Kevin and Gabby Martinez stepped forward last year to serve as Tastemakers for our annual Taste at The Place event, with an initial fundraising goal of $2,500. The father-daughter duo shattered that goal and ended up raising more than $11,000 for children’s mental health services through The Children’s Place.
No strangers to The Children’s Place, Kevin currently serves on our Board of Directors, and Gabby serves on our Young Ambassador Board.
Kevin has been involved with The Children’s Place since 2000, when he approached our team with an idea to bring a pumpkin patch to the children at The Children’s Place. The idea was inspired by a dream to honor a friend of his who had recently passed but had created a pumpkin patch event for children in Washington, D.C. Through his company Distribution By Air, Kevin has recreated that vision every fall since, bringing a pumpkin patch directly to the children at The Children’s Place and giving them the chance to pick their very own pumpkin to take home.
Gabby joined the Young Ambassador Board in 2023, in addition to her own work as the Volunteer Services Specialist at Heart to Heart International.
The duo teamed together as Tastemakers last year, raising $11,030 for The Children’s Place and rallying 82 donors for the cause.
“Whether it is financial, knowledge, connection, or time I hope our impact will in some way help to provide a solution for early childhood treatment,” Kevin said. “Our hope is that this is not only in KC, but may lead to other organizations throughout the nation, thereby providing hope through healing for the children and their families.”
The Tastemakers of the Year Award was awarded at the Gratitude Bruncheon on June 5. Meet the other honorees of Gratitude Bruncheon 2025 here.
