The late entrepreneur Mary Kay Ash, founder of the iconic beauty brand Mary Kay, Inc. continues to fulfill her dream of helping women, whether as entrepreneurs or through women’s causes that directly impact their lives. Mary Kay employees, Independent Beauty Consultants, and members of the global community continue to contribute to four company-sponsored foundations that assist women and their families in a range of ways.
May Kay founded her business in 1963, going on to become a multi-billion dollar international network of almost all women selling her beauty line. While she passed in 2001 her foundations continue on, providing over $3 million dollars in 2022 to a variety of women related causes: entrepreneurship, health, gender-based violence and women-family wellness.
In the past year the foundations funded 37 cancer researchers working on cancers affecting women and approximately $1.4 million for services to support women survivors of domestic violence. The Mary Kay Women’s Entrepreneurship Program in cooperation with China Women’s Development Foundation gave interest-free revolving loans to four women entrepreneur related initiatives in China. The financial support enabled 133 women to increase their per capital income.
Those are just three examples of the support given to women by Mary Kay’s foundations in 2022. Her company remains an “entrepreneurship development company” that empowers women through economic independence providing assistance in the areas of education, mentorship, advocacy, networking, and innovation.
May Kay left a legacy of the great success women can achieve as entrepreneurs and a standard of supporting women’s causes that improves their lives and that of their families.
