Our Blog

Welcome Center volunteer and Mary Kay representative, Alyssa Vasquez, sat down with four residents of the The Haven, Friendship Place’s transitional house for women, to do a workshop on professional makeup.

“Since all of the women at The Haven are seeking part-time or full-time employment, I thought this workshop would be an important thing to offer, to teach them about professional appearance in the workplace.  It’s also really good for residents’ self-esteem,” explains Maisha Pinkard, case manager for The Haven.  Maisha and two other Friendship Place staff also attended the workshop to show support for the women and get some beauty tips of their own.

The residents who attended responded very positively to the workshop.  Rena Wood, who is in the process of looking for retail or hospitality work, said, “I had a lot of fun and I’m really happy I could be a part of this.”  All of the women in attendance walked away with a new look and an invigorated attitude towards their goals.  As Alyssa showed, looking good is the first step to feeling good about yourself and where you’re headed.

“These women are so beautiful and their spirits are sweet! Rena Wood mentioned in the Mary Kay class that we need female relationships to help encourage us and keep us going. It was great to see the Friendship Place staff coming alongside these ladies to help build self-esteem and to show that they believe in them. Celebrating life even in the smallest ways can bring a glimpse of hope, and a glimpse of hope can change a life. I look forward to seeing them flourish in their dreams!”

Submitted By: Maisha Pinkard
Welcome Center Case Manager
Friendship Place