Becoming the 2025 Richmond Christmas Mother is natural for Mary Jane Hogue.
“I believe in kindness,” she said. “I wake up every morning in gratitude, and I want others to feel that welcomeness. And quite frankly, it’s given me more than I could ever give it.”
Hogue is active in several boards and organizations across the Richmond area. She serves on the city’s board of zoning appeals and is involved with Illume Family Recovery, a program started by pro golfer Robert Wrenn and his wife to help families through substance use and mental health struggles.
Since 1935, the Richmond Christmas Mother Fund, organized by the Richmond Times-Dispatch, has worked to support families in need during the holiday season. Each year, a well-known Richmonder is selected to serve as the Christmas Mother, helping lead the effort to raise and distribute resources across the community.
“It is such an honor. I have been someone that subscribed to The Richmond News Leader and the Richmond Times-Dispatch since I was 20 years old, and I read my paper every day,” Hogue said. “I volunteer my life away. So I’ve come in contact with these fabulous women for decades, and to be considered with that esteemed, lovely group of women who give of themselves so much, I’m still pinching myself. I really am.”
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Helping others
This year’s Richmond Christmas Mother, Mary Jane Hogue, is seen at Maymont on July 9. She is active in several boards and organizations across the Richmond area.
A Richmond native, Mary Jane Hogue has had a wide-ranging career from working as a bank teller in college to teaching in Henrico County schools, raising her children as a stay-at-home mom, and spending 29 years as vice president of JMJ Corporation. She later served eight years as executive director of Historic Richmond before stepping into a new role as chief innovation officer at MedARVA.
But for Hogue, the greatest joy has come in the chapter that followed retirement.
“I’ve always volunteered, and that’s how I ended up leaving corporate America,” she said. “I would serve on boards and volunteer, and somehow the nonprofit world asked me to come lead organizations that I would have never considered. So now that I’m retired, I have become very involved in the community.”
Hogue is active in several boards and organizations across the Richmond area. She serves on the city’s board of zoning appeals and is involved with Illume Family Recovery, a program started by pro golfer Robert Wrenn and his wife to help families through substance use and mental health struggles.
Hogue also works with the Success Foundation of Virginia, which helps young adults who age out of the foster care system at 18. In the fall, Hogue will join the board at Maymont. Additionally, she’s a member of the West Richmond Rotary Club, a service-focused group that has adopted Charles Johnson Elementary School, the very school where Hogue began her teaching career after college.
“The parents work, so there’s no PTA. We do a carnival for them at the beginning of the year. Some of my fellow men, they’ve made a flower garden and a vegetable garden, and they help the kids tend to them, and they can take vegetables home,” she explained.
“When I hear about it, why not try to do something about it?” she added. “Just do it and do it with kindness. We are living in a world where you feel that you can’t say much, and we can agree to disagree, but we don’t have to be disagreeable about it.”
The Times-Dispatch sponsors the Richmond Christmas Mother program and absorbs nearly all of its administrative costs. The program also receives contributions from Times-Dispatch readers and advertisers.
Last year, the program collected more than $376,516.42 in donations, thanks to efforts by 2024 Richmond Christmas Mother Dr. Lydia Jones Johnson.
As Richmond Christmas Mother for 2025, Hogue will attend events throughout the season and spearhead fundraising for the Richmond Christmas Mother Fund.
“They couldn’t get a better one. She’s great,” 2010 Richmond Christmas Mother Sally Bagley said. “She is one of the most giving, thoughtful people I think I’ve ever met. She’s always thinking, not only of family, but her friends. And if anyone’s going through some hardship, she’s always there. I think she will be great.”
Mary Jane Hogue is this year’s Richmond Christmas Mother.
Helping families in need As 2025 Christmas Mother, Hogue’s goals are simple. “To make sure all families have gratitude on Christmas morning with food, clothing, toys, gifts, not to mention many non-profits, such as Feed More, United Way, Salvation Army, Crossover Ministries. Their budgets have been cut, and we all need to help make sure that they can still operate, because those organizations are needed desperately.”
In between her volunteering engagements, Hogue says it’s important to schedule time with girlfriends.
“Girlfriends are, as I get older, more important. As a woman, I want to nurture young women, and I don’t know if they’re getting that in the workplace so much anymore. Somebody gave me a hand up, I want to give others a hand up, and I have three daughters, so why not? I’m hoping somebody’s doing it for them,” Hogue said.
With six grandchildren, Christmastime is full of fond memories and busy days for Hogue, but there’s always time to help.
“I spend a day with each grandchild and go out and do whatever they want. That could be shopping or whatever. Except my oldest grandson, who keeps everybody humble. He says Christmas is for needs. It’s not for wishes, so he never wants anything. He’s going to be the next volunteer,” she laughed.
“It is truly a privilege to be a part of this for a few months. If anyone feels like the Christmas Mother could shine a little light on an organization, I am happy to show up.”
