp Foundation has partnered with the following nonprofits:

Youth Development:

Adventure Risk Challenge

Big Brothers & Big Sisters of Northern Sierra

Boys & Girls Club North Lake Tahoe

Cast Hope

Girls on the Run

Kidzone

SOS Outreach

Tahoe Truckee School of Music

Toys for Tots

Education:

Aim High

Arts for the Schools

Friends of the Truckee Library

Gateway Mountain Center

Glenshire Special Friends

Headwaters Science Institute

La Fuerza Latina

Pathways to Aviation

Sagehen Outdoor Education Program

Sierra Avalanche Center

Tahoe Expedition Academy

Tahoe Institute for Natural Science

Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation

Truckee Roundhouse

Human Services:

Granite Wellness Center

High Fives Foundation

Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe

North Tahoe Truckee Homeless Services

Send It Foundation

Sierra Community House

Sierra Senior Services

Slow Food Lake Tahoe

Tahoe Ability Program

Tahoe Food Hub

Truckee Community Christmas

Wampler Foundation

Recreation:

CATT

Trails and Vistas

Northstar Team Foundation

Tahoe Cross Country Ski Education Association

Truckee Donner Land Trust

Truckee Trails Foundation

Special Grants for Victims of the 2021 Fires:

North Valley Community Foundation (Dixie Fire)

Barton Foundation (Caldor Fire)


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