When it comes to the Mary Kay brand, many people tend to just think of cosmetics or those instantly recognizable pink cars. However, the world-famous company also has an entire philanthropic arm – The Mary Kay Foundation – dedicated to raising awareness and distributing funds to organizations that work toward ending cancer as well as domestic violence. With an application that was strengthened by letters of support from two of our longtime donors, SafeHouse Denver was recently selected to receive $20,000 from the Foundation’s Shelter Grant Program.
Since its establishment in 1996, The Mary Kay Foundation has been devoted to cancer research – a personal cause for company founder Mary Kay Ash, who lost her husband to lung cancer. The added focus on domestic violence advocacy, inspired by the experiences of Mary Kay representatives nationwide, was introduced soon after in 2000. Over the last 20 years, the Foundation has awarded a total of $53 million to domestic violence shelters. In 2020 alone, $1.1 million was distributed among 55 shelters that were selected from an applicant pool of more than 800 organizations.
“At Mary Kay, we believe in helping women improve their circumstances and live their best lives,” Michael Lunceford, President of The Mary Kay Foundation, said. “We’re proud that our commitment makes such a powerful impact in local communities and in the lives of domestic violence survivors across the country.”
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, SafeHouse Denver continues to operate its Emergency Shelter and Extended Stay Program within the state-mandated occupancy limits. “This grant means so much to our organization, especially in these difficult times when survivors of domestic violence are experiencing increased isolation, limited access to resources and intensified physical violence,” Victoria McVicker, CEO of SafeHouse Denver, said. “We will use the funds to provide survivors with emergency shelter and temporary housing.”
SafeHouse Denver looks forward to our partnership with The Mary Kay Foundation over the next year, as both organizations continue to make a difference for survivors of domestic violence.
