“600 Words by Esther J. Cepeda”
Consider this life: there you are; a young guy, working a dream job in sports marketing, making tons of money, hanging out with cool people and one day you say to yourself “yeah this is cool but, I think I’m going to quit and find a way to feed the poor instead.”
Yeah, that’s pretty much what Tony Martinez, a 36-year-old fourth generation Mexican-American did about six months ago after having worked a decade in the pretty-darned-fun specialty of Marketing for such internationally-recognized brands as the Chicago Cubs, the Museum of Science and Industry, and the American Bar Association.
Oh he’s still getting people to part with their hard-earned money, but these days it’s as the Assistant Director of Development with the Chicago Community Trust. There, Martinez raises money to serve the basic human needs of the entire Chicago metropolitan region by providing financial support to community-based non-profit organizations who, very often, fill needs no other state or city agencies can fill.
“As a fundraiser my job is to motivate individuals or corporations to allocate dollars to the Trust. I inspire and connect philanthropists at all levels with non-profit organizations that serve the needs of our community.” Martinez told me, “It involves relationship building, cultivating donors, matching their interests to the community needs, and then stewardship of their gift.”
Just to give you a flavor of the scale of Martinez’ task, for the fiscal year ending September 2007, the Chicago Community Trust and their donors awarded $115 million to the region's not-for-profit arts/culture, basic human needs, community development, education, and health organizations.
Wonderful stuff, of course, but what kind of person gives up the glamorous Sports Marketing life to give succor to the sick and clothe children?
“OK, it’s true – and the most exciting was working with the Cubs – but even then, I needed to do something more. I needed to give back somehow,” Tony said, a brilliant halo forming over his well-coiffeured head. “Growing up my family didn’t have much to give, but whenever someone came to them for assistance whether it was financial or just someone to listen to, they always found a way to give. That giving was always engrained in me.”
“I was raising money for sponsorships for some great events, but I felt like there wasn’t a higher purpose so I decided to raise money for those who need it most.” An exotic breed, Martinez verified that professional fundraisers are very rarely Latino. I’d never actually met or spoken with one before.
I asked him what sort of community organizations were in his portfolio, and he got where I was going with it – “I’m not a Hispanic person working for Hispanic money for the Hispanic community,” Martinez said. “The sad reality is that the needs are there for all Chicago residents – I tell people in the most polite way possible that we all need to wake up to meet this drastic need. If we don’t take care of our own, if we don’t invest in our region – in the basic human needs in our region – its going to go down and go down quick.
And where are those people going to end up? These needs make the whole region more vulnerable,” Martinez said. “Connect all the dots.”
Well sure, connecting dots – that sounds easy enough. But how do you, in the most catastrophic economic downturn since the Great Depression, ask for money?
“We have to persevere in telling the stories of the people who are in need,” Martinez said. “It is hard to ask people for money but I think of it this way: if I’m not going to do it who else will?”
“Chicago Latino List 2009” was generously sponsored by the Chicago Sinfonietta, the Chicago White Sox, and Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises Restaurants. All nominees were independently nominated for this recognition; their rejection and/or selection to “Chicago Latino List 2009” was not, in any way, influenced by any disclosed or undisclosed personal or professional proximity to Esther J. Cepeda or to any sponsor of “Chicago Latino List 2009”.
Esther J. Cepeda writes the "600 Words" & "Pregunta del Dia" columns, and is also the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for the Illinois Student Assistance Commission. Her views and reporting do not necessarily reflect those of ISAC. "600 words" is a registered trademark of EeJayCee, Inc., Copyright 2008. May be reprinted with permission, contact eejaycee@600words.com
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