Hey everyone, I wanted to talk to you a little bit about some of the causes I support both in my personal life and through the salon. Being able to create my own professional space has given me incredible opportunities to branch out and give back to the community as well. Two of the causes I chose to support are similar to each other but both deserve equal attention and donations, Journeys |The Road Home, and Wings. While it might be important to note that the specific locations I’m giving to are local to myself, there’s no reason you can’t donate to them from far away or even better, find a similar cause in your own community to be able to give back where you live!
I don’t have a deep personal reason for why I chose these organizations, but I knew that I had the ability to make a difference in my own community and I wanted to do that. Initially it started as wanting to donate hair cuts to the homeless or those in shelters escaping domestic violence or other toxic situations, but with Covid19, pretty much all personal interactions have been removed except where absolutely necessary.
JOURNEYS | The Road Home
Copying directly from their website, “JOURNEYS | The Road Home is a non-profit agency that provides shelter, social services and housing to the homeless and those at risk of becoming homeless in 37 towns in north/northwest suburban Cook County. The mission of JOURNEYS is to individually assess and serve its clients, while broadening community awareness and involvement. The agency consists of the PADS Shelter Program, the HOPE Center Supportive Services Program, and the Pathways Housing Readiness Program, all focused on assisting those in need. In 2017-2018, we provided over 50,000 services to almost 900 people across the north and northwest suburbs of Cook County.”
In November of 2020, they hosted a virtual auction that my business partner and I donated baskets to. Of course resources are needed year round, but the holiday season tends to be a time of giving and you can easily fund a small cause in addition to or in lieu of physical gifts for people in your life.
WINGS Program, Inc.
If helping others escape domestic violence situations speaks more to you, then you’ll want to look into supporting WINGS. Copied from their website “The mission of WINGS Program, Inc. is to provide housing, integrated services, education and advocacy to end domestic violence. We believe that everyone has the potential and strength to overcome difficult life circumstances and to accomplish goals that will lead to an enhanced quality of life. We are committed to treating each adult and child in a respectful and compassionate manner while valuing the unique qualities and needs of each individual and family. We provide high-quality facilities, intensive client support, and integrated continuum of housing and services. We employ safety planning and a Trauma Informed Care model across all of our services. WINGS Program, Inc. understands that Diversity and Inclusion are a vital part of our mission. Together we will continue to foster an inclusive culture that supports, values, connects and honors the diverse voices and needs of our employees, clients, board and volunteers, donors and customers, and partners.”
You may have also seen their resale shops in Arlington Heights, Schaumburg, and Niles. There are multiple benefits of these wonderful retail settings; you can give unwanted items from your own home a new life and 100% of the proceeds from their stores go directly to supporting their clients.
Resources
Here are some easy peasy ways to make a difference right from this post.
- If you bring items on Journey’s or Wings’ wishlists in to your appointment, I’ll give you $3 off your service
- You can also use the above links to donate or arrange a drop off directly with the organization you’d like to support. If you show me proof of donation, I’ll still take $3 off your service
- If you aren’t local to the Chicago suburbs, The National Domestic Violence Hotline is an amazing general resource dedicated to creating awareness and helping people who are currently being affected by DV escape their situations, and to help recognize whether someone in your life may be a future survivor and need help finding a way out. Other great resources for that are also HelpGuide and MedLine.
- Good resources for raising awareness and helping to prevent homelessness are The National Alliance to End Homelessness, Volunteers of America, and All Connect
- International resource lists for domestic violence resources can be found more extensively on this page.
- If you need help with addiction, Addiction Resource is a great place to start.
- Drug Rehab US
- Medicare Resources for Mental Health Care
- Resources for caring for someone with dementia
- Paying for senior care
- Resources for lab-based and at-home testing
- Illinois Recovery Center
- Help build a resume after recovering from addiction with Resume Builder
- Long Island Rehab Center – Hicksville, NY
- Long Island Intervention
- Domestic Violence Services in Alcohol Rehab Treatment Centers
- Addiction Recovery during Higher Education
- Addiction Help
- ReCreate Life Counseling – Florida
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