At Creative Images Institute of Cosmetology, we believe that salon and spa professionals are powerful. As a hairstylist, nail technician or esthetician, you have the potential to change someone’s life for the better just by making a positive difference in their day. You can use that power to affect more than just the lives of your clients but you can also utilize that power to give back to your community in more ways than one!
Our beauty school loves to give back to society, whether we’re supporting the Dayton area’s cancer survivors or first responders and their families. As you graduate from your educational program and get jobs as beauty industry professionals, we encourage you to look for ways to continue to practice charitable giving. With today’s generation, people are more willing to participate with or buy from an organization that gives back to the community whether it be donations, food drives, or disocunted services. You’ll find many opportunities to do so, and we’ve compiled a list of suggestions to get you started.
Organize a charity benefit day at your salon or spa. One of the easiest way to give back, charity benefit days require little more than social media promotion to encourage bookings. Simply choose a local charity and pledge to donate a percentage of your service fees during the benefit. You can collect donations from clients as well to boost your impact. You’ll find a list of Dayton non-profits here.
Collect hair for Locks of Love. Whenever a client requests you cut at least 10 inches off his or her hair, get permission to save that hair for this life-changing charity that provides free hairpieces to disadvantaged children who are suffering from long-term medical hair loss. To make it super-easy for your clients, you can even offer to mail the donated hair in for them once they’ve completed the required form.
Mentor a beauty school student. Now that you’ve graduated from your beauty program and are working in the real world, you probably have valuable insight you can share to benefit others who are where you once were. Whether you reach out to Creative Images Institute to have your story featured on our blog or offer guidance to others on an industry forum, sharing your experience can make a difference.
Provide free services at a local nursing or retirement home. Contact local senior care facilities to arrange an event where you can provide residents with free hair styling, manicure or skincare services. Oftentimes these seniors no longer have the manual dexterity or financial means to maintain their appearance the way they might like. Provide a little pampering and you will do wonders for their spirits.
Offer free haircuts to the homeless. Take a cue from Southern California celebrity hairstylist, Jason Schneidman and offer free haircuts to area homeless. While Schneidman takes his tools to the street, visiting local shelters or handing out cards that invite those in need to visit your salon for a shampoo or trim are also options.
Volunteer with Look Good Feel Better. This national non-profit organization is a non-medical public service program that teaches beauty techniques to people with cancer. Through the program, volunteer beauty professionals instruct cancer patients on skin and nail care, cosmetics, wigs and turbans, accessories and styling in order to help them mange the appearance-related side effects of their treatment. Volunteers commit to three to five hours each month and must complete a certification class.
Volunteer with Dress for Success. A national non-profit with a mission to empower women to achieve economic independence, Dress for Success is often looking for beauty industry volunteers to educate disadvantaged women on work-appropriate makeup application and styling as well as mentoring. While the organization does not have a branch in Dayton, their Cincinnati location is only a one-hour commute away.
By Angela Rose for Creative Images Institute of Cosmetology
