Mary Kay Inc. has contributed nearly $10 million to help slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and support frontline workers.
The contribution is in monetary donations, product donations and distribution support in the countries where it operates and communities in critical need around the world.
“The wide-ranging impact of this pandemic on our economies, populace and the world at large may not be truly known for some time,” said David Holl, chairman and chief executive officer of Mary Kay Inc. “But here’s what we’re sure of right now: people are suffering, and an unprecedented crisis requires everyone’s support. It’s our responsibility to help those affected by this virus—either directly, like our frontline workers, or indirectly, like women and children impacted by the alarming uptick in domestic violence cases.”
In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, Mary Kay Inc., its subsidiaries around the world, and along with its four company-sponsored Foundations in Canada, Brazil, China and the United States, have taken the following actions targeted at supporting global and national relief efforts:
Supporting the Frontlines:
- Refocused global manufacturing efforts on the production and donation of essential items only, including personal care and hygiene products, as well as hand sanitizer that was donated to nearly 20 healthcare systems, 1,000 hospitals and 1.5 million combined frontline responders, physicians, and staff around the world.
- To support the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN), Mary Kay has made a donation of hand sanitizer to the Pan American Health Organization, Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO). The donation will support countries of the Americas in the response to COVID-19.
- Donated hand sanitizer to CARE (an international humanitarian agency) to support its critically needed COVID-19 response efforts in 63 developing countries in Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East regions combating the crisis with scarce resources.
- Joined the World Economic Forum’s new COVID Action Platform created with the support of the World Health Organization. The global platform, the first of its kind, aims to convene the business community for collective action, protect people’s livelihoods and facilitate business continuity, and mobilize support for the COVID-19 response. The platform will support mechanisms for donation of hand sanitizer to the public health response in regions throughout the world where much-needed essential supplies are not readily accessible.
- Coordinated with the Personal Care Products Council (PCPC) and Feeding America to donate hand sanitizer to organizations in need.
- Donated hand sanitizer to healthcare systems and hospitals in the top ten hardest hit cities in the United States.
- Local support for areas surrounding Mary Kay’s global headquarters and manufacturing facility.
Supporting Domestic Violence Prevention and Response Needs:
- The Mary Kay FoundationSM (United States) announced the opening of COVID-19 grant relief applications, offering unrestricted monetary grants for domestic violence shelters in need.
- The Mary Kay FoundationSM (United States), Independent Mary Kay National Sales Directors and Independent Mary Kay National Sales Directors Emeriti donated hand sanitizer to nearly 500 domestic violence shelters across the United States to ensure a healthy and safe environment for women and children seeking refuge from shelter-in-place orders that trap them in abusive situations. The nearly 500 domestic violence shelters support over 1.5 million women and children annually in the United States.
- Earlier this year, The Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation (Canada) issued $100,000 in domestic violence grants to ten domestic violence shelters.
- Instituto Mary Kay (Brazil) donated to the NGO Fala Mulher so the organization could buy the necessary prevention equipment (such as hand sanitizer, gloves and masks) to ensure the continuity of care for survivors of domestic violence.
Additional support efforts by the Mary Kay China Charity Fund, Mary Kay Brazil and Instituto Mary Kay, Mary Kay Mexico and Mary Kay Russia are underway.
To read more about Mary Kay Inc.’s contributions, click here.
