Beauty association helps beauty community during crisis
PBA foundation creates a graphic photo featuring stylists for its COVID-19 Relief Fund.
Photo from the PBA website
The Professional Beauty Association (PBA) will provide licensed beauty professionals nationwide with financial support during the COVID-19 pandemic.
On March 31 PBA, one of the largest beauty associations, announced the creation of the PBA COVID-19 Relief Fund under its disaster relief charities umbrella. This fund is intended to financially support licensed beauty professionals by serving as an emergency cash awarding $500 per person to those who have not been able to earn income as a result of stay-at-home orders.
PBA executive director Steve Sleeper said in an issued statement, “These funds will help pay bills, put food on the table, buy supplies, and while not necessarily large in size, will be another important part of their financial support during this crisis.”
All hair stylists, barbers, cosmetologists, educators, estheticians, nail technicians, and salon owners in need are encouraged to apply once for the grant through PBA’s fund application on their website. Their team will review applications daily during weekdays, and they will notify awardees within a day or week(s) if selected. Shortly after, PBA will then make the funds immediately available through a virtual prepaid card. Everyone who applies will not receive the grant, and the applicants will be funded through a lottery system.
The PBA COVID-19 Relief Fund is administered by the PBA Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization. The association, who raises funds through donations, asks that people who want to support their favorite stylist donate to the cause. Sleeper said, “Donating to the PBA COVID-19 relief fund is a powerful and direct way for clients to support their favorite hairdresser; even donations of $1 or $5 can make a difference.”
The organization hopes to raise over 2.5 millions dollars and is accepting donations via their website. All donations are tax deductible. So far, professional beauty brands like L’Oreal Professional Products Division, Living Proof, Kao, Sam Villa, Babe Hair Extensions, Fromm Beauty, L’ANZA have donated money to the grant while brands like Moroccanoil help to raise funds through education and other marketing endeavors.
Facebook users share this flyer with PBA information.
News of the fund has spread throughout the beauty community across social media - specifically Facebook. Nationwide, stylists and those who know people in the beauty community are resharing an image with the fund information (above). They are also tagging those who they believe might qualify. One Chicago Facebook user shared the photo. Her post included, “Saw this and Shared It, Hope it Helps!” As of today, April 13th, her post has received 215 shares and had 45 comments that included other Facebook users tagging people.
A Facebook User, Kenyada McGilberry Smith, shares the PBA fund through a post on March 30.
The application for the grant remains open. PBA spokesperson Amy Denoon stated as of right now PBA does not know when the fund will be closed. She continued, “But we’re doing our best to continue to raise funds to help as many licensed professionals as we can.” Additionally, there is not a set number of awardees; thus, the PBA Foundation will continue to award as many as their donations will allow.
The Arizona based foundation realizes that some stylists may have access to other financial resources at this time; consequently, PBA asks that those in the beauty industry only apply for this grant if they do not have access to other funds. Meanwhile, Chicago licensed beauty professionals in Cook Country have access to PBA’s fund or Cook County’s Community Recovery Initiative Fund announced by Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle April 7. President Preckwinkle said, “Small businesses and entrepreneurs are at the heart of the towns and villages throughout Cook County, and my administration will do all it can to support them through this dark time.”
The application for the Cook County’s Community Recovery Initiative Fund will open in mid-April. Unlike the PBA fund, this loan fund focuses on helping the businesses' expenses while the PBA wants to help stylists pay everyday bills. According to Cook County, “This loan fund offers one-time, zero-interest loans of up to $20,000 for small businesses and $10,000 for independent contractors in suburban Cook County.”
Besides consumers, the PBA Foundation asks that those within the industry and salons suppliers help as well. Sleeper said, “The more we raise together, the more we can help the industry through this unprecedented time.”