The late Executive Chairman of Southwestern Family of Companies, Spencer Hays, once said of his grandmother, “Granny Mary was never blessed with wealth, but she always found a way to do what she needed to do for her family and always seemed to have ‘something left over’ for others.” To honor her legacy of giving, Spencer created the Mary Moore Foundation in 1983 with a mission to help team members in need.
That giving spirit remains in the Mary Moore Foundation today. The foundation continues to help team members who are facing serious hardships but may not qualify for aid through other charitable organizations or government agencies.
The Mary Moore Foundation has helped hundreds of team members facing stories like these:
- A team member with the company for more than 20 years was already facing financial challenges when they suddenly lost their spouse. The Mary Moore Foundation assisted the team member with funeral costs.
- A team member for more than 5 years was diagnosed with a life-threatening disease and needed an expensive medication that insurance would not cover. The Mary Moore Foundation covered several months of the medication expense.
- A first-year team member was in an abusive relationship. The employee was able to get out of the relationship with their child. The Mary Moore Foundation covered the substantial cost to get established and pay attorney fees.
To receive assistance, Southwestern team members can reach out to Patty Hoppenstedt, VP of HR, to begin the application process. Applications are then reviewed for approval by the Mary Moore Foundation board. Each situation is evaluated on its own merits, and the type and amount of assistance given is dictated by the circumstances of the person in need.
In his lifetime, Spencer made significant contributions to the foundation and always matched the contributions from employees and associates. The Marlene and Spencer Hays Foundation continues to do that today.
Because of its valuable and direct impact on the lives of team members and their families, the Mary Moore Foundation is the focus of Southwestern’s upcoming company-wide fundraising campaign. The Mary Moore Foundation campaign is scheduled to run in early November 2020 with interactive meetings to learn more about how team members can give. Be on the lookout for more information.
