Mary Kathleen Roach Hoodhood

Mary K. Roach was born and raised in Grand Rapids, the youngest of six children, and earned a degree in Education from Michigan State University in 1973. Teaching positions were scarce at the time, so Mary K. became an Administrative Assistant for the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Michigan. In that capacity, she worked with high school and community college guidance counselors, as well as the Michigan legislature.

May 1980 was a defining moment of Mary K.’s life. She was injured in a car accident, resulting in a C 4-5 spinal cord injury. Mary K. has been a wheelchair user ever since. In 1981, she married her supportive husband of 37 years, Jeff Hoodhood.

Despite daily physical challenges that require patience, good humor and pluck, Mary K.’s physical limitations have never prevented her from working and contributing to the community.

The year following her accident, Mary K. began volunteering for the Meals on Wheels program at God’s Kitchen, a local food pantry. The program delivers meals to the elderly, as well as those who are mentally and physically challenged, chronically ill and recovering from injuries. 

In 1996, Mary K. was hired as the Manager of Volunteer Services for Meals on Wheels. During her tenure, she developed two auxiliary programs, Special Delivery: a grocery delivery program and Total Life Care: a student internship program. In addition, Mary K. earned her master’s degree in social work from Western Michigan University with a concentration on policy planning and administration.

From May 2002 to April 2004, Mary K. was a community organizer for the Outreach Cooperative and the Manager of Volunteer Services at Disability Advocates of Kent County. 

Mary K.’s energy and compassion have always supported volunteer positions including:

• Board member at Indian Trails Camp, a specialized camp for people with disabilities
• Member of the Americans with Disabilities Act Advisory Committee for the City of Grand Rapids
• Member of the Advisory Board for Kent County Juvenile court 
• Citizen’s Representative to the Board for Kent County Chapter of the American Red Cross
• Six-year member of the Community Relations Commission for the City of Grand Rapids
• Past member of the Advisory Committee to Michigan’s Governor of the Michigan Quality Community Care Council
• Past Representative of Disability Network to Citizens to Protect Auto No-Fault

Her awards and honors include:

• Recipient of the Unsung Hero Award given by Wood TV, 1998 
• Recipient of the Friend to the Physically Challenged Award from the Ambucs, 2000
• Recipient of the YWCA Tribute Award in the professional category, 2000
• Recipient of a Black Belt from the Western Michigan Tae Kwon Do Association, 2006
• Recipient of Grimod de la Reyniere Award from the Greater Grand Rapids Chefs’ Federation, 2006
• Recipient of The Grand Rapids Business Journal 50 Most Influential Women in West Michigan, 2010  
• Recipient of the U.S. Presidential Citizens Medal, 2010 
• Recipient of the Celebration of Soul, Dr. Malinda P. Sapp Legacy Award 2012 – Grand Rapids Symphony
• Recipient of the 2012 Art Van Hope Award
• Invest in Ability Award 2013 – Disability Advocates of Kent County
• Recipient of the Grand Rapids Business Journal 50 Most Influential Women in West Michigan, 2014
• Recipient of the 2014 Gov. George Romney Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2014 L’Oreal of Paris Women of Worth 
• 2015 Points of Light recipient 
• 2015 Classic Woman Award, Traditional Home Magazine
• 2016 Recognition from the Daughters of the American Revolution
• Recipient of The Grand Rapids Business Journal 50 Most Influential Women in West Michigan, 2018

The organization closest to Mary K.’s heart is the one she founded in 2001. In response to a story, she heard about a five-year-old girl searching the school cafeteria for food to take home, Kids’ Food Basket began.

Mary K. is the past Chair and is a current member of the Kids’ Food Basket Board of Directors. She volunteers nearly 30 hours a week for the organization, focusing on fund development and public relations. 

Mary K. continues to be a strong advocate and respected voice for the physically challenged and those struggling with food insecurity in West Michigan.