In 2020 Mary’s granddaughter Grace co-founded Confluence HRKC, a homeless services and drug user health organization in Grace’s home of Kansas City, Missouri. Their work focuses on reducing fatal overdoses, preventing HIV/Hepatitis C transmission, and prioritizing the health, dignity, and safety of people who use drugs.

Mary was a lifelong learner and her curiosity was extended to the work Grace and her friends were doing. She asked many questions about Confluence’s operations, regularly donated to our operating costs, paid attention to the news around overdoses and drug user health, and worried about our stability in the face of a changing funding landscape. Above all, she understood and embodied our core values: everyone deserves a chance to live a safe and healthy life, we must always meet our neighbors with love and respect, and we all have an obligation to help care for our community members who are less resourced than we are.

Donations made in Mary’s honor will support Confluence’s homeless outreach program, which brings health care directly to people who are living on the street.