About Us

OUR INSPIRATION…
Martha Olson-Fernandez

Larry Fernandez and his wife, Martha Olson-Fernandez, established The Martha Olson-Fernandez Foundation in 2012 in order to find a cure for ALS. Martha was diagnosed with bulbar-onset ALS in 2011. Like most ALS patients, Martha knew she was not going to survive, but she sure as hell didn’t want more people to experience what she was going through. She didn’t want more children to lose their mothers, or parents to lose their children. Martha passed away on December 17, 2012. She was 49 years old. Martha will always be remembered in our hearts as an incredibly strong, gracious woman who loved hiking, motivating others, and teaching life lessons beyond her years.

The first $100,000.00 MOFF raised was given to the Forbes Norris ALS Clinic in San Francisco, California. Martha had participated in a clinical trial for the ALS treatment, NP001, at the Forbes Norris Center in 2011 and 2012. Today, Martha’s desire to contribute to science is still alive. MOFF gives annual grants to ALS research labs across the United States. MOFF also contributes annual grants to fund ALS patient care on the Central Coast of California. Your support is needed to keep this momentum going.

Andrea & Larry Fernandez

Natalie, Larry & Andrea Fernandez

Martha Olson-Fernandez Memorial Bench

On March 12, 2015, a memorial bench in honor of Martha Olson-Fernandez was installed on Felsman Loop in San Luis Obispo, CA. Martha was an avid hiker and a strong advocate of both personal health and living an active lifestyle. Her energetic spirit and self-motivation inspired many people in her lifetime. The annual MOFF Hike x Brunch event honors Martha’s hiking legacy.

Martha’s Memorial Bench is located on Felsman Loop which can be accessed by the trailhead near 787 Patricia Drive in San Luis Obispo, CA

The Team

Careers

If you are interested in the roles, please email your CV to Natalie at moffoundation@gmail.com. Please include the title of the position you are interested in in the email subject line.

Social Media & Communications Coordinator

Summary: The Social Media & Communications Coordinator will serve as MOFF’s primary lead for the planning, creation, and execution of social media content across all organizational channels. This role is ideal for someone early in their communications career who is excited to take ownership, build processes, and shape an organization’s voice and online presence. The coordinator will help maintain brand consistency, track performance, and ensure the MOFF’s mission and impact are communicated authentically, clearly and consistently.

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Our Supporters

MOFF is incredibly grateful for the support of our community. We could not fulfill our mission to support ALS research projects or ALS patient care initiatives without each of you. Your generosity allowed us to increase our giving to ALS families to assist with the financial burden of living with ALS, which can cost up to $200,000 annual in out of pocket expenses.