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Helen DeVos
| Helen DeVos | |
 | |
| Basic facts | |
| Organization: | Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation |
| Role: | President |
| Location: | Grand Rapids, Mich. |
| Affiliation: | Republican |
| Education: | Calvin College |
Helen DeVos is a philanthropist in Grand Rapids, Mich. She is the wife of Richard DeVos Sr., the founder of Amway, and is a donor to a number of community causes in west Michigan.
Career
Helen DeVos attended Calvin College and became a schoolteacher early in her career. She is also an active missionary worker with the Christian Reform missions.[1] DeVos played piano from an early age and became interested in classical music; from 1971 to 1991, she was a member of the board for the Grand Rapids Symphony. A major donation from the DeVos family and Amway in 1977 and 1978 contributed to a major overhaul of the symphony's performance space, which was renamed DeVos Hall in honor of Helen and her family. These donations were followed by a $5 million donation to the symphony foundation in 2002.[2][3]
DeVos has also been active in donating to fund programs for women and children in the Grand Rapids area. She was behind a $5 million donation to the Butterworth Hospital in 1990.[3] The hospital expanded in 2006. According to the hospital's website, "A $50 million gift by the children of Rich and Helen DeVos in honor of Helen jumpstarted a capital campaign that raised $103 million."[4] The expanded children's center is known as the Helen DeVos Children's Hospital.
Recent news
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See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Lewis, N. & de Vries, J. (2012). Legendary Locals of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing. (page 84)
- ↑ DeVos Performance Hall, "History," accessed November 17, 2015
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Learning to Give, "Helen DeVos," accessed November 17, 2015
- ↑ Helen DeVos Children's Hospital, "History, Mission, Vision & Values," accessed November 17, 2015
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