By VICTORIA DEGTYAREVA
Staff Reporter
Chella Professional Skin Care, a line of anti-aging and anti-wrinkle skin products, usually caters to the upper class. But the company has teamed up with Union Rescue Mission, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping the poor, to give homeless mothers some pampering.
Chella began its partnership with Union Rescue Mission in March. The company’s president, Chris Kolodziejski, and his wife, Kimberly, have been volunteering at the mission for more than 25 years. Each has been dedicated to the organization since before they were married by volunteering, serving in food lines, and baking turkeys for Thanksgiving. After founding Chella, they decided that they could help even more.
“When we were looking for something meaningful to do at Chella, Union Rescue Mission was the obvious choice they’re right in our backyard, we’ve seen them do some fabulous work, and they are near and dear to our hearts,” Kimberly Kolodziejski said.
Camarillo-based Chella has pledged 20 percent of all purchases made through its Web site to the mission. Additionally, Chella will donate 100 percent of each purchase of its $100 Intensive Formula Eye Cream until it reaches its fundraising goal of $10,000.
“To have a significant financial impact on the mission, we are trying to take a very aggressive approach and do a little more than most companies are willing to do,” Kolodziejski said.
For the mission’s Mother’s Day event this year, Chella transformed a storage room into a full spa complete with massage tables, candles, music, and steamers.
The company brought in two licensed aestheticians to give women at the mission full facials and neck and shoulder massages. Fifty women signed up for 30-minute appointments. Within minutes of lying down on the massage tables, most of the women fell asleep.
“This really underscores the amount of pressure, anxiety, and fear they have in their lives just trying to get through each day,” said Chris Kolodziejski. “The moment they had somebody to take care of them, they were able to relax.”
Many of the women had never received facials. But the facials did more than just exfoliate the skin.
“These types of services that are more in the lines of luxury rather than necessity let the women know that they are special,” said Shaeideh Prince, development officer for the mission. “The facials helped them boost their self-esteem and blend into mainstream social life.”
After the treatment, each received a gift bag full of Chella skin products worth $125. All together, Chella donated more than $6,000 in gifts and services. The aestheticians were moved by the experience and refused to accept payment.
“It was an amazing day,” Kimberly Kolodziejski said. “We got a great opportunity to give these women some spoiling that they don’t normally get. It seems like we almost got more out of it than they did.”
The company hopes to make the facials an annual tradition and to organize a similar event during the holiday season.
“When you are in a position to give back, the greatest gift you can give is time,” Chris Kolodziejski said. “Time is more important than money because it’s the one thing nobody has. When you can go down and give of yourself and touch a person’s heart with your service, it’s a wonderful and worthwhile experience.”
