Mary Allison Hegi grew up witnessing her parents and grandparents giving back. Her grandparents, Fred and Jan Hegi, were deeply involved in the community, and when she was 11 years old, they invited their six grandchildren, then ages 6 to 14, into their legacy of generosity by creating the Hegi Grandchildren’s Fund at CFT.
I’ve been so fortunate to grow up in a family where giving back is a core pillar of how I’ve been raised,” Mary Allison said. “I’ve been brought into conversations about giving for as long as I can remember. It’s been a privilege to learn from my grandparents’ example.”
Each year, the grandchildren worked with CFT to learn about community needs and decide where to recommend grants from their fund. CFT’s staff helped guide the process, bringing vetted nonprofits based on their interests — whether that was animals, education, faith-based organizations, or global missions.
“CFT talked to us like we were any other fundholder, not 11- or 12-year-olds,” Mary Allison said. “They made us see that our ideas and decisions mattered and made sure we understood the impact we could make. Being trusted with those funding decisions at such a young age was really special.”
Those early experiences shaped who she is today. “I learned how philanthropy works, how nonprofits use funds and that no gift is too small to make a difference.” Along the way, Mary Allison discovered what matters most to her: education, faith-based organizations, and locally rooted nonprofits making a direct impact.
Recently, as the grandchildren began to reach adulthood, Fred and Jan worked with CFT to transition the original shared fund into six individual funds. Now, each grandchild gets to chart their own giving path, grounded in the values their grandparents instilled.
That independence proved meaningful this summer when devastating floods hit the Texas Hill Country. Mary Allison felt urgently compelled to help but wasn’t sure how — until she remembered her new CFT fund, the Mary Allison Hegi Fund.
“CFT guided me through every option and helped me understand where support was most needed,” she said. “It empowered me during a time when everything felt overwhelming.”
A recent Southern Methodist University graduate now following her dreams through a career in New York City, Mary Allison continues to lean on CFT as a philanthropic partner as she discovers nonprofits in her new community.
“I’m passionate about giving back to the place I call home — wherever that is,” she said. “My grandparents showed me what generosity looks like, and CFT taught me that no matter how small or how big, you can make an impact. I hope to pass that lesson on to my own children someday.”
Learn more about charitable funds at CFT here.
This story was originally featured in our 2025 annual report. For additional details and content, click here.
