CNN Names Shirley Raines 'Hero Of The Year' For Beauty Services To Skid Row

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Congratulations are in order to Shirley Raines, founder of Beauty 2 the Streetz, who was just named CNN’s ‘Hero of the Year’ for her humanitarian efforts in the Skid Row neighborhood. On Sunday (December 12) Raines received the award during the ceremony which was hosted by Anderson Cooper and Kelly Ripa.

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Beauty 2 the Streetz is a non-profit organization that provides food, clothing, showers, hair and makeup services to the residents of Skid Row. The neighborhood, which is predominantly occupied by homeless people in the Downtown, Los Angeles area, has received services by the non-profit for the past six years, helping thousands of people.

On a weekly basis, Raines and a team of volunteers get together to provide outdoor services for the public. Her goal is to help the homeless feel like everyone else. Through haircuts, a warm meal, a facial, and even a hug, Raines aims to reinforce the basic human experience.

“It’s not so much just giving them makeup or doing their hair, it’s also the physical touch,” Raines said. “People need physical touch. That’s what was hard when the pandemic hit. We had to stop doing hair, we had to stop doing barber services. And that might be the nicest touch they’ve had all day.”

Raines’ personal struggle is what inspired her to launch Beauty 2 the Streetz. She began feeding the less fortunate in 2017 alongside her church, which eventually led her to Skid Row.

“I went to Skid Row, I’m like, ‘Oh, this is where all the broken people are? Oh, I’ve been looking for y’all all my life,” she said. “I never wanted to leave. It’s a place where people have amazing hearts, but nobody can see it because they can’t see the forest for the trees.”

Since then, the mission has grown into a non profit that serves thousands of displaced men and women in the Downtown, LA area. Without judgment and full of love and grace, Raines pours into the communities that need it the most.

Source: Michael Loccisano / Getty

Raines will be able to grow and expand her organization as CNN’s 2021 Hero of the Year. She will receive $100,000 to continue the great work she is doing for the community. Kudos to you for all of your hard work!

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