On Sunday, January 7, local organizations collaborated to host a “Spa Day” event for women experiencing homelessness and those dangerously close to homelessness.
Project HOPE (Homeless Outreach Partnership Effort) organized the event through a partnership with Catholic Charities West Virginia (CCWVa). The “Spa Day” was held for approximately 30 women at the Catholic Charities Neighborhood Center on 18th Street in Wheeling. Attendees were pampered with free haircuts, manicures, makeup and treat bags.
“We are blessed by the countless number of strong women we meet every day at the Neighborhood Center – women who face extremely difficult circumstances but continue to persevere,” said Beth Collins, CCWVa Northern Regional Director. “We are honored to host them for a day of relaxation and empowerment in partnership with other great organizations.”
Other area organizations got involved by providing volunteers, services, funds and speakers. Groups involved included the Junior League of Wheeling, YWCA, Sexual Assault Help Center, Soroptimist Wheeling, House of Hagar, ULTA Beauty, NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) and Empress Emporium.
“The goal of this spa day was to bring together strong and successful women and to educate and empower other women in our community,” said Devyn Nickerson, Project HOPE Coordinator.
Speakers at the event addressed topics including domestic violence, women’s health, addiction treatment, spirituality, sexual assault, mental health, education and personal financial planning.
One of the women in attendance said, “I haven’t been treated this nice in a long time. I realized from this event that I deserve this kind of treatment and interaction more often. The speakers were good and the information was just enough.”
Project HOPE Director Crystal Bauer said that the event helped to build trust with those in attendance.
“The event provided an opportunity to celebrate womanhood and for us to show these women on the margins of society that they still matter, that they are not invisible,” Bauer said.
Project HOPE operates a public health homeless outreach healthcare clinic at the Catholic Charities Neighborhood Center. For more information about Catholic Charities West Virginia, visit www.CatholicCharitiesWV.org, and for more information about Project HOPE, visit http://www.ohiocountyhealth.com/other-services/project-hope/.
