[vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_nbNh-hGak&rel=0&showinfo=0″]
At any given time, Utah has almost 15,000 homeless with 40% of the homeless population being families. CARE-cuts is a project started just a year ago by a group of friends who wanted to make a difference in their community. They wanted to show the homeless community, and especially the homeless children, they were not alone. That they are special and they are loved.
CARE-cuts brings together barbers, beauticians and stylists multiple times a year to give haircuts to the homeless in the Salt Lake City area. Not only does CARE-cuts give haircuts, but they style hair, do make-up, paint nails and giveaway clothes at these events. It’s more than just a free haircut though. It’s a day out to play for the kids. They offer face painting, a petting zoo, an arts and crafts area. Kids can even build their own stuffed animals. It’s a time when these kids can forget their troubles for a little while and just be kids.
“In those rough times it’s great to be able to just do something that lets them just be a kid and this project allows us to do that. They get to build their own stuffed animal, and it’s not just something they got build, but it’s something they get to keep and have with them. So it’s been a great project.”– Mike Hamilton, Build a Buddy
Over 200 volunteers came out the last CARE-cuts event, and Sarah Franklin, CARE-Cuts Organizer, will tell you it’s really these people that make their events so successful. All the people cutting hair are licensed technicians donating their time and services. Plus, they have volunteers to help with the children, the animals and also set-up and tear-down.
The next CARE-cuts event will be on August 14th, 2016 from 1-7pm at 300 South and 500 West in Salt Lake City, Utah. If you would like to volunteer with this project, contact an administrator from the CARE-cuts Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/carecuts/.
