A Message from Mary Jane Buchele Johnson, Vice President Finance, Pi Beta Phi Foundation Board of Trustees

Dear Sisters,

We each have the opportunity to leave a lasting legacy long beyond our lifetime — a legacy of hope, generosity and joy. My greatest joy in life is the joy of giving. Last year, I had the privilege to attend a Fraternity Day of Service Signature Event in St. Paul, Minnesota, where I saw Pi Beta Phi’s legacy of generosity and joy in action.

You and I are lucky to be able to pick up a new book without barriers to access; but as I helped distribute books to educators in St. Paul, I got the chance to see the transformational impact we make in underserved communities through our work as a Foundation and as a sisterhood. The gratitude and excitement those educators shared because they could put new books into their libraries and the hands of their students evokes a feeling I can’t adequately describe. There’s nothing that beats the joy of giving and knowing the impact you have made.

We all have the opportunity to experience that joy thanks to the pioneering women who — more than 30 years ago — established Pi Beta Phi Foundation to support our sisters and communities for generations to come. Now, all of us continue to provide support for the greatest needs as they arise. One of the greatest strengths of our Foundation is that every donor, with every gift, forms a collective that is nimble and flexible, but also designed to have a perpetual impact.

MARY JANE BUCHELE JOHNSON, Illinois Eta, with husband Mike and sons Zach and Jeremy.

Giving to our Foundation is creating a financial legacy, no matter the amount. Not only do you give to meet the needs of sisters and communities today, but your sustained support is an opportunity to ensure Pi Beta Phi Foundation can meet the needs of our sisters and communities long after we’re gone. Every gift makes a tangible impact, whether for a collegian needing support to continue her education, a child who has never owned a book or an alumna in financial distress.

I hope at some point every person who gives to our Foundation has the opportunity to see firsthand the impact we make in the lives of those we support through scholarships, literacy initiatives, emergency assistance and other life-changing programs. As a scholarship recipient during my collegiate years, I felt firsthand the power of Sincere Friendship that flows through the work we do as a Foundation and I channel that feeling as both a volunteer and donor.

I believe giving to others is what we are put on Earth to do, and that’s what brings me the most joy. We can all leave a legacy of joy and generosity that benefits the lives of others by supporting our Foundation.

In Pi Phi,

Mary Jane Buchele Johnson, Illinois EtaVice President Finance, Pi Beta Phi Foundation Board of Trustees