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When disaster strikes – as it has so often this year in the US and Caribbean – Debra Neill is there to help. Neill runs the nonprofit Salon and Spa Relief Fund, which she founded in 2005 in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. A native of Louisiana, which suffered massive flooding and devastation from the storm, Neill has been a distributor for spa and salon supplier Aveda in the southeast US for decades.
She wanted to help, and knew many in her industry were suffering – it’s not always easy (or even possible) to get flood insurance in many areas, and small, family-run businesses were hit especially hard as they tried to pick up the pieces. “We were devastated by Katrina and we started raising money for salons and day spas that were affected,” says Neill.
The money raised helps spa owners and their employees rebuild their lives and businesses after a natural disaster or a fire. The goal is to get businesses up-and-running as soon as possible, but also to see people through, who may be out of work for weeks or months while repairs take place.
After the extreme weather in the US this summer, Neill created a ‘Hurricanes Harvey and Irma 500 Challenge’ to raise funds for those in the industry affected by the storms. In the first few weeks after Harvey, the organisation distributed US$32,000, but Neill called on the industry to contribute more due to the extent of the damage and the number of people in the spa industry affected. The goal is for 500 businesses to donate US$500 in order to raise a total of US$250,000.
Since its inception, the Spa and Salon Relief Fund has distributed more than US$200,000 for those dealing with everything from flooding to fires. A board of directors reviews grant applications, but aims to get money to people quickly. For Hurricane Harvey, Neill reports that cheques were distributed to people within 10 days; some recipients faced chest-high water in their facilities, and many were unable to carry flood insurance.
Neill said the organisation keeps about US$20,000 in reserve so they are ready to help immediately when a disaster strikes.
“It’s unfortunate, but it seems like it’s going to be an ongoing need,” said Neill. “We’re committed to keeping money in that account because these natural disasters keep coming.”
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
Promotional feature: Anne Semonin
Katherine Connolly, newly appointed global
director of retail and spa operations at Anne
Semonin, discusses her plans for the brand
Promotional feature: Thalion
Thalion is the first company to develop highly
specialised mineral therapies for clients, says
training manager Sophie Alemany
Research: Finishing touch
A new study shows that massage can
help muscle re-growth after an injury –
even when applied to the opposite limb
When disaster strikes – as it has so often this year in the US and Caribbean – Debra Neill is there to help. Neill runs the nonprofit Salon and Spa Relief Fund, which she founded in 2005 in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. A native of Louisiana, which suffered massive flooding and devastation from the storm, Neill has been a distributor for spa and salon supplier Aveda in the southeast US for decades.
She wanted to help, and knew many in her industry were suffering – it’s not always easy (or even possible) to get flood insurance in many areas, and small, family-run businesses were hit especially hard as they tried to pick up the pieces. “We were devastated by Katrina and we started raising money for salons and day spas that were affected,” says Neill.
The money raised helps spa owners and their employees rebuild their lives and businesses after a natural disaster or a fire. The goal is to get businesses up-and-running as soon as possible, but also to see people through, who may be out of work for weeks or months while repairs take place.
After the extreme weather in the US this summer, Neill created a ‘Hurricanes Harvey and Irma 500 Challenge’ to raise funds for those in the industry affected by the storms. In the first few weeks after Harvey, the organisation distributed US$32,000, but Neill called on the industry to contribute more due to the extent of the damage and the number of people in the spa industry affected. The goal is for 500 businesses to donate US$500 in order to raise a total of US$250,000.
Since its inception, the Spa and Salon Relief Fund has distributed more than US$200,000 for those dealing with everything from flooding to fires. A board of directors reviews grant applications, but aims to get money to people quickly. For Hurricane Harvey, Neill reports that cheques were distributed to people within 10 days; some recipients faced chest-high water in their facilities, and many were unable to carry flood insurance.
Neill said the organisation keeps about US$20,000 in reserve so they are ready to help immediately when a disaster strikes.
“It’s unfortunate, but it seems like it’s going to be an ongoing need,” said Neill. “We’re committed to keeping money in that account because these natural disasters keep coming.”
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
Promotional feature: Anne Semonin
Katherine Connolly, newly appointed global
director of retail and spa operations at Anne
Semonin, discusses her plans for the brand
Promotional feature: Thalion
Thalion is the first company to develop highly
specialised mineral therapies for clients, says
training manager Sophie Alemany
Research: Finishing touch
A new study shows that massage can
help muscle re-growth after an injury –
even when applied to the opposite limb
Bel Hotel Oléron Thalasso and Spa, MGallery Collection has opened on the French island Île
d'Oléron off the country’s western coast with a 27-treatment-room spa.
Manipulating the gut microbiome could become a powerful tool for preserving brain health and
resilience as people age, according to research led by Professor Paola Tognini, a neuroscientist
at the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa, Italy.
Jessica Sloyan, a wellness operations and training expert, has established an independent
private training academy to provide professional qualifications for practitioners looking to offer
immersive wellness experiences.
The International Spa Association (ISPA) has published its full 2026 US Spa Industry Study,
providing further insights into the region’s total US$1 billion (€855 million, £780 million)
industry revenue increase from 2024 to 2025.
Ameyalli, the 78-acre wellbeing resort and residential community in Midway in Utah, US, has
broken ground on phase two of the hot spring development – the Ameyalli Resort and Spa –
which is due to open in 2028.
TLee Spas and Wellness has revealed the design concept for a high-tech spa with body
mapping scanners to improve public health, for AI company Midjourney.
Gran Hotel Taoro in northern Tenerife, Spain, has completed the final phase of its three-year
renovation with the debut of its Sandára Wellness Centre.
Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa, the spa business with more than 650 locations across
the US and Canada, has appointed franchise expert Carrie Walsh as CEO as the company plans
to expand.
Synergy – The Retreat Show, the global trade show for retreats, has launched a global research
initiative that will provide insights into the retreat sector from both consumer and industry
perspectives.
