Making a World of Difference
 

Here is just a snapshot of the lives we’re changing in the countries and communities where we live and work.

  Philippines

GLOBAL MONTH OF SERVICE 2012

Thousands of "Mary Kay family members" in more than 35 countries helped their neighbors by volunteering more than 197,000 hours of community service around the world in one month from March 8 to April 8, 2012 to celebrate International Women's Day.

In the Philippines, we conducted various community service programs - jointly accomplished by independent sales force members and Mary Kay employees, like tree-nursing activity at the LaMesa Eco Park in Manila and feeding programs for street children and creative learning sessions with differently challenged children in Cebu, Davao and Zamboanga.


  United States


Since 2000, Mary Kay Inc. and the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation have awarded more than $11 million to domestic violence prevention programs and to women’s shelters across the country. In the last two years, the Foundation distributed 300 grants to women’s shelters in all 50 states totaling $6 million.

Since 1997, the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation with support from Mary Kay Inc. has funded nearly $6 million toward research grants to fight cancers affecting women.

Employees from the Mary Kay Inc. manufacturing group in Dallas volunteer each year to give a warm welcome and show their support for U.S. soldiers returning home from the Middle East at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.

Having made a significant financial contribution, Mary Kay Inc. is a Gold Member of the Flagship Corporate Alliance for construction of the Dallas Center for Performing Arts. The Dallas Center for the Performing Arts will be a new multi-venue center for music, opera, theater and dance in downtown Dallas and is expected to open in October 2009.

Mary Kay Inc. has made extensive financial contributions toward Hurricanes Katrina and Rita relief. The Company contributed more than $5 million in cash donations, in-kind and product donations that include more than $1 million to aid general Hurricane Katrina relief and long-term rebuilding efforts. Additionally, the following allocations were made:


$125,000 for immediate relief efforts to the American Red Cross.

$125,000 for initial hurricane relief efforts to the Salvation Army.

$100,000 was dedicated to the Dallas mayor’s relief fund, “Project Exodus,” created to provide more permanent housing for survivors who relocated to the Dallas area after the hurricanes.

$40,000 to the YWCA of Metropolitan Dallas to pay for free child care provided to survivors of the hurricanes who now reside in the Dallas area.

$100,000 to the National Network to End Domestic Violence to assist victims of domestic violence and domestic violence shelters impacted by the hurricanes.

$120,000 to Dallas-area Habitat for Humanity® to build a home in the Dallas area for a hurricane survivor who has relocated to this area; and a second home to be constructed in New Orleans for a family who wishes to return or remain in their hometown.

Additionally, employees of Mary Kay Inc. volunteered their personal time to build the Habitat home in the Dallas area that was completed in July 2007.

Nearly $400,000 was allocated to assist the organizations leading the rebuilding efforts in areas where the largest numbers of Mary Kay independent sales force members live.


  China


Mary Kay China began its involvement with this program in 2002 through the All China Women’s Federation. It encourages Mary Kay independent sales force members to assist their local schools. For example, Independent Beauty Consultants and employees have assisted in Kunming Female Middle School in Yunnan Province. In 2003, Mary Kay China and its sales force donated to the Spring Bud Project in ten provinces, providing financial assistance to more than 500 female students. This generosity allowed the girls to return to school. Mary Kay China and the independent sales force currently support 850 school girls attending 17 schools throughout China.


  Russia


Operation Smile is one of the most well-known and beloved projects of Mary Kay Russia. Together, the Company and the independent sales force raise funds to support Operation Smile, a non-profit organization that is known for lending highly qualified surgical assistance to children who are born with facial deformities. To date, more than 2,000 Russian children have received medical services free of charge in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Petrozavodsk, Kazan, and Vladimir. In addition, Mary Kay Russia cooperates with the Cosmetics, Surgery and Cosmetology Institute of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, and contributes funds for free operations for children with facial injuries.

In addition to Operation Smile, Mary Kay Russia employees also take time to visit orphanages each year and hand out gifts to the children. They also present gifts of Mary Kay® products to those who care for the children at the orphanages.


 Kazakhstan


Mary Kay Kazakhstan has been passionate about children’s charities during the last six years, and the office was recently recognized by the First Lady of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Sara Nazyrbayeva. She gave the office a silver figurine called “The Symbol of Motherhood.” Kazakhstan employees received the figurine during one of their visits to a children’s home.

Mary Kay Kazakhstan also included Independent Beauty Consultants in a recent project to raise money for children with infantile cerebral paralysis. The proceeds will go to a children’s rehabilitation center to buy much-needed unique medical equipment.


  Germany


Mary Kay Germany is committed to raising funds and awareness to help find a cure for cancer. The staff in Germany organized an effort to raise $4,000 for the German Cancer Foundation at Career Conference 2007 and distributed information packets to cancer patients at more than 50 clinics around the country. In 2006, the Company donated $21,000 to the organization, and presented the check to the president of the German Cancer Foundation at a Mary Kay company event.