Feeding Kids. Creating Opportunity.
Strengthening Community.
The Martinez Foundation is a Colorado-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting youth and families by addressing food insecurity, expanding access to sports and enrichment programs, and strengthening communities through service. We believe that when children are fed, supported, and given opportunity, they are better equipped to learn, grow, and thrive.
Through Nourish Our Future, we provide discreet, dignified access to nutritious food through weekend backpack programs and community food pantries. Through Play It Forward, we create and support before- and after-school programs, youth sports partnerships, and scholarships that help kids build confidence, resilience, teamwork, and life skills. And through Lou’s Lunches, our community-centered hub, we bring these efforts together—providing meals, essential resources, and a welcoming space where families, volunteers, and partners come together with purpose.
The Martinez Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the State of Colorado.
EIN: 39-3512385
Making an Impact with Nourish Our Future
Nourish Our Future is a youth-focused food security initiative of the Martinez Foundation dedicated to ensuring children have consistent access to healthy, nourishing meals—both during the school week and on weekends. We recognize that food insecurity often goes unseen, and many children quietly face hunger without a safe or visible way to ask for help.
Through weekend backpack meal programs, school-based food pantries, and trusted access points, Nourish Our Future provides nutritious, non-perishable food in a safe, discreet, and supportive environment. These programs allow children to access food with dignity—out of the spotlight, yet never out of mind.
Play It Forward – Building Character Through Play, Teamwork, and Opportunity
Play It Forward is a youth development initiative of the Martinez Foundation focused on creating before- and after-school programs, supporting existing youth sports organizations, and providing sports scholarships so every child has the chance to participate—regardless of financial barriers.
Through partnerships with local elementary schools and community organizations, Play It Forward creates safe, structured environments where kids can grow physically, emotionally, and socially. Sports teach far more than skills on the field—they teach teamwork, discipline, communication, conflict resolution, perseverance, and respect. Kids learn how to win with humility, how to face loss with resilience, and how to push through challenges alongside their teammates.
Volunteer Today!
Volunteers are the heartbeat of the Martinez Foundation, and our Senior Initiative is one of the most meaningful ways to serve. Through simple but powerful acts of care, volunteers help meet the mental, emotional, and practical needs of seniors in our community.
Volunteer support also powers all of our initiatives—from Lou’s Lunches to Nourish Our Future and Play It Forward—but our Senior Initiative relies especially on compassionate individuals willing to give their time and presence.
Lou’s Lunches Community Food Program
Lou’s Lunches is a community-driven program of the Martinez Foundation focused on meeting immediate needs while building meaningful connections. At its core, Lou’s Lunches exists to ensure children, families, and seniors have access to nutritious food, essential resources, and a welcoming place where dignity and care come first.
Through Lou’s Lunches, we provide fresh, prepared meals alongside critical support items such as hygiene products, clothing, school and back-to-school supplies, and seasonal assistance, including holiday and toy drives. These resources help ease daily burdens for families while creating consistency and stability for those navigating food insecurity and financial hardship.
More than a food program, Lou’s Lunches is a place where community comes together. Volunteers, local partners, and neighbors serve side by side, forming relationships that extend beyond a single meal. By working collaboratively with schools, organizations, and community leaders, Lou’s Lunches helps identify needs and respond with compassion, efficiency, and purpose.
How it all works
Joining The Martinez Foundation as a volunteer allows you to give back in powerful ways. Whether you’re fostering the next generation of athletes or helping to combat hunger or getting involved with the elderly, every action you take as a volunteer strengthens the community and brings hope to those who need it most.
Sign up to volunteer
Begin your journey by filling out a simple volunteer application. Whether you’re passionate about youth sports, feeding the homeless, or helping with the elderly, there’s a place for you to make a difference.
Sponsor a child or team
Helping a child is as easy as making a one-time donation. You could also do a monthly or yearly donation or sponsor a team or family. Your monetary help is invaluable.
Be the
change
Get started! Whether it’s coaching young athletes, distributing meals, or helping with community events and the elderly community. Every hour you spend volunteering makes a direct, positive impact on those in need.