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.”