Those who wanted a free haircut got one free of charge from local barber John Romo during Haircuts for Homeless on Thursday.
It’s the second time he and Touch of Beauty hair salon have worked together, and Romo said it was an unbelievable experience.
“It’s jaw-dropping to me because the first round there was only four of us,” said Romo. “But when I pulled up today, there were already tons of volunteers here before me, and they had already set almost everything up.”
Dozens of people lined up to get their new haircut. Mckayla Poulmer, recently homeless, said it’s a welcome change.
“A haircut is something I just haven’t had the time for,” said Poulmer. “A lot of us don’t even have the money to do it, so you don’t even know how much we appreciate it.”
Although getting a haircut can seem like a simple thing. For some people, it’s a luxury that can make a world of difference.
“We have people return and ask for their personal barber, and it feels so good reaching out to these people, and seeing their faces light up when they see that change,” said Romo.
While people are sitting in the chair, it’s also a time for them to swap stories. Polumer said she wasn’t always homeless, explaining that she was shot in the eye after a drug deal gone wrong and is now trying to turn her life around.
“I’m trying to make an honest living, and I’d rather struggle than go back to that lifestyle, because next time I might not be so lucky,” said Poulmer.
Romo said he will never forget the people he has met and wants others to understand how being homeless can happen to anyone at any time.
“They are people like you and me, people who fell on bad times,” said Romo. “These people didn’t ask to be homeless, and it could really happen to anyone.”
