VTM Foundation Receives Honor from 26.2 Foundation
The Vanessa T. Marcotte Foundation received the Olive Branch Award from the 26.2 Foundation. This annual award recognizes an organization that exemplifies peace and the power of the human spirit. It was presented on April 19, 2026, at the CharityTeams Boston Marathon brunch, a gathering of 43 nonprofits who were part of the Boston Athletic Association’s Official Charity Partners Program for the 2026 Boston Marathon.
Vanessa T. Marcotte Foundation Executive Director Melissa Bowman attended the event alongside the Foundation’s marathon team. The award was presented by Timothy Kilduff, President of the 26.2 Foundation, along with Dimitri Kyriakides who traveled from Greece for the Boston Marathon festivities. Presenters praised the Foundation for its commitment to promoting safety awareness strategies for female runners, as well as its broader violence prevention initiatives.
“We are deeply honored to receive this prestigious award from the 26.2 Foundation,” said Bowman. “This recognition affirms our mission to empower women to live boldly and fearlessly, and it strengthens our commitment to advancing safety awareness for all by preventing violence in our communities.”
According to Kilduff, “Each year, we are honored to highlight one of the many outstanding charities participating in the Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America charity program and one that partners with CharityTeams. We have come to know the Vanessa T. Marcotte Foundation and the remarkable impact they make. We have followed their journey and deeply admire the important work they do. The Foundation truly embodies the power of the human spirit by honoring Vanessa’s memory and inspiring positive change in our community.”
The mission of the Vanessa T. Marcotte Foundation is to promote safety awareness and violence prevention through education, community outreach, and personal safety and self-defense training. It also supports youth-focused programs addressing the root causes of violence through mentorship and character-building initiatives. The nonprofit organization honors the life and legacy of Vanessa Marcotte, who was tragically killed in 2016 while out for a run in Princeton, Massachusetts.
The 26.2 Foundation is a nonprofit organization with community roots in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, and an international reach. Its mission is to advance the global sport of marathoning while harnessing the power of the human spirit and its capacity for good. The organization is currently developing the International Marathon Center, a major project to be built in Hopkinton within a mile of the start line for the Boston Marathon.
Dimitri Kyriakides—son of 1946 champion Stylianos Kyriakides—traveled from Greece to Boston to celebrate the 80th anniversary of his father’s victory and to participate in the presentation festivities. The award is made from 24k gold-plated olive branch, hand-picked from the historic plains of Marathon, Greece and signifying victory, peace, freedom, and democracy. Additional information can be found at vtmf.org and 26-2.org.
