proponent of children and the arts and says she has made a multi-year commitment to support the refurbishment of Bethesda’s The Washington Waldorf School and works with her brother Randy Luskey, founder of The City Kids to Wilderness Project, to better the lives of underserved and at-risk innercity youths. She also supports Transformer art gallery for emerging artists. J W BILL AND DONNA MARRIOTT The J. Willard and Alice Marriott Foundation, controlled by brother hoteliers J.W. “Bill” Marriott Jr. and Richard E. Marriott, distributed more than $29 million last year to recipients that included the Capital Area Food Bank, the District’s E.L. Haynes and KIPP DC public charter schools and Higher Achievement’s summer and afterschool academic programs. It also supported the Marriott Foundation for People with Disabilities, which has placed more than 16,000 young people in jobs with 3,500 employers since 1989. Recipients of million-dollar grants in recent years include Boston Children’s Hospital and the Culinary Institute of America. The foundation is also active internationally. Last year it allocated $6.5 million to expand career opportunities for youth in the hotel business through a China Hospitality Education Initiative. Bill Marriott also distributes smaller grants from his own personal foundation to the American Heart Association, Mutiple Sclerosis Society and other groups including charities affiliated with the Mormon chirch. , RICHARD E AND NANCY PEERY MARRIOTT The 75-year-old hotelier who runs Marriott spin-off Host Hotels & Resorts and his classically trained soprano wife were among the latest group of wealthy individuals to sign onto the Giving Pledge, promising to give away at least half of their wealth (he’s worth $2.6 billion) in their lifetime. The pledge is a natural extension of the couple’s generosity and will likely ramp up the $1.2 million in grants they gave away last year through their Bethesda-based foundations. Causes dear to their hearts involve education and
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developmental programs for children and adults, according to the Foundation Center. Richard Marriott is also actively involved with his brother, Bill Marriott, in distributing funds from the foundation named in their parents’ honor. Nancy Marriott also gives plenty through her own foundation. Organizations that have benefited with tens of thousands from her considerable funds include American Cancer Society, Brigham Young University, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Girl Scouts Council of the Nation’s Capital and Johns Hopkins University, among them — a total of more than $700,000 in 2012. FORREST B MARS JACQUELINE BADGER MARS AND JOHN MARS The candy clan, described as “notoriously secretive” about their $60 billion fortune are just as quiet about most of their philanthropy. Some of it derives from a family foundation, controlled by the three siblings, that distributes small grants to a host of environmental, education, animal welfare, health care and performing arts causes. Larger amounts have been given to the Washington National Opera, Wolf Trap, and a small children’s museum in California. The bulk of the three siblings’ giving is said to be on an individual basis. Jacqueline (“Jackie”) Mars favors the Washington Opera and horse-related causes including the U.S. Equestrian Team and the Sporting Library in Middleburg,Va., while Forrest and John Mars have contributed $2 million to both Mount Vernon and Yale University. The largest donation on record from a family member may well be the $11 million Forrest Mars gave to Colonial Williamsburg some years back.
Jacqueline Mars
Penny Pritzker
Brenda and Mark Moore (Courtesy photo)
Kevin Plank
David Rubenstein
MARY MOCHARY A lawyer, for mer high-ranking state department official and mayor of Montclair, New Jersey who ran unsuccessfully against Sen. Bill Bradley in his 1984 U.S. Senate race, Mochary now focuses her considerable energy on art and philanthropic interests. She has chaired numerous fund-raising events for the National Museum of Women in the Arts, Young Concert Artists, the
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Mitch Rales and Emily Wei Rales