Mary Kay’s philanthropic organization, the Mary Kay Ash Foundation, announced grants totaling $2.4 million to support cancer research and domestic violence shelters. Of this total, $1.2 million went to twelve researchers from top accredited universities, each receiving $100,000, to support research of cancers that primarily affect women and the study of their detection, prognosis and treatment. In addition, the foundation awarded a special grant of $100,000 to the Baylor Scott & White Dallas Foundation to support its groundbreaking clinical trial that explores weight loss inhibitors as prevention for breast cancer recurrence in overweight patients.
The remaining funds were awarded to 50 domestic violence shelters, each receiving $20,000 grants to support life-saving services, facility improvements, transportation, legal aid, counseling, childcare and more. Four domestic violence shelters in North Texas were given $25,000 each to address specific community needs.
“Creating a safer, healthier world for women means ensuring those on the front lines of groundbreaking cancer research and essential domestic violence services have the life-saving resources they need,” said Michael Lunceford, President Board of Directors, Mary Kay Ash Foundation. “Nearly 30 years later, the Mary Kay Ash Foundation continues to invest in initiatives truly making a difference in the lives of women at a critical time in their lives.”
Since its inception almost three decades ago, the Mary Kay Ash Foundation has donated more than $96 million to women’s shelters, domestic violence service providers, cancer research programs and related causes through the US.
