Thanksgiving is a time to show appreciation for others. A time when the community reconnects in the spirit of gratitude. Although this has been a difficult year for everyone, 2020 has also been a year when individuals and businesses have made giving back a way of life.
Local Businesses have been giving back to first responders during the Covid crisis and the community has pitched-in with pay it forward meals and self-care gifts.
Our salon assembled and distributed self-care kits for hospital workers to help them relax after grueling double shifts. Local restaurants put together meals for hospital workers who barely had time to eat.
While many local businesses were doing their part to help others, large corporations have provided help to those that have been helping others. In the beauty industry, the help from our partners has never been greater.
The Neill Corporation created the Salon and Spa Relief Fund to help salons affected by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Since then it has helped those impacted by natural disasters. Aveda partnered with the Fund to help support small salons impacted by Covid.
Orly, a maker of nail polishes and treatments, has reconfigured its Los Angeles-based factory to produce hand sanitizer. The first batch of 10,000 units will be donated to the City of Los Angeles with a special emphasis on serving the city’s at-risk homeless population.
Dial, a manufacturer of personal care and household cleaning products, partnered with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) by donating over 600,000 units of soap. Dial kicked off a #IWashMyHands social media campaign to promote healthy handwashing habits.
Unilever, which owns brands such as Dove, Tresemme, and Pond’s, launched United for America, donating $20 million of products and services in the U.S. as well as $540 million worldwide to provide food, personal hygiene and cleaning products. Unilever also gave more than 200,000 masks to hospitals in heavy-hit areas.
These companies and the local shops that sell their products have been here for us — now it’s time to be there for them. Shop the brands and businesses that have stepped up for our people and communities.
During this holiday season we can all SHOP SMALL, SHOP SMART, SHOP SAFE. Many local businesses have adapted to making local shopping a comfortable and safe experience by offering online ordering, Zoom shopping, personal shopping, curbside pickup and delivery services.
Let’s make the holidays a time when we show our gratitude to our entire community.
Jillian Sherman is the owner of Zokkoz Salon in Briarcliff Manor. You can send her your beauty questions at editorial@riverjournalonline.com.
