Donor Stories
Ida Mae Cowan
Known for her independent spirit and generosity, Ida Mae Cowan was admired by all who knew her.
As the oldest child of seven, she grew up sewing clothes for her siblings and later worked in a dry goods store. Her top priority in life was to help the less fortunate; the homeless, sick, indigent, hungry and orphaned.
Born in 1896, Mrs. Cowan was a longtime resident of New Mexico until her death in 1990 at the age of 94. Prior to her death, she established a donor-designated fund, the Ida Mae Cowan Fund for the Homeless at Little Brothers of the Good Shepherd. She chose Little Brothers of the Good Shepherd because of her personal knowledge of their work to provide aid for the homeless.
Mrs. Cowan's fund has doubled since it was established and continues to distribute grants annually to provide services to the homeless of Albuquerque.
