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Another Fabulous Donation

We were thrilled to receive this generous donation of lipstick, mascara, brushes, and perfume from a Mary Kay Cosmetics rep.

The timing of this donation is perfect.  We are in the process of assembling gift bags to donate to a special project for Dress for Success’ Going Places Network.  It is a  program for young women ages 17 to 24 years of age.  The make up bags will be given to each girl at the end of the ten-week course.

At this time, we are in need of cosmetic bags for this event.  If you can donate, please send an email to donate@cosmeticsforcause.org.

Thank you!

Mascara Drive

When we first met the lovely ladies who run our local chapter of Dress for Success, they expressed to us their desperate need for mascara.  Thanks to your generous donations, we have been able to provide them with a few tubes every once in awhile.

The ladies told us that all of the women they help always ask for mascara.  Even if the women don’t wear makeup regularly, they all expressed the same feeling that “even a little mascara made them feel special.”

Over the winter holidays, my neighbor was nice enough to ask that all attendees at our annual neighborhood Christmas party bring a donation of mascara specifically for Dress for Success.  The result was fantastic!

Breakfast with Santa for Kids Cancer Foundation

We are thrilled to be able to donate lip gloss palettes to pre-teen and teenage girls who are served by a fabulous organization called Kids Cancer Foundation.   The organization is holding a “Breakfast with Santa” tomorrow, and some of the moms will also be receiving lip gloss.  (Shhh!)

You can visit their website HERE.

In the meantime, here is what their “About Us” page has to say.  Read and see for yourself how wonderful Kids Cancer Foundation truly is.
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Imagine a place designed specifically for kids with cancer.
The KIDS CANCER CENTER is that place and so much more.

Educational Resource and Research Center
A place where patients and families can come to get the most up-to-date
and accurate information and research about their diagnosis and
treatment. Also provides educational seminars and classes for patients
and families, as well as health care providers. As well as used for
academic tutoring and classes for patients and/or siblings. The Library
contains books for all ages.

Health and Wellness Center
A place where specially trained and licensed therapists come to assist
patients and families in dealing with the fear and stress that
accompanies a diagnosis of cancer. Our young patients and families come
here to receive counseling, massage and learn distraction and visual
imagery techniques.

Financial Counseling Center
Trained professionals assist families in making appropriate financial
decisions to help provide some financial stability for the family during
this difficult and costly time.

Teen Lounge & Playroom
Fum places where our young patients and their siblings can come to for
therapeutic play, arts and crafts and participate in art and music
therapy programs.

Also provides hands on educational programs to teach both patients
and families the importance of good nutrition by showing them how to
prepare healthy meals and make healthy eating choices.
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Both my dad and my grandfather were diagnosed with cancer within one month of each other in 2011.  I know first-hand how important support groups like Kids Cancer Foundation can be, and I am so happy that Cosmetics for a Cause could help the patients and their families in a very small way.

Many Reasons to Give Thanks

I was so thankful to finally have a (short) break from school for the Thanksgiving holiday.  We were able to make lip palette deliveries to several places.

Our first stop was Dress for Success.  It’s always such a pleasure to see the ladies there who work so hard to help women look good while they are in the process of interviewing for employment.

The lovely ladies from Dress for Success

Next, we stopped at Gratitude House, which is a facility that “offers
comprehensive long-term residential, day treatment and outpatient
services to women with substance abuse and co-occurring mental health
issues.”

With our new friend at Gratitude House

We also stopped by the YWCA to donate lip palettes for their Harmony House, which “offers a secure, year round, 24 hour facility for women and their children who are victims of domestic violence.”

Finally, we donated several dozen lip palettes to Toys for Tots.  The palettes are perfect for preteens, too, and ages over eleven are usually the most difficult for their organization to find gifts for.

We also made a deliver to an organization that is confidential.  Isn’t it sad that the women we try to assist have to be in hiding?  It is unspeakably sad.

It was a successful day, thanks to the very generous lip palette donation from Coastal Scents.

Next up:  a mascara drive this weekend.  Dress for Success is in desperate need!

Meet One of Our Board Members, Julie Weil

Julie Weil is such an inspiration.  Click HERE to read about her and to hear her tell her horrific story in her own words.  She turned her tragedy into a triumph for all women.  We are proud that she serves on our Board of Directors.

She has made so many positive changes in Palm Beach County for victims of rape. She helped to pass the SAFER ACT and was instrumental in opening the Butterfly House at Wellington Regional Medical Center. Victims of sexual assault are brought to the center and treated privately and with the dignity they deserve.  Since its opening in 2011, the incidents of rape that have been reported in Palm Beach County have increased three-fold.

Julie is a true hero.  She persevered, and as a result, the monster who terrorized her is serving seven consecutive life sentences.  All of his appeals have been exhausted. (More HERE.)

You can visit Julie’s website, titled “Keeping Moms Safe,” HERE to learn safety tips and other valuable information.

Thank you, Julie, for all that you have done and all that you continue to do to help women in need.

(Photo Credit:  WPTV.com)
 

Pucker Up

This is what 1, 440 lip gloss palettes look like.  We are so overwhelmed at the generosity of Coastal Scents for their donation.  One of the colors on the palette was the wrong shade of purple.  As a result, they weren’t able to sell the products in this shipment.  They needed a place for all of the “oops” products, and Cosmetics for a Cause was the fortunate recipient.  Now these palettes, which were basically unwanted, will be treasured by some very deserving women.

Sneak Peek!

We are about to accept delivery of 1,000 pounds of lip gloss palettes.  Whoa!  Many thanks to our sponsor, eWillow.com, for covering the cost of the shipping for us.  More details to come, but for now, take a look at this:

 
The shipment is arriving at the perfect time.  October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and these lip gloss pallets will go to help a few hundred women in need.  While we are excited for the delivery to arrive, we are even more excited to distribute the goods to deserving women.
If you know of any organizations that can benefit from this donation, please send us an email at info@ewillow.com.  
If you would like to donate the cost of shipping, we would be happy to send a carton to an organization in your area.  Send an email to donate@cosmeticsforacause.org.

You Are Awesome!

When I started Cosmetics for a Cause, my original thought was to
approach large cosmetics companies for donations.  I knew it would be a
huge undertaking, but I also knew that the results would be worth all of
the difficult work.  Little did I know that it wouldn’t be the large
cosmetics companies that would be so willing to donate.  Our best donors
have been…YOU!

I am overwhelmed with the emails and
packages that Cosmetics for a Cause has received from the general
public.  The large cosmetics companies have ignored our requests. 
(Except for one, which I will blog about in a few days.)  We have
received emails from high school girls who want to help, from women who
have an abundance of cosmetic bags to donate, and so very many people
who have unused  make-up they ship to us at their own expense. 

Here
is a sampling of some of the donations we have received in the past few
months.  Every donation, no matter how big or small, makes a huge
difference in the life of a woman in need.

Thank you so very much, all of YOU!

  

Palm Beach County Victim Services Day of Beauty

We had the honor of assembling gift bags to donate to the Palm Beach County Victim Services Day of Beauty.  We put together bags of goodies for manicures/pedicures and added a nice cosmetic bag for each woman.  These are the types of programs that we love to be a part of.  If you know of any organizations that can benefit from donations of make-up and other beauty supply items, please contact us at info@cosmeticsforacause.org.