Partner Spotlight: Supporting a Future of “Fresh Starts” Through Legacy Giving
- The Friendship Center
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
TFC supporters Mary and Hal Jacobson
Mary Jacobson discusses how she came to support The Friendship Center and the choice to include causes she cares about in her will.
Each year, the Mary Kay Ash Foundation awards 51 grants to domestic violence shelter programs—one for a program in each US state and the District of Columbia, representing an annual investment of more than $1 million, directly supporting both the immediate needs of survivors and the organizations working to prevent intimate partner violence in communities across the country. The Friendship Center was fortunate to be the Montana program to receive a $20,000 grant in 2025. We applied with a kind letter of support from one of our local champions, Mary Jacobson, who’s also a 46-year veteran of the Mary Kay sales force.
In addition to recognizing Mary’s role in this vital support for our shelter program, we want to shine a light on her long-standing personal support of TFC and her choice to include us and other nonprofits that she cares about in her will. Legacy giving can be a daunting subject to say the least. It can be emotional to ponder what matters the most to you and the impact you want to leave behind if you’re in a position to make a planned gift.
Mary was kind enough to answer some of our questions about legacy giving. With her characteristic enthusiasm for the causes she’s passionate about, we think she makes the topic feel accessible and hopefully less intimidating. Check out what she had to say about how she became aware of the far-reaching impacts of domestic violence, how she got connected to TFC through a few of the leaders who were instrumental in efforts to build our current offices and shelter facility, and why she felt ready to take the step of including us in her will. Responses have been lightly edited for clarity.
What first connected you to the work of The Friendship Center?
MJ: I have worked with women and girls my entire adult life. I taught high school home economics in Wyoming for six years and had about 80% female students, and I have been a Mary Kay consultant for 46 years. I have worked extensively with women and that’s led to interactions with their families, many of whom have been affected by domestic abuse. I became involved, both in Wyoming and in Montana, out of my desire to help others.
When I moved to Helena in 1983, I cultivated friendships with former TFC board chair Kay Mathews (1943-2019) and then-executive director Holly Kaleczyc. Through those friendships, I gained knowledge about The Friendship Center and the important work the agency did and continues to do and I chose to become involved. Also, in 2000, Mary Kay officially made eradicating domestic violence one of their two primary areas of support through the Mary Kay Ash Foundation. So, I had multiple reasons for getting involved and supporting this work.
When you imagine the years ahead, what do you most hope will continue because this organization exists? Is there a story that comes to mind from your days as a teacher or from your friendship with Holly and Kay?
MJ: Holly took a Mary Kay Ash Foundation board member and me on a tour of the “original” Friendship Center house when they were planning to build the new facility. We were shocked at how crowded it was and noticed a real need for more space. We also noticed the children and people in the home were happy even though they did not have much! The Friendship Center was a welcoming place for these families, and it truly warmed my heart. At that time, I knew the Helena area had a huge need for a larger domestic violence shelter. Of course, we built that in 2007 and now, as our community grows, we need more room.
When I imagine the years ahead, I imagine more lives and families getting a new direction and a fresh start. I love the way TFC helps to give people a new start!
For many people, thinking about legacy can feel tender or complicated. What helped this step feel right or even possible for you?
MJ: When it comes to thinking about leaving a legacy, I am so appreciative to everyone involved in The Friendship Center and I want this to continue well beyond my life. I love to support causes that I feel make a positive difference in the lives of women and their families. The abuse and interpersonal violence that TFC addresses have been around for centuries. Ignoring the methods to remediate these problems only exacerbates them. I am so grateful for the work TFC does to address these problems, and I so admire the quality of the staff and the heartfelt way they treat everyone they interact with.
We put The Friendship Center in our will because we know the needs for families affected by domestic and sexual violence will continue and we want to make a positive difference. We feel TFC has a great Board of Directors and a fabulous staff.
I often cheer for the underdog. So, putting TFC in our will seems to go along with helping to support the needs of people who have been dealt a bad hand in life. We truly hope that TFC helps give survivors the lifeline they need for a new direction and a chance to truly flourish and be part of a caring community.
If you were sitting with a friend who loves this work but hasn’t thought much about legacy giving yet, what might you share with them?
MJ: When visiting with my friends, I love to share about The Friendship Center—how well it is run and how vital it is to our community—along with other organizations that I support. Personally, I hope to help to leave this world a better place because I have been so blessed with a wonderful life.
The Friendship Center is one of many organizations and businesses in our community and beyond working to ensure everyone is supported with care and dignity. We regularly highlight some of the fantastic people and organizations we collaborate with in partner spotlights like this one. Sign up for our email list to be the first to see new featured content and partner spotlights.
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