Frequently Asked Questions

What is Beauty Night Society?

Beauty Night Society is a volunteer-based organization that offers wellness programs to marginalized women and youth to help them build their self-esteem and feelings of self worth.

Beauty Night Society (BNS) teaches disadvantaged women and youth tools to heal themselves and their communities. This award-winning, registered charity believes everyone is entitled to dignity and respect.

Whom does Beauty Night Society serve?

The women and youth who participate in BNS programming live in poverty. Most of our participants experienced physical, sexual and/or relational violence before 18 years of age. Our participants include survival sex workers, elderly, transgendered persons and single mothers. Homelessness, mental ill health, addiction, and violence are many of the barriers that prevent our participants from feeling “of worth” to integrate into our communities.

What do you offer your participants?

We offer our participants programs to foster healthy self worth. Our programming includes components of mentorship, personal development, and volunteer opportunities.

We offer support, friendship ,and programs to learn skills such as self-care and nutrition, fitness, goal setting, stress management, literacy, and interview preparation. One of our most popular programs is the Life Makeover night, where volunteer professionals offer women free hair cuts, manicures, massages and makeovers. We also donate clothing and beauty products such as shampoo, skincare, and makeup.

Aren’t your participants more in need of essentials like health care, housing and jobs?

Beauty Night incorporates health care into our program. For example many of our volunteers who offer pedicures to our clients are nursing students who are checking for diabetes symptoms while applying nail polish. Beauty Night partners with many agencies that offer more extensive health care, housing, job training, and shelter.

We at Beauty Night recognize that self-esteem is an important part of regaining control over one’s life. A nice haircut and professional outfit can make a woman much more confident about applying for a job or starting a new class at school. We also teach women how to look after their health through fitness and nutrition.

In addition, for many women on the street, human touch is associated with physical or sexual abuse. Having their shoulders massaged or hair brushed by a caring volunteer are wonderful reminders of how healing touch can be. Beauty Night strives to give its clients a rare moment of pleasure and pampering.

What is the difference between Beauty Night and the rest of your programs?

Our legal name is Beauty Night Society . Under that umbrella we run:

Whenever possible, we offer child minding, mentorship, creation station, and fitness to our outreach programming scheduled at host organizations. Our annual Xmas Stocking Drive and Knit Fit are ways to educate children, youth and businesses about poverty and many of the barriers that the women who participate in Beauty Night programming face and offer them an opportunity to actively participate in making a difference in the lives of many, hence community building.

Why do you need money?

Over 90% of funds raised directly benefit our participants and develop leadership skills. To continue our mission – to provide marginalized women and youth tools to make positive lifestyle changes, we need to build sustainability and to create a model that we can duplicate to benefit more people in other communities. Although most of our programming is for women and youth in Vancouver, we have provided Beauty Night life-makeover programs in Victoria, Toronto and Prince George.

Can I get a tax receipt?

Yes. Beauty Night Society is a registered Canadian Charity. Our charity number is BN:857938088RR0001
We give tax receipts for monetary donations over $10.

What does Beauty Night Need?

  • Funding for programming
  • New products and supplies
  • Volunteers

Where can I drop off donations of product?

Please see our ‘How You Can Help’ page.

Where do Beauty Night events take place?

In Vancouver:
Monday through Thursday we are at 412 E Cordova, from 6:30 to 9pm.