Our Foundation

Charlie Martin, an entrepreneur and businessman, established The Martin Foundation with proceeds from the sale of his health care company OrNda.  Charlie grew up in Cowpen, Alabama and he was the first in his family to graduate from high school and attend college.

Charlie has always believed that giving is not only a privilege but a sacred responsibility.  “I’ve been given so much and I’ve been so blessed and fortunate throughout my career, I want to give back,” Charlie says.  Charlie has spent down the corpus of the foundation twice. “I’ll do it again,” he says.  Knowing that nothing exists in perpetuity, Charlie believes in putting his money to work in the community, rather than have funds sit in investments collecting interest.

Charlie embodies the Greek proverb, “a society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they will never sit in.”

Mission Statement:

The Martin Foundation is a private, family foundation serving Davidson County.  We support individuals and nonprofit organizations by contributing, listening, collaborating and  experimenting with others, all to strengthen Beloved Community

Vision Statement:

We strive to share time, talent, treasure, testimony and ties with our community in a way that strengthens individuals, organizations and us to be the best versions of ourselves we can be.  Together we can change our world.