Hundreds of Philadelphia students walked into the West Philadelphia YMCA on Sunday and walked out with fresh haircuts, free school supplies, and a boost of confidence. Barbers Who Care and its army of nearly 80 volunteer barbers and stylists provided these services.<\/p>\n
School begins Monday for more than 100,000 students in the Philadelphia School District. The annual event aimed to ease the back-to-school crunch for families already stretched thin. The goal was to style more than 400 students before the first bell rings.<\/p>\n
77 barbers from five states filled the chairs<\/p>\n
Kenny Duncan, founder of Barbers Who Care, said 77 barbers and stylists from five states linked up for the event. Duncan owns Main Attraction Unisex Salon and is the barber for several Sixers players. He said he grew up in the area and met mentors through barbershops as a kid.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy perspective is that young men spend more time in a barber shop than they do in a library,\u201d Duncan said. \u201cSo mentorship takes place in the barber shop, and we have to be intentional about what we say, what we do to help inspire and then make an imprint on the next generation.\u201d<\/p>\n
The event was organized in partnership with the Junior Beauty Academy and the West Philadelphia YMCA. Besides haircuts and braids, students could pick up free backpacks, books, and health resources.<\/p>\n
Greater Philadelphia YMCA CEO Joe Ferguson said the start of a new school year can be stressful for families, but even small efforts make a difference.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can\u2019t do everything, but we can do a little bit,\u201d Ferguson said. \u201cWe can do our part, and we owe it to ourselves to try to find ways we can partner with others that want to do their part.\u201d<\/p>\n
Parents say rising costs make the event essential<\/p>\n