Lincoln organizations host free haircut and backpack event for back to school

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) -With school starting in Lincoln on Monday, parents are busy getting their kids ready for the new school year. Several local organizations came together on Sunday offering free haircuts to kids and taking a weight off of parents’ shoulders.

Visionary Youth partnered with the Malone Center to host the tenth annual Back to School Free Haircut and Backpack event.

Visionary Youth said the event is held every year the day before the first day of school. It’s where kids can not only get a haircut and a backpack, but are stocked up on school supplies and essential items like socks and underwear, as well as gift cards for a new pair of shoes to make the first day back in school as smooth as possible.

“It’s just an absolute blessing for me,” said Dr. Lawrence Chatters, president of Visionary Youth. “Honestly I never really had the new stuff going back to school and often times felt inadequate as a result of it, so being able to provide this to people in our community is a blessing and to see the young people walking out of here and feeling so great and seeing the smile on their parents faces. It’s awesome”

Visionary Youth said barbers from all over came to help at the event, many of which are graduates of the College of Hair Design.

Chatters said they have the goal of giving 800 haircuts and handing out 1,000 backpacks at Sunday’s event.

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