Hair We Share provides free wigs for people going through medical hair loss.
Ed Shin
This past week, Hair We Share (a charity based in Jericho, NY) celebrated 11 years of service to the community with their annual gala at the Crest Hollow Country Club.
For those unfamiliar with the nonprofit organization, Hair We Share specializes in providing high-quality wigs (made from donated human hair) free of charge for children and adults undergoing medical hair loss.
What began as a local project for co-founders Dean Riskin and Suzanne Chimera has since flourished into a mission of instilling confidence in individuals across the country, and the annual gala is a testament to all that Hair We Share and its supporters have accomplished in each year of its operation.
On Thursday, September 26th, approximately 160 guests made their way to Crest Hollow for the gala, enjoying an evening of camaraderie and entertainment– made possible by the generosity of various sponsors as well as raffle donations from the community. The event specifically honored members of the Long Island Beauty Council, a group of talented professionals in the beauty sphere who, earlier this year, banded together to collectively fundraise for Hair We Share’s mission. Their hard work and dedication served as inspiration to attendees from all across Long Island.
Additionally, the event proved beneficial in more ways than one. Since the start of the pandemic in 2020, Hair We Share has received more donated hair than ever before, and the trend remains steady. Thus, one goal of the gala was to help the charity cover the manufacturing expenses of turning large volumes of hair into beautiful wigs. The night was undoubtedly a blazing success, raising $52,000 in total for the organization’s cause.
The evening culminated in a celebration of the many developmentally disabled volunteers responsible for running the behind-the-scenes of wig production at Hair We Share. It goes without saying– the volunteers’ passion for their craft and time spent helping others is deserving of the utmost appreciation. Their constant support for the nonprofit is one of the factors that has made Hair We Share’s influential nationwide-reach possible.
All in all, the night consisted of endless highlights and a spirit of giving evident in every corner of the room; Hair We Share encourages anyone interested to get involved with their mission, whether it be through social media, their website, or attendance at events like these. They hope to see both new and familiar faces at next year’s festivities.
To learn more visit hairweshare.org