Creating Bethany House Beauties

Iris Salon in Seaford opened its doors to a special group of young ladies and volunteers on March 28. With a hair dryer in one hand and a brush in the other, the Iris Salon staff gave makeovers to a half-dozen women. Salon owners Iris and Roger Slotkin had a mission of helping the community they live in and making the women of Bethany House feel beautiful.

“Bethany House has been around for over 30 years here on Long Island and we are just struggling every day to try and get these women off the streets and keep them safe and happy,” Residential Director Heidi Ceelig said. “Iris, the owner of the salon, was willing to try and help give beautiful makeovers to the young ladies and bring up their self-esteem and hopes. Many of them are looking for jobs so this will help give them an incentive to find a job and get off the system and hopefully find their own place.” 

Founded in 1978, Bethany House is a non-profit agency that was created in response to a growing need for emergency shelter and services for women and their children who are caught in the crisis of homelessness. Bethany House of Nassau County was incorporated in 1987 and had developed a full Board of Directors in 1990.

Bethany defines its mission as a response to its belief that each person deserves and needs adequate food, clothing and shelter, provided in a nurturing and sustaining environment. The organization also seeks to provide a homelike atmosphere wherein shelter, care and comprehensive services combine to encourage the individual or family to attain self-sufficiency and restore human dignity. With transitional housing in Bellmore and three emergency shelters in Baldwin and Roosevelt, Bethany House helps to provide support and services to more than 85 people in need nightly.

“My wife has always had a passion to do outreach programs,” salon owner Roger Slotkin said. “We try to help women who have either been disadvantaged or abused and it has to do with building self-esteem by teaching them how to do their hair and their makeup.”