As famous stylist and haircare mogul Chaz Dean puts it, “Hair is power. It changes how you see yourself, and it changes how the world sees you.”
But for people facing financial hardship, personal grooming is an expense to weigh against other essentials, like paying rent or putting food on the table for just another day. In Yonkers, where 14% of residents live below the poverty line, paying an important medical bill can mean skipping a haircut that could help them land a job.
Thanks to Catholic Charities of New York’s volunteers, donors, and dedicated staff, neighbors in Westchester don’t have to go hungry in order to invest in their success and self-confidence.
On the first Wednesday of the month, our Westchester neighborhood center offers free haircuts to residents, many of them participants in the Yonkers Day Laborers Program (Programa de Jornaleros de Yonkers), which offers participants workforce development and job training, financial literacy education, language classes, eviction prevention, and benefits assistance.
“I look forward to coming every first Wednesday of the month. I always feel good about myself after I leave,” says Khaled, a regular participant. “I have even brought a friend!”
Khaled got his last cut on the first Wednesday of September, a key time for haircuts, when young people are returning to school and many faculty are returning to work.
For volunteer Brayan Sanchez Sanchez, cutting hair for low-income working people carries personal significance. “Even while working two jobs, I try to make time to come and share my skills with the community,” he says. “As the child of a day laborer, I understand how much a service like this can mean to a worker and their family.”
Rafael, another September participant, expressed deep gratitude for the program, noting the psychological value of the initiative. “I have been coming here for about two years, and this service is very helpful for us. I enjoy getting to talk to everyone and not stress and think about myself,” he says.
“I really appreciate the staff and everyone who makes these events possible, especially the volunteers who take the time to cut our hair. Thank you for bringing this service to us,” adds Rafael.
Volunteer Gloria Valencia, a hairstylist by trade, knows well the impact that haircut can have on the way one is seen by others and how they see themselves. “I have been volunteering and participating in this program for about six years,” she says. “I am always happy to support the program whenever my availability allows. I would love to volunteer more often when I am able to.”
Catholic Charities of New York’s staff has grown accustomed to the sentiment that Valencia has expressed; the more people volunteer, the more eager they are to return.
By providing our neighbors with free haircuts, we care for them by helping them care for themselves. With spirits uplifted by a fresh grooming, our program participants are better prepared to meet the challenges that come with making a living for themselves and their families while forging a brighter future.
