Proceeds from the very first Pink Laundry 5K in 2008, went directly to the Vest family.
Shortly after Stephanie’s passing, the original 5K race committee made a contribution to House of Compassion, which was the volunteer group that offered emotional support and respite for the Vests at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Subsequent races and fundraisers have generated financial support for other families in the Kansas City community.
In 2011, the Stephanie Vest Foundation was officially formed, with IRS non-profit status, to continue to “pay-it-forward” to other local families dealing with similar cancer issues. To be eligible for a grant, one must be a parent facing a cancer diagnosis, with minor children living in the home, living in the greater Kansas City metro. Grants are awarded on a case-by-case basis after being reviewed by the Foundation board. Over the years the foundation has continued to grow and evolve. In 2012, the term “Pink Laundry” was patented by the United States as a registered service mark. And in 2018, The Stephanie Vest Foundation has earned a “Gold Seal of Transparency” from GuideStar, the world’s largest source of information about nonprofit organizations, which verifies charitable status, transparency of finances, and that donations are used for intended purpose. We know that Stephanie would be very proud of what has been accomplished in her memory.