Bob Meisel & Mary Martinie – Legacy of Giving – Partners in Hope
Legacy Partners Spotlight: Bob Meisel & Mary Martinie
For more than three decades, Dr. Robert “Bob” Meisel and Mary Martinie have embodied the very best of compassionate service and philanthropic leadership. Their story with Lafayette Urban Ministry began in the mid-1990s, when Bob walked through the doors of Lafayette Urban Ministry for the very first time. He had a simple question: “How can I help?” That moment marked the beginning of a volunteer journey—and later, a donor legacy—that has become a lifeline of help and hope for countless families served by LUM.
At the time, Bob was a faculty member at Purdue University with enough flexibility in his schedule to look for a meaningful way to give back. He began volunteering every Friday morning from 8 a.m. to noon, answering phones and learning firsthand the depth and breadth of daily work at LUM. It wasn’t long before he jumped into many other responsibilities: handing out shelter passes, checking in neighbors for the Financial Assistance Program, filing, assembling mailings, running errands, and helping prepare meals for the Emergency Shelter.
Bob still laughs about working alongside the office manager, who famously added peas to nearly every recipe. “I felt it was my personal responsibility to keep peas out of the recipes,” he recalls with a smile.
Through this hands-on volunteer work, Bob saw firsthand how LUM stretches limited resources to meet overwhelming needs. One story that left a deep impression was that of a friend struggling to provide for several children; without Jubilee Christmas, that family would have had no gifts under the tree. Experiences like these deepen Bob’s connection to the LUM mission and vision.
When Bob and Mary later accepted an opportunity at the University of Minnesota and relocated to Minneapolis, their connection to LUM did not fade. Instead, they chose to strengthen it. Moved by all they had witnessed, Bob and Mary made the decision to support LUM as monthly donors at $500 per month—a commitment they have faithfully maintained for more than 20 years, even while living hundreds of miles away. Their ongoing generosity is both remarkable and unparalleled.
Bob often reflects on the many individuals he met at LUM, including a housekeeper at a local motel who turned to LUM for financial assistance during a difficult time. Stories like hers continued to reinforce the compassion that first brought him to LUM and the conviction that has kept him and Mary enthusiastic supporters for decades.
Today, Bob and Mary continue to champion the work of LUM with the same compassionate calling they showed from the very beginning. Their generosity has impacted thousands of lives, and their story stands as a powerful reminder of how one couple can make a difference for an entire community when service becomes part of their life’s work.
As proud LUM Legacy Partners, Bob and Mary are ensuring that their compassion and generosity will continue to bless the community in perpetuity. Their story is a reminder that you, too, can leave a Legacy of Love & Hope through LUM. By including LUM in your estate plans—through a bequest, retirement account, appreciated stock, or other form of gift—you can help ensure that LUM’s mission of providing shelter, nourishment, and hope endures for generations.
LUM is thankful for the generosity and vision of LUM Legacy Partners, Dr. Robert “Bob” Meisel and Mary Martinie.