Beauty and Dignity Care

Organizes and facilitates community-led ingredient drives (e.g., apple pie ingredients), care package drives (e.g., fuzzy socks, unscented lotion, chapstick), and collections of homemade cards and notes to provide emotional and material support to individuals facing cancer.

Organizes and executes annual fundraising events including the Farm to Table Gala, Nest Fest, and Superhero Rock 'N' Run, using ticket sales and donations to fund ongoing meal delivery and support services for individuals and families facing cancer.

Has delivered over 1,023,500 servings of food and provided nourishment to more than 5,100 individuals and families facing cancer since 2013, building on meal support services that began in 2012.

Prepares and delivers two home-cooked meals per week directly to the homes of individuals undergoing cancer treatment and their families, providing nutritional and emotional support throughout treatment and for up to three months after a loved one’s death. Serves nearly 400 individuals and families weekly across Dutchess, Putnam, Orange, and Ulster Counties in the Hudson Valley, delivering over 2,000 miles weekly via refrigerated vans and volunteer drivers.

Provides continuous meal support for periods exceeding 14 months, ensuring sustained nourishment throughout cancer treatment and into bereavement.

Provides services without discrimination based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, age, religion, creed, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, familial status, disability, veteran or military status, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic. Eligibility is determined solely by program criteria, regardless of income, insurance status, or ability to pay.

Partners with the Culinary Institute of America to produce and deliver desserts for recipient families, enhancing the nutritional and emotional value of meal deliveries.

Provides themed meal kits, interactive activities, fresh produce, snacks, and summer food support for children in families facing cancer. Also delivers birthday cupcakes and balloons weekly to celebrate pediatric recipients during treatment.

Relies on volunteer drivers and community volunteers to prepare, package, and deliver meals. Maintains a 7,000-square-foot permanent facility in Beekman, NY, and operates a produce garden to support food supply and operations.

Offers and covers the cost of hair styling and makeup services for brides who are experiencing financial hardship, enabling them to access professional beauty services for their weddings.

Offers haircare services specifically targeted to underserved communities, addressing personal care needs through direct service delivery.

Reviews all wig applications individually through a board of directors, with responses provided within five business days. Applications require a doctor’s prescription for children and are assessed based on financial need for adults.

Makes wigs available through Wig Banks located at the point of treatment, enabling timely access for recipients during medical care. Includes providing measuring instructions to ensure proper fit and matching recipients to available wigs in one of four standard cap sizes (XS, S, M, L).

Processes each donated ponytail at a cost of $150, which covers materials, labor, and shipping. This cost is required to transform each ponytail into part of a finished wig, with donors or fundraising campaigns often covering this fee.

Accepts donated ponytails and transforms them into medical-grade wigs through a labor-intensive process requiring 5 to 9 ponytails and 40–60+ hours of skilled, hand-tied construction per wig. Donated hair is shipped to a professional factory where artisans construct the wigs.

Provides custom-made, high-quality human hair wigs at no cost to children under 18 and adults (including college students up to age 26) experiencing hair loss due to medical conditions, with distribution based on medical need, financial need, and organizational approval. Wigs are tailored to recipient specifications including age, color, length, texture, and cap size.

Facilitates peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns via platforms like Facebook and Instagram, and partners with salons and beauty schools to raise funds—such as $3,000 raised in one day by a partner salon or recognition for businesses raising $500+ at the Annual Fundraising Gala—to sponsor the cost of wigs.

Organized visits to schools and foster homes in Budapest, Hungary, and hosted a “Selflessness Day” event for children in 2018 to promote community engagement and youth support.