Helping empower women and children. That was the life’s work of Martha Jean Hoehn Breeze. Her daughter, Sarah Gray, is continuing her mother’s work through the founding of Martha’s Mark, a local non-profit aimed at improving lives and making connections. Gray dropped by Kiwanis Thursday afternoon to talk more about the organization, the impact it’s made in a short amount of time, and future goals.
It all starts with Martha.
Martha Jean Hoehn Breeze was an incredible role model for her community. The message she carried in every walk of her life was one of good stewardship. In her professional life, this meant modernizing the Posey County Recorder’s Office to better serve the people of Posey County. Once she reached the limits of what she could accomplish within that office, she became active in statewide government to better support and develop legislation that would bring further accessibility and efficiency to Recorder’s Offices across the state.
In her personal life, she was an activist. She championed countless projects for Posey County Right to Life to make resources available to women when they needed them most. She was a volunteer who constantly invested her time in lifting up other change-makers in her community. Even when she wasn’t leading the charge, she was still making a difference. As a friend, she was beloved by so many—generous with her support, her loyalty, and her infectious joy.
Martha’s Mark was founded by Gray in November of 2025 and immediately jumped into action even while sorting out leadership due to the government shut down and pause in SNAP benefits. Gray and volunteers worked together to feed 58 families in their initial meal box distributions. In February, the group partnered with the NCOE Cardinal Closet to help students in advance of Homecoming.
This summer, a community garden is planned at Gray’s business location at 304 County Road 700 North in Norris City.
Half of it will be ours and half will have raised beds where children can come probably two times a week, plant, and grow and then be able to take that produce home. We also have chickens and other farm animals where they’ll be able to learn and have eggs and other healthy products they can take home over the summer. If they have paid for school lunches, some of those resources might not be available. We have some speakers scheduled to come and teach them educational programming…get them hands on with the chicks, see how the eggs go in the incubator, let them gather; we have some girls coming to teach them about gardening and different projects like loofahs for example. We process our own homemade loofahs. So they may get a chance to learn things they may not get a chance to learn in their homes and to just get them out and away with a safe place.
The group is fundraising currently and Gray says she has a vision that includes purchasing a building and maybe even opening a skating rink. She says she also works with some groups of abused women and offers a free membership at her business Gray’s Anatomy, and they also get a free session for Reflexology and a discounted rate afterwards.
Coming up Monday, the non-profit will launch a fundraising opportunity in a tandem offer; one being a Pampered Chef fundraiser, and another being protein balls through Simply Prepped. 50% of profits goes back to the non-profit. Orders should be open on Monday and will need to be in by April 17th and delivery scheduled for May 5th just in time for Mother’s Day presents.
The board for Martha’s Mark is made up of Gray, Angie French, Amy McCord, Amanda Courson, Jerrie Baxley-Brown, Katye Roper, and Brandi Johnson.
Learn more about the organization and keep up with their efforts through the organization’s facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61583887472862