Gadabout Gives Back
All over Tucson, Gadabout SalonSpas is known for their “Philanthropic Totes.” In fact, they contributed almost 200 last year to local organizations for silent auctions. Not only are they doing good by helping women’s and children’s non-profits raised much-needed funds, but they’re getting their name out over and over again. These designed totes include a gift card, which most consumers find more valuable than product baskets.
“The custom-designed Tote and Gift Card Holding Pouch feels modern and minimalistic—something our guests would use in their day-to-day activities,” says Jana Westerbeke, who co-owns Gadabout SalonSpa with her husband Frank. “Inside, the recipient will find a clear pouch with our ‘Best Day Ever’ gift card holder and three $50.00 gift cards that can be used for services or home- care products. We also include a Gadabout sticker sheet with stickers representing our salon’s sense of fun, along with a single sticker with the sentiment ‘You Look Good.’”
To support the Totes, the salon created easy-to-display How-To Set Up instructions for the recipient non-profits to ensure that the salon’s brand standards are upheld—whether it’s for a large auction table or a small raffle.
“We believe that the gift presented in this way helps the non-profit raise more money, and that consumers find the gift cards more valuable than a basket of products they might or might not use,” Jana says. “Our non-profit partners say the totes are one of the first items to sell.”
But wait, there’s more! While Jana is incredibly humble, her team wanted to brag about how she touches so many lives, living by a pay-it-forward philosophy. They sent us so many examples, that we couldn’t possibly include them all. We are so incredibly proud to call her an ISBN member! Here are just a few:
- Jana created a program that invites her employees to select a non-profit, and she will donate $20.00 for every hour they volunteer, essentially doubling their impact.
- For Earth Month, the company partnered with Ben’s Bells, an organization that’s all about promoting kindness. “We hosted their annual fundraiser ‘Celebrate Kindness’ at our space, and they were able to raise considerable funds (with no overhead), while we were able to celebrate being Kind to the Earth!,” says Jana.
- Brandt Hazen from Intermountain Centers was struggling to engage more donors. Jana challenged Brandt to pursue multi-year donors and volunteered to be the first. On the spot, she personally pledged $15,000, payable in $5,000 increments for three years. She told them to use it as a match or for momentum to engage others to do the same.
- Last year Jana saw Emerge Center Against Domestic Abuse holding a donation-drive and stopped to check it out. When she learned what the event was about, she immediately went to the nearby Gadabout Salon and pulled ALL the shampoo liters off the shelves to donate. Fast forward to 2022, Gadabout donated over 100 bottles of professional-sized shampoo and conditioner and 10% of all retail sales from a designated day to Emerge. She also encouraged the salon team to bring donations, which filled multiple boxes.
- She supports Bald Beauties, gift bags for teen girls who recently lost their hair due to cancer or other treatments, and provides in-salon services for any terminally ill patient for a photo shoot for themselves with their families. In addition, Gadabout has donated over 3,500 inches of hair with complimentary haircuts to Locks of Love.
- Jana met a woman recently who told her about Gospel Rescue Mission. The next day, she had a cargo van loaded full of cases of men’s XL flip flops to donate for the un-housed men suffering in the community.
- As Emeritus Board Member and Past President of Boys and Girls Clubs of Tucson, Jana has personally raised over $1 million.