A few years ago, I decided that my New Year’s Resolution would be to donate to a different charity each month. (This is not a humble brag, just part of my story.) So whenever I would read or hear about a charity, I would add it to my list. GlamourGals Foundation was one I read about in Glamour. I have since made a few donations to them, and they have become one of my favorite organizations to support.
GlamourGals organizes teen volunteers to provide companionship and complementary beauty makeovers to women living in senior homes. It was founded by high school student Rachel Doyle in 1999 and now has chapters in 15 states.
I love this organization for three big reasons. First, it trains teenagers to volunteer. From what I know about volunteering, it helps the volunteer in several positive ways–by forming relationships, developing social skills, strengthening community ties, providing a sense of accomplishment from helping others and many more. I wish I had done something like this in high school. My time would have been much better spent volunteering instead of analyzing the way my crush looked at me in History class or driving around aimlessly with my friends, talking about how unfair life was. The volunteers in this program are clearly compassionate people and the fact that they are young compassionate people makes them even more admirable in my eyes.
GlamourGals volunteers provide beauty services to women in these senior homes. As a makeup artist, I know how much difference a little makeover–which is really just enhancing the beauty someone already has–can make. It’s amazing what a little lipstick or some blush can do for person’s confidence. It’s not a superficial thing though. Makeup is simply a tool we have to express ourselves or make ourselves feel a little better. I volunteer with the American Cancer Society’s Look Good, Feel Better program, where beauty professional volunteers provide a group hair and makeup lesson to women going through cancer treatment. I have been told time and time again by these women how much they love the sessions and how great they feel after. I imagine there is a similar feeling from the elderly women who work with the GlamourGals volunteers.
And of course, a huge part of this program is the relationship between the volunteers and the elderly women. I’m sure some of the women do not, for whatever reason, have many visitors who spend time with them. (This breaks my heart and is the reason why I have tried to volunteer at senior homes in my area). Imagine being elderly and lonely, but then meeting someone who wants to spend time with you. I’m sure it is a mutually beneficial thing though. I have always loved talking to older people and feel that they often have a lot of wisdom (and some great stories!) From the testimonials on the GlamourGals website, some of these volunteers feel the same way.
I would really love to volunteer, but most places* I have contacted understandably don’t want to bring in volunteers who can’t consistently commit. (Some months I could absolutely do the number of hours needed but other months I am barely even in my home state. And I sometimes only get a 12 hour notice for my jobs, which makes committing to anything in my personal life pretty impossible.) So for right now, the best I can do is donate whatever I can to help support causes that I believe in. GlamourGals is without a doubt one of those causes. I hope they continue to grow and positively impact the lives of so many teenagers and elderly women.
You can check out the Glamour Gals website here: http://www.glamourgals.org/ They accept monetary and In Kind contributions, so beauty professionals, you can donate products/tools/supplies as well. For that list–which also includes office supply type contributions–click here: http://www.glamourgals.org/in-kind-contributions/
Celebrate the GlamourGals on Instagram this December. Post any hot pink pic and hash tag #GGmovement and GG will receive $1. You can follow them at @glamourgals and @ggfounder. Check out their youtube video for more info.
Have a beautiful day 🙂
* Other than Look Good, Feel Better, who always have at least two beauty pro volunteers at each session and are aware of my crazy schedule.
A Pretty Addiction 