Hair We Share hosted a sold-out, joy-filled afternoon this past weekend at Patrizia’s Marquee Commack, blending comedy, clairvoyance, music, and community to support the nonprofit’s mission of providing free wigs to children and adults experiencing medical hair loss. The event delivered not only entertainment, but also extraordinary generosity from partners and attendees.

A standout moment came when Chef Michael Landesberg of Jackson Hall pledged an incredible $10,000 donation to Hair We Share. His announcement brought co-founders Dean Riskin and Suzanne Chimera to tears, as the gift will directly fund wig servicing for breast cancer patients on Long Island — ensuring that local individuals facing medical hair loss receive dignity, confidence, and compassionate support.

The excitement continued with a stunning Gold Ticket Raffle Basket donated by Beauty by Imagination (BBI), featuring products from Wet Brush, Goody, Bio Ionic, and Ouidad, which helped drive the day’s fundraising momentum.

Guests were also treated to a special first-ever reading from Hair We Share’s soon-to-be-published children’s book,Heroes and Their Hair. Written by Skyler Agresti, with stories by co-founder Suzanne Chimera and illustrations by Clara Liang. The book is designed to help children prepare emotionally for chemotherapy and the changes that come with it. The debut reading, delivered beautifully by Peter Vivenzio, created one of the afternoon’s most heartfelt and memorable moments.

Entertainment throughout the event was exceptional:

Hair We Share also proudly recognized Hartford Funding for their generous sponsorship and ongoing support of the organization’s mission.

“On behalf of Hartford Funding, we are honored to support an organization as impactful as Hair We Share. The work they do to restore confidence and dignity to individuals experiencing medical hair loss is truly inspiring,” says Michael Cymbala of Hartford Funding. “We are proud to be a sponsor of such a meaningful cause and look forward to continuing our support in the future.”

“The love and compassion from our community was truly amazing,” says Jo Marie, Hair We Share’s lead stylist. “I am so grateful that this event will help us address our current shortage of blonde and long hair, allowing us to better serve the individuals who rely on us. Thank you so much to the hair salons and stylists who came together; we truly united to make a difference in the lives of the people we serve.”

“As a co-founder, seeing a room full of people come together with this much heart reminds me why we started Hair We Share in the first place,” said Dean Riskin, co-founder of Hair We Share. “The generosity we witnessed — from every raffle ticket to every laugh shared in that room — directly fuels our ability to help people right here in our community.”

Co-founder Suzanne Chimera added, “This event was a beautiful reminder that compassion and joy can exist side by side. Every person who attended helped us move our mission forward, and we’re deeply grateful for the love and support we felt in that room.”

Source: LI Press