Helen DeVos
Helen DeVos is a Republican Christian conservative activist and the wife of Amway founder and ultra-conservative philanthropist Richard DeVos. [1]
Biography
Born c. 1925, DeVos' maiden name was Helen J. Van Wesep. She is of Dutch ancestry. She received a BA, Calvin College (1947). She married DeVos in 1953. Helen has four children. Her oldest son is also a heavy hitter in far-Right circles, Dick DeVos. The boys, Daniel DeVos and Doug DeVos have foundations established in their names as well: The Dick and Betsy DeVos Foundation (1990), the Daniel and Pamela DeVos Foundation (1992), and the Douglas and Maria DeVos Foundation (1992) all follow similar giving patterns to the parents' foundation. Suzanne DeVos VanderWeide ("Cheri") is her daughter.[2]
Foundation
The Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation is a major funder of conservative organizations, such as the Family Research Council, Focus on the Family, and Coral Ridge Ministries. The foundation also supports parts of the Atlas Economic Research Foundation network, such as the State Policy Network.
Giving
- DeVos gave $260,000 to All Children Matter between 2005 and 2007.[3]
- She contributed to John Ashcroft's failed 2000 Senate bid, where he was beaten by a candidate killed weeks earlier in an airplane accident
- Bush-Cheney '04
- Elizabeth Dole Committee
- Friends of Giuliani Exploratory Committee
- Friends of Mark Foley
- Friends of Newt Gingrich
- George W. Bush for President
- John McCain 2008
- Newt 2012 - Newt Gingrich's 2012 campaign.
- Restoring the American Dream
- Santorum 2006 - Santorum's failed bid to win re-election.
Honors and Awards
- Richard and Helen DeVos were winners of the William E. Simon Prize for Philanthropic Leadership.
References
- ↑ NNDB.com NNDB.com Profile/biosketch - Helen DeVos, accessed January 10, 2012
- ↑ Learning to Give DeVos, Richard M., biosketch, accessed January 10, 2011
- ↑ Virginia Public Access Project Receipts Reported by All Children Matter Database, "Money In" - 2005-2007, accessed January 10, 2012
