A Family Legacy

Kae Hensey and her daughter, Allison, shared a deep love of Oregon for decades. They spent hours exploring her stunning landscapes together and worked hard to support her beauty and bounty over the years.

Kae became a member of Oregon Environmental Council (OEC) when Allison was hired to lead OEC's Sustainable Food and Farms program. For close to 10 years, Allison worked to build relationships with farmers and ranchers throughout the state to support sustainable practices and secure policies and funding for cooperative programs, as well as foster collaboration between the agricultural and environmental communities.

Kae and Allison both understood how deeply important it is to build authentic relationships with people in order to find the common ground needed for sustainable change. Kae said, on more than one occasion, that what she valued about OEC is our deep commitment to working with people from all corners of the state, with different political perspectives and from a wide variety of communities, to solve Oregon's most pressing environmental issues.

She and Allison both had a knack for—and a commitment to—genuinely listening and connecting with people. They both recognized that the only way to truly make progress is to actively pursue collaboration and collective problem-solving.

Though Kae passed away in the summer of 2019, her legacy is continuing to have an impact on the future of Oregon. In her estate plan, she included a bequest to OEC. Her gift will ensure that OEC continues to bring all Oregonians together to protect this place we love.

Allison has also left a gift to OEC in her estate plan. When she delivered the gift from her mother's estate, she shared the following note:

Dear OEC Family.

My mother loved Oregon—its people and places. We spent some of our favorite times together in the state's incredible landscapes. She also fought against inequity for most of her life.

As I think about how essential our environment is to our health and well-being, especially in uncertain times, it's critical that your work continue. Especially in a way that brings people together and bridges divides to focus on the things we hold in common. You're all heroes to me. Count me in as an ally in the future, as we all weather this storm.

All my best,
Allison

OEC remains deeply grateful for the meaningful commitment the Hensey family has made to supporting Oregon's environment for generations to come.

If you would like to join Kae and Allison as an ally in the future, you can remember OEC with a gift in your will or other estate plan to help ensure a healthy and resilient environment for future generations. Please contact Teke Dillender at teked@oeconline.org or 503-222-1963 x119 to learn more.