Okay, so hi everyone and welcome. Robert DiLella here on the spotlight on Good People. And that's what we do. We spotlight good people and good things that are happening, especially in a time period where so much of the attention is on what's not working and what's not good and what's negative. And we like to have conversations about the good things in life and the uplifting positive things. And you're one of those spirits in the community that as I was reading about you and know what your reputation is, you have given your life in a lot of ways to uplift people around you, to transform the lives of people around you.
So it's with I'm honored to say that today we have a very special guest, the founder and board member at Beverly's Angels Faith Schwalbach. Yes, thank you. Welcome. I'm so excited to be here. And you're right, in the world we live in today, we need to really focus on the things that are positive and what's going right. Yeah, yeah, it's so easy to just be drawn. I do it myself to be drawn to what's not with the negative, so it gets the most attention everywhere and to
Look for the positive or positivity in things is really just a cool thing. And I loved what you're about, I loved what your organization is about. And before we get started, I always like to ask this one question. Today, what's something that made you smile today? What made me smile today?, I wake up hitting the ground saying something's magical is gonna happen every single day. I don't care what's going on. I'm smiling in the morning. But this in particular, I've really tried very hard to collaborate with people with the same mindset that I have. And I found that has been challenging.
Because I really want to line with people that really get it and want to give back from their place of a heart, not from a place of I get to be on an Instagram shout-out post. So I think that's what made me smile the brightest today was to be in your presence in your salon. Then I come in here and it has just been a moving experience. I've been smiling since the moment I hit the door and I'll be smiling for the rest of day. Because of that. Awesome. Well, great. That is important to us, that we have this space that, we're a hair salon. That's what we do for business. But I think we're more than that. I want to be more than that.
That literally when people come here, they get something that they didn't know they needed. But when they have it has a big impact on their life. Because the whether it's the love that everybody's given on people, the 20 people when you walk in that they're loving on you and I hope that they are that it transforms somebody's day. So that when they leave the parking lot and somebody cuts them off or the traffic's real bad that they're just okay with it and it's okay and they can forgive people and be fine with the way life is or isn't all the way around.
Well, I can tell you I'm not currently a client and I have to tell you from the moment your team reached out it has been an experience. So I think that's one thing to take from today is from the moment the first contact and every person along the line of your team really makes it an experience. Anybody can be hair salon and do hair. But you have your niche and you're doing it with such love and kindness and compassion. It's a culture here that you've created that's absolutely beautiful that makes people want to come back again and again. Thank you. Thank you. I'm very blessed.
We're blessed with an extraordinary team and, I'm blessed with that I get to walk in and then I get to meet people like you too who are out there on a campaign to make the world a better place in a lot of ways and that's kind of what we wanted to. But don't forget here, you're the blessing. It starts at the top. It's the leadership that creates the culture. They are blessed to have you as much as you are blessed to have them which serves all of your clients. So it's one big blessing that starts from you. Yeah, yeah thanks. Thanks. It's a real synergistic experience for me.
I don't always wake up in that mindset and when I get around it kind of gets on me all the time., it's like it's an infectious one. There's that positivity and that good good way about things. So mindset is everything. Yeah, yeah and it's it's what I know you have created and it's we're in that I mean it's November already and.
Well into November and it's that it's that time of year where you know that spirit of giving, it's not always there but it's always a reminder when you start to see the red and you start to see, Starbucks which is the all the placards around that's it's red it's that time the cups go red and it's it's the lights start going up and it's the it's that time of year. So I thought it, a perfect opportunity for us to get to know for everyone to get to know a little bit about you your organization and what you guys are about. So to start off can you share a little bit about yourself who are you? So my name is Faith.
I am happily married to my high school sweetheart that I started dating on my 16th birthday. We started from very humble beginnings. My mom worked in admin most of her life. My dad was the public safety director in our hometown of Ormond Beach, Florida and he really saw at-youth risk as something to devote time to. So he felt if he volunteered his time he started the rec center was one of the people in our hometown. If he had a place for kids to go after school and he could do a team environment that he could not be dealing with them later on in life through jail and through lockup. So I always saw him volunteering my whole life.
It was the season of it was flag football then it was softball then it was basketball. So I grew up in that environment I'm very grateful to have seen it. You don't realize when your child what's going on.
But I just have always felt that way and I just wanted to give back and my mom over the years she would always adopt a family for Thanksgiving and she would cook a homemade meal and she would just anonymously drop it off at our church and she did it for years and years and when she started to decline we helped her when she received the ugly diagnosis of dementia we started doing it for her in her honor at the Alzheimer's Resource Center that she used to attend and we did that the last three years and we would go and we would make all of the trimmings for Thanksgiving the weekend before and it was just a nod to my mom's what she gave back and we did that the last time that she was able to in her honor the following September she passed away and my girlfriend says we're going back we're gonna go do this for Beverly and we went and we served all the ladies of beautiful Thanksgiving we had this stuffed Tom the turkey they would go around and say what they're grateful for and that was that day somebody said you have to do this and that was the moment of serving that Thanksgiving meal that Beverly's Angels was born Christmas Eve 2019 a year later I got a present from the IRS in the mailbox that was my official 501c3 status oh wow.
So that's how it all began that's how it all began and it began from my mom and I had a challenging relationship my entire life I used to use the word difficult. But I've I've changed my mindset to challenging and I realized trying to get her the help that she needed when she had dementia she had undiagnosed mental health issues and she was at the age where it was taboo to get any help for that. So I started to realize the things that I was so angry with her about and the things that I kept choosing to look at was her flaws I was never looking at what her what the positive side like we talked about earlier right.
So I had the very good fortune of right before she passed away a very dear friend helped me see the light of all that my mom was and I rushed to her bedside I put my hand on her back and I told her how proud I was to be her daughter how she has been amazing I gave her purpose for her life she had been hanging on and that's what she was hanging on for I could feel the weight of the world just lift literally through my hands and as that happened she sat taller she hadn't spoken for a while she whispered I love you and that was the last she was three days later she was peacefully gone hmm Wow.
So yeah that's beautiful so she was with you she lived with you for years she did she lived with us the last 15 years of her life we wanted to honor her wishes my husband was. So great with her she was the last parent standing we'd lost the other three and her wish was to stay home and she always used to make this joke it's no big deal Lucille and we were trying to do that until one night she threw a remote at our caregiver and gave her a concussion and two days later she tried strangling me to death.
Because I didn't belong there because she was confused and the hospital the hospitalist said you don't have the skills to take care of her she needs more advanced care so you can love somebody all that you want. But sometimes they get to a point to where they need the skilled care yeah and that's what happened for us and so she we tried to honor it till the end.
But we got really close yeah and let me tell you my mom was spunky she didn't like it she didn't have all of her wits about her but she was smart enough to get into trouble she the first facility she was that she was there less than 10 days the second one by two and a half weeks and the fire marshal had been called to her four times. Because she kept pulling the fire alarm and the fourth time he walked in the door and she got in the fire marshal said was it her and my mom goes yep it was me and he's like that's it you're out of here.
So I can try I can laugh about it but it took her she was at the hospital NCH for 45 days because she was mobile and she had enough wits about her that she could be dangerous to herself and others. So no one no matter what the cost was would take her and that was a really low moment I remember sitting in the parking lot just crying that nobody wanted my mom and they would not let me take her home that we just didn't have the ability. So she was spunky until the very end and I have that spirit of whatever it is we're gonna make it work we're gonna make it happen whatever roadblock it's in front of me we're just gonna bust through.
So I now embrace all those things that were really good about her and I've let go of all the things that I wished she was yeah that happens I can really relate to that my father and I had a relationship that could at times be contentious he was he was such a he was an incredible pioneer and entrepreneur and he would see things that he saw one way and he was visionary in that he would see those things and in the ways.
But it didn't always jive with reality in the moment but he was looking so far ahead and at times that could be so frustrating because we work together to see, I didn't see what he was seeing yet and, we would have these battles a lot in business together and he would frustrate me and I couldn't truly appreciate who he was and what he created and how legendary he was until, the end almost it's like when you start to see like wow he had. So many he was so far ahead in where he was and for me not always seeing in the moment being able to see those and to honor and respect and love him for that.
But in the end we, he was he was sick for a long time in the end and we he stayed at home and, we got to send him to heaven together as a family which was a beautiful thing to be able to do that and, we completed with each other there was nothing left unsaid he was he was ready to go and the experience was a beautiful thing.
But I also, every day now see all these little things that he did and said and how what what cherished special moments they were and you know who he was for me was somebody who I at the time you don't necessarily appreciate you don't really know like wow he is really loving me and looking out for the best for me and for all of us and just didn't look like it at the time.
So people never get to that point understand that yeah so to be grateful for that and they stay with us I hear my mom and my dad in my head sometimes, those things that when they first when they were doing I was like you're wrong you know when we knew everything right and then as we become older and wiser we realize wow they really did know what they were talking about and they really did want the best for us. Yeah, and so we get to pull from that yeah I have this bird that keeps trying to get in the house and my husband I both are like there's Beverly she's she's she wants to send a message about something.
Yeah and then I'll and then something will happen I'll be like okay that's what it was and the bird goes away and then months and months will go by and then all of a sudden it's back on that window again. Yeah, it's amazing when you're present to those things you see those signs when you're actually aware you have the awareness of it you could see that's that's her that's that's it happening that's him that's yes there it is again and when you're here and now and able to be present and, taking in the moment you can be present that they are there.
But for you to take somebody that was so legendary and created such a legacy and look what you have done you have expanded upon that so that is really beautiful and hard to do it's it's hard for some to follow in those, the shadows and those footsteps and you've actually expanded and found your own lane and made it your own. So that is really beautiful yeah yeah we, and we complemented each other well in many ways because I am I'm a beauty school dropout I didn't don't do hair I don't have hair.
So I so it worked really well we were able to, complement each other throughout throughout our time together and, as a family business which is always which is an entity in and of itself to be in family and in business and oh. Yeah now working on a third generation and it takes there's other dynamics involved but I, gave me a lot of opportunity but more than anything I saw and what I love and I'm. So passionate about in our industry is that we get to move and to really impact somebody's life because yes it is hair and some people say well it's not brain surgery.
But it impacts somebody's feelings about themselves it can have that kind of emotional right right and when you add it all together and it we're gonna have a huge impact on on people in their everyday life it's the one business where you get to actually touch somebody in physically in a way that's. Okay because you can't get that in the doctor's office they're like they have the slider there and you're just, it's like you go there for treatment here you come here for love and it's Disney World for mom.
So it's a special place for people and, I think that what you're doing is an extension gives us an opportunity to because we're blessed we live in paradise we live in the greatest place on the world I mean Naples just Florida Naples the whole experience like where do you go on vacation from here it's just such a, we live in such a great world and are.
So blessed with the people that we have around here and the people in our community and the pristine perfect streets and the restaurants and it's just a great spot and I know that you're doing a lot of things to make sure that it the people who up support this community, all the people that work there's what those that serve right are also taken care of. Because without them, we don't have that community so there's such a necessity especially with the cost of living and the amount of money it costs to live and feed a family here and to just, for those that aren't just transients or aren't just seasonal residents here.
So I know you guys do some work with those people too and we want to partner up with you on that so we'll talk more about that too because I definitely want to collab with you on making sure those people are taken care of too and in whatever way we can support you with that.
Yeah serving those that serve us that is just, I started this I had no cause to champion I was looking for kindness and I was looking to heal and it has been an amazing journey and I didn't think anybody would come to me that didn't need help that would abuse the system and you learn that there's a reason why you have to have a vetting system there's a reason why you have to have applications it's not to deny people it's to make sure that those that are receiving the services deserve and should have the services right.
So I found it very fulfilling to work with businesses we kind of leaned our way into this that actually are trying to show appreciation back because there are people that serve our community the people that cut our grass the people that are cleaning the dishes in the kitchen and serving us and housekeeping and all different admin our police officers are firefighters they all can make a really good wage that anywhere else in the country would be a nice living. But here in Naples it is not so we want to be able to bridge that gap and keep these quality people that are these these tape type a players that we really need in all of our businesses and serving us.
So we want to partner with businesses to be like let's show appreciation right I'm most proud of one of the first recipients that I had Diana I helped her and her son back five years ago when I started Beverly's Angels and every year she would come back and she would volunteer and last November due to circumstances beyond her control she lost her job and she was volunteering a lot it during the holiday season and I found out that she was no longer working and I was able to find a grant and she now is over our fulfillment department which is wonderful.
Because she knows how to receive what we give so she knows how to then give it to those that are receiving and it's done with beauty and grace and it's not this your charity case it is. Because we see you we love you we value you are worthy and so the way that we're able to give in that respect is really something that I'm really most proud of that someone that's walked in their shoes who's gone to work every day doing all the right things.
Yeah is actually the one that's actually communicating with them because they walk away feeling empowered and that I matter and that I care just like with hair when they come in here it's more than just getting a blowout or getting your hair done it is making you feel better about yourself when you look in the mirror you like what you see we do the same thing when people look in the mirror we help them like what they see. So it's very it's very similar than what we do right we're looking to we're here to serve we're servant leaders obviously and that's what we're doing in our community we just do it in a little different way.
But together we can collaborate and really make a tremendous impact on where we live yeah so for people who don't know what is what is the organization what is Beverly's Angels.
So 365 days out of the year we do socks pajamas and underwear in their favorite color or favorite character that is what we do most of the time however our signature project which is really becoming year-round is our dear Santa campaign and we kick booty when it comes to that we find out what they would really be asking Santa for and we have these homemade sacks that we work locally with businesses and organizations and churches and sewing groups that make these sacks that for a lot of these kids become their gym sack throughout the year.
So we learned quickly not to make them in Christmas because they're using them all year long and we stuff them with at least four to five toys of their choice we give them pancake mix and syrup for breakfast morning. So they have really the true spirit of the holiday we typically give them wrapping paper instead of wrapping we want mom and dad to have the joy of wrapping now there's some that have time constraints. Because we've also learned it's not only that finances are an under resourced here it is time some people are working 14 hours a day then they're working a second job and they just don't have the ability to wrap.
So for those particular cases we wrap but those Santa stacks they have stocking suffers they have socks pajamas and underwear they have sprinkle items they are really like Santa saw me Santa knows me Santa came down that chimney and made sure that I was taken care of for Christmas and how that all came about was like I said earlier I didn't have a cause to champion I was the typical organization that started to started taking people's things that I later learned our people's junk and they're not worthy of the people that I serve when someone comes to you in crisis or someone is referred to you the last thing you want to do is give them something that oh this is outdated or this has a stain or this is broken zipper or the button doesn't work.
But it's good enough right like that I quickly learned that was not fulfilling to me and one day I had this little boy he was eight years old big big brown eyes and I was working with him on some clothing and I had received some items from another organization that was khaki pants and they were folded with the tag in a cellophane bag and I don't have children. So I struggle a little bit with sizes so I gave him a couple and I'm like let's go try these on and he stopped and he looked at me I really thought something was wrong he really didn't move for at least about 30 seconds I'm like are you.
Okay and he looked up at me and he goes I never can get through this he goes I don't ever remember something being mine first and that was like I have not given a used item a gently loved item if it doesn't have a tag and it's not brand new our recipients don't get it and that just changed the whole world fast-forward my team saw all the people that were helping from Hurricane Ian people that have never asked for help before that just couldn't come in the door they struggled they were pacing back and forth they were crying not used to asking for help the team got to see firsthand when someone's like that the last thing you want to do would be like this is good enough for you right.
So that's really a pivotal you have pivotal points in your entrepreneurial journey and that was one of them that little boy saying that has been our slogan and since then we only give new and not only do only give new we want to make sure it's something that you're gonna love not something here right something that you're gonna be like this is my favorite. Yeah that's what we want we want people when they find their way to us to truly feel our presence and know that we see them we love them we care about them and every one of them that are who you are is special.
Yeah oh that's beautiful I really, makes me think cuz this time of year we always go through what we're gonna buy all the people in our in our lives what are we gonna get for them and, in you run out of things like what could it be now everybody kind of has I mean we're in an Amazon world where you have whatever you want whatever you want now like right away. So whatever somebody wanted they probably already have and what do they really want and so that you end up buying something that, you see on the shelf at their house six months from now still in the box and you spent this money and, yeah they had to go through the motions of saying thank you.
So much I never thought about this I love this but I don't really need it so the last couple years we've been saying why don't we do something you know that instead of buying for each other we'd buy for somebody else and, this sounds like a great opportunity for us and I know you know when David found out about you guys how perfect this is. Because we can do our shopping at least is my own family and then as an organization too so I know that you dropped off some some little tree cards is that what they are today.
Yeah they're tags yeah they're actually children's wishlist yeah always there's something that stands out every year and last year we had a little girl that asked for rain boots an umbrella and a jacket a rain jacket and her favorite character was frozen and. So we did a little bit deep in Dino did a little bit deeper because that is like an interesting request right and she goes I'm getting wet at the school bus stop like I don't want to get wet at the school bus stop anymore.
So it's like the children that come to us I have done this now for five years I have had and I can count on one hand the people that have asked for something like an electronic device or something crazy or stupid a lot of our people are like can I have a pet of sheets can I have something for my sister can you make sure that she has a toy can you just give me some clothes to wear to school.
So I fit in and they don't not fit me so these tags are specifically either what the child has asked for we try not to go directly the children like to ask the parents or the guardians or we work with several after-school programs and be like find out what the child would really ask Santa for. So then we fill out the tags and we'd give you at least two things that they have on their list on the tag something that they say they love like spider-man we can never get enough spider-man never we actually have parties for the spider-man themed.
Because we of the Marvel is just something we can't get enough and so it will also say their underwear their socks and their pajama size and you can go pick up the tag shop locally you can shop online you can ship it to here you can ship it directly to our boutique. But it's actual items that children have requested we are not that organization is like you're eight years old you're a girl this is an age-eight appropriate gift that is not what happens our forms you cannot go to the next section without filling it out you have to tell us your size you have to tell us your favorite color you have to tell us your favorite character.
Because we don't want to just see it can be a negative if you get a gift that you would not ask for that is not your main to anything that you like and you actually dislike it and Santa brings that to you that's actually negative to a child right I want to make sure the child gets something and be like I feel good about this when before I started Beverly's Angels I remember there's a beautiful lady Carmen that used to do a toy drive out for the manatee elementary and she used to talk to me about she started this.
Because they noticed the first two days after Christmas break there were kids not coming to school and she did some research and she found that the kids were like hearing I got this Santa got me this I got that and Santa didn't go see these other kids and. So it's like I want to find those kids no I want to give the magic to Santa so that is what we do when we tend to find them I don't know how it happens someone says hey I have this brand new bed it's still in a box we don't do beds all the time. But can you use it I'm telling you the same day that afternoon I will have another organization be like do you happen to have a twin bed that is it's just.
Because when you create magic there's magic all around you when you put it out there with your good intentions just good things happen beautiful and how do you how do you find how could people refer people to you that are in need how do you find our website you can always reach out to us for our website which is Beverly's angels org you can find us on Facebook or Instagram there is a form to fill out self nominations we do go through an elaborate process.
Because everything we give is new and everything we give is a lot so we need to make sure and vet for those that donate to us that you're gonna make sure these items are going to a child and they are not going to be I hate to say this. But this does happen things can be resold right so we have to be very specific that's why we partner with businesses and other organizations because they vetted already like we're working with lighthouse we are working with the rec center we work with the police department the fire department several of school principals.
Because we know that when they send us the children they're gonna be children that they personally see that are in need right but you still can nominate a family you can still reach out to us at Beverly's angels org and Diana will pick up the phone and we'll have that conversation and find out what the needs are what the story is of the family why are they looking for help.
Because a lot of times they are very legit and they need more things than what we can do so we can do Christmas but they might have problems paying their electric bill and I can refer them to another nonprofit that does that or they have somebody this in the family it's elderly that needs a walker I can refer to another organization for that right. So we are not just like here you go we are how can we significantly impact you so everybody that comes to us in some way walks away with something even if it's not a service that we can provide.
Yeah awesome so if somebody wanted to give gifts or to support the organization what are some of the best ways that they could do that how can people help you know when I started Beverly's Angels I really there's a lot of philanthropic things here and I found that if you were ones that big fishy that write the big checks you get all of the accolades right and look we need that funding we need somebody to write those checks. But I wanted everybody to feel like they could be a part of it so you can volunteer your time and be a tensile team elf you can scan our team help team out yes we call our sandals workshop the tensile team headquarters.
So you can volunteer your time we have packing with purpose parties to where you can pack the pajamas we have drives where you can organize them through your business or your organization or a civic outlet. But you also can scan our Amazon list you can buy one item or you can buy a hundred items I wanted to make it so anybody and everybody could feel like they could give back. So you can write a check you can go online and do a donation automatically get a tax receipt you can always find our Amazon wish list I know I love shopping local I get that.
But when you do thousands of kids at Christmas you need a way to where it ships directly to you and we can have some sort of reference of why it's coming to us. So that is why we do the Amazon wish list so there's Amazon you can do a packing party you can donate directly you can volunteer your time you can spread the word you can be somebody that has resources be like I don't have much time. But I have this contact I know this person that works at Nike I see that you need a lot of hoodies I know somebody to DDS let me get you some merchandise people can be a connector for us which is a beautiful thing that one thing leads to another.
So we are looking always for awareness and we are looking for people that wholeheartedly embrace our mission those are the people that can help us in some way spread the word and help our web be larger and there's a storefront. Yeah we have a location it is a converted garage but we call it a boutique and our tensile team headquarters we have totally from top to bottom renovated it's a very magical space there is snowflakes hanging everywhere in there now and.
So we do have a hybrid to where some people like the police department this week we have three people from their admin team they're actually coming into the boutique they have a list from all of the officers in the admin and they're gonna actually shop as a team building bonding experience for the children.
Because we just can't get the officers to come in because they're like we appreciate a gift right so they wouldn't take as much for themselves so we do have a beautiful space and some people get to come in and shop and it's just a beautiful experience and it's a team building and they get to see these officers children grow up right and they get to be a part of I know this child where we don't know the children.
But the people that work with him do so they can be like oh I would know that he'd love this spider-man or he'd love this backpack we had a mom shop last year and she gave us a very detailed list and she thought, she was good to go and I might just come in just just to make sure and she walked in and there was this unicorn backpack that if you touch it was sequenced and it moved you right and she goes my daughter would love that and that out of everything on her Christmas list was her daughter's favorite item and she never would have thought to ask for a unicorn backpack.
So actually having a place so our long-term goal is to have a pop-up next year the year after is we want to have a place that is known kind of like how Spirit of Halloween does it where you can shop for Halloween. So people can actually come in and shop for themselves one of the things that we do serve children from one to they say 92 we do take care of a lot of senior citizens there are seniors in this town that need our love and support that don't have family or support.
So we always take care of them as well hmm that's awesome so what's who's who's this guy Benny Benny is he I wanted a mascot and I set a couple of children around my dining room table when I first started this and I. Because I didn't know what I was doing I didn't have a cause and I thought children are gonna be able to see what other children need more than me thinking I think this is what children need.
So I was having brainstorming sessions and roundtable discussions with them several times and I brought Benny in as just a bear and as a thank you and one of the girls Madeline Ray immediately raised her hand and said I have a girl in my classroom that could use some sunshine can I give her my bear.
Well the rest of the kids they all wanted to give their bear away so that created Benny and the Kinda Squad book this is actually an interactive book that is all real stories of children in Collier County of how they gave their bear away hundred percent of the proceeds go back to Beverly's Angels they had a naming contest Charlie was in a really big running for the name like Charlie's Angels. But Benny was what the kids loved so he has become Benny I am petitioning and gunned one day his his legal name is toothpick and I'm hoping that we make such a noise with Beverly's Angels that we can rename him legally through the company of Benny oh awesome.
So that's how it all came about its children giving back to children and we have several those kids that still get back they volunteer their time we give community service hours we attract kids especially with autism we get a lot of kids that feel like they don't fit in other places and they are great in our boutique they're very meticulous they're very detailed they're very giving and kind I record with this one little boy Dominic and I was explaining to him.
Okay we're talking about underwear and I was saying, some kids don't have underwear and this is what the package is and I just need you to talk whatever you want to say about underwear and I turn around, turn the camera on and I look back and he's crying he's got a tear in his eye and he's like I get to just go to my underwear drawer and pull it out and I get to choose whatever character color I want to wear that day and it fits me and he's like there's kids there's kids that like are in my class that don't have underwear that's wearing too small or they're turning it inside out.
Because they can't do enough laundry they don't have enough so that has been one of the most beautiful things and we actually have been on NBC 2 News with Lester Holt the Kindness Squad has been interviewed for all of their good work that they do the Kindness Squad the Kindness Squad the book is Benny and the Kindness Squad got it.
Okay so they just spread love and kindness and we don't have a lot of people on it we have a small group because we really want to make an impact on the children, you can do a lot of things with one person wanting to do something beautiful and other people just come into line and it really gives the children an opportunity to shine that's what I'm really of all the things I love the Kindness Squad and I love children giving back to other children. Yeah, in this world we need it gets them off the devices you know when my dad was teaching we didn't have any of that stuff, we played outside we rode our bikes we didn't have cell phones we when it was dusk we came home.
Yeah right and the neighbors knew you're not home you need to get home right so I try to bring just a little bit of that piece of my childhood back because I think that's really missing this day and age and that's really kind of what the Kindness Squad is. Yeah oh it's a, it's an activity that parents could get their kids involved in that you don't think about it's it's, unless it's a it's a camp or an organized thing it's a great opportunity I mean it sounds like something fantastic that especially starting at that level as a child getting involved in the Kindness Squad how cool is that.
Because kids these days are so busy it's hard to get a group of them together all the time yeah so we offer spurts of areas where they can help and really give back to their community. Yeah so they can understand some appreciation yeah yeah and it's done physically not on a cyber world it's not done on the internet it's done one on one right, we're we're not the organization that's looking to do thousands and thousands and hundreds of thousands of people.
But every person that comes to us that one person gets our full attention that day that moment that second yeah in one person at a time yeah it's so great I love that it directly goes to another soul another human it's not just just doesn't go in a big pot and then it just doled out at random this is something specific that they wanted that they needed that they asked for that, could be. So easily fulfilled by so many people I mean, especially in our community we're very very blessed and to be able to directly impact a family child we don't think about it we don't see it we don't always hear it in Pleasantville.
Because we live in Pleasantville yes we don't always see that so that you guys have, made this opportunity available for people so that, we don't just end up with a bunch of a shelf full of things that we didn't need and that somebody else certainly could have impacted their life in such a positive way. So love that you're doing this thank you thanks for doing I'd love you to see the space we've had it donated to us for the last couple of years life has changed for the person who owns it.
So she is in a position that she needs us to vacate to sell so after this holiday season we will be homeless but I'm not worried about it because when one door closes another one opens something beautiful will happen and we will continue to spread love on a bigger better way we have several people already looking you just have to believe that you do the right thing you have good intentions you're there to make a difference in your world things will happen right.
Yeah, have that mindset of we wake up in the morning with a smile on our face and something magical is gonna happen yeah yeah beautiful now the people who come into into the salons and they're looking at our tree which isn't up yet. But when it's up and they see one of the tags what's the what do they do what's so they grab a tag they get to go shop and they can do it locally or it's really nice if you have children to do it locally.
Because you can take them to the store and they can actually help and pick out especially in the part that says I love like let's just say it is princess for a little girl then the little girl can go pick out some princess item for that child right then they bring it back to your salon. Because we also want traction of them coming back to you and maybe they pick up some hair products or something as another gift for somebody else right so they bring it back to you and then our tensile team once a week comes in and does a sweep and picks up the presents restocks the boutique.
Because we actually have had people in shopping since the first of September we've already done a lot of kids just to get to this point because we are not Santa like I am NOT going down the chimney in the red suit on Christmas Eve right our Christmas really slows down by the 20th of December and those are for the last few people we really try to get all of our children served by like the 10th of December. Because there's always kids that you don't want left behind that come in at last minute so we really try we back it up every year last year it was October 1st this year it was September 1st and for the first time we created a Christmas and July campaign.
But now it's just gonna become all year long to really serve significantly and give personalized sacks to every child it takes a lot of effort and energy and love in a beautiful way I never want anybody to cut a corner or feel like they just got an age-appropriate gift. Yeah right, there are times that we have sacks sitting for one item to come in so that's why we do an Amazon wish list on our Instagram every day it's the hottest item that we're looking for people can click on it stays up to date it's literally the toys that have been requested on a deer Santa list that we do not physically have in our boutique.
Okay so that's a really great thing that they can do as well as come in and grab a tag and shop they could they could also drop things off at the store at the salon wherever when they when they purchase something yes I can give you our our phone number is for anybody that wants to write it down or if I put on the screen it's 239 404 2082 again that's 239 404 2082 you can set a text message that'll go straight to our head elf of Diana and she can set schedule a time.
Because we're very mindful of we do not want drop-offs when we actually have a recipient shopping in the boutique so we really are we want to keep privacy of both our donors and those that are receiving we do them at certain times she can also send you a link or whoever wants to drop off a link of like pick the best time for you. Because we also want to be prepared have our carts emptied we come outside we pick the things up take them inside for you right we really have tried to make it a well-oiled operation.
But at this time of year there's lots of moving parts yeah sure, they're elves everywhere yeah so in the websites always being updated so at any point somebody can always go to the website and do everything right from there they yes Beverly's angels org had gives you a lot of information you can contact us through there you can donate through there you can click on the Amazon wish link if you're not on socials that will always be updated throughout we keep it up in all year long. But this time of year it's specifically the toys or it's clothing right now this thing that we're the shortest on is makeup and hoodies we cannot seem to get enough of those.
Because yes we do focus on dear Santa age children but guess what they have siblings and you can't take care of and really go all out on dear Santa for those that believe in Santa and then they have siblings that are 12 13 14 16 years old and be like you don't get anything under the tree. So that is why we have older children is their siblings of youngers and we really want them to feel just the magic and love too right those are tough years our teenage years right. So we want to give them something like when you do hair and people feel good we want to give them something that's gonna they're gonna wear and feel good about themselves right.
Yeah we're both in the same very similar business, it's all about how we feel about ourselves and how we feel about ourselves makes us show up differently and when we show up for ourselves in school we can learn more when we feel good about ourselves we can be a better lover a better wife a better husband all the better a better employee a better boss right.
Yeah so it's all about how we can help people really show up for themselves yeah and really live life well I'm so happy we discovered you and we're here for you I'm fully I mean whatever we can do for you as an organization and our family of people we're here a thousand percent and I would love to follow up after the holidays or whenever we can to keep this conversation going. So that people know the impact that they've had and we can hear some of the beautiful stories that come out of this too because we want to be a part of whatever it is that you're up to.
Because I know you're championing the kind of squad and good humans good good people in the community so, it's purpose it's giving people that true purpose yeah and feeling good right. Yeah and we can take care of our families that we can take care of ourselves but when you adopt a child for Christmas that you'll never meet in your life and have no idea the impact the feeling it's just it's just beautiful you know when you really know that you've touched somebody that you never get to meet.
But you've given that magic of Santa that a mom at the moment can't give that's just a beautiful thing so I love your organization I love the vibe when I walked in here I'm like from the moment like I said it's an experience here we're both totally on vibes and I get a really good vibe from you and let's just collaborate and let's really show people it doesn't you don't have to have the big pocketbook you don't have to have all the connections. But one person at a time can help one other person significantly and a smile because you never know what someone is going through just sharing that means all the world yeah I love it I love it.
Well we're all about it okay you're Meeland Mason my grandchildren this is for you guys you're gonna be become a part of the kind of squad yeah yes this is really beautiful I'm very grateful. Yeah very much yeah honored thanks for what you're doing we really appreciate you love respect honor and we'll always be here for you thanks again thank you very much awesome.