Haircuts for homeless lift spirits in Salisbury

Everyone has unique gifts to share with others, something uplifting or creative. In some cases, something as simple as a haircut can bring extraordinary joy.

Zina Gallo Brechbill, owner of Enza's, An Organic Salon in downtown Salisbury, has for many years had a vision: to provide free haircuts to our area's homeless population – something that is truly not as trivial as it sounds.

Yes, that simple amenity most of us take for granted, a simple haircut, does a lot to boost self-esteem and change how people perceive themselves. And it's a luxury beyond the reach of a person who lacks the basic necessities of life.

We met recently at her salon to talk about the initiative she's put together, Haircuts 4 Our Homeless.

"I've always thought of myself as a humanitarian," she told me. "I feel compassion for people who are less fortunate. If I find out someone's homeless, I invite them to dinner at my house, especially on holidays. I put myself in their shoes – I guess that's what empathy is? – and I try to think of what I can do for them."

Her salon sits at the west end of the Downtown Plaza, near the intersection of Main and Market streets. She sees people walking, sitting in corners, on benches. Often she offers them leftover coffee, doughnuts or hot chocolate from her salon.

"I don't like to throw food away," she explained. "Members of my family went hungry during World War II, so I feel so fortunate to have enough food to share."

She especially identifies with people on the street when it's very hot or cold outside, wondering where they sleep, how she could help.

"But I kept wondering to myself: What can I do to make a difference?" she said, pausing to collect her emotions.

"All I know is hair. Especially during the summer, a haircut can make you feel better," she continued. "Comfort doesn't sound like much, but it lifts your spirit. And when you look good, it helps you be the best you can be. Even a beard trim can make you feel better about yourself, more approachable. People you meet respond differently. And if you are searching for a job, you are judged by your appearance."

She's been thinking about offering free haircuts to the homeless for about six years. She started by posting on Facebook, which is the only social media she uses. She would post status updates asking "What do you think?" and sometimes shared links to videos of other places where free haircuts had been offered.

"There's no room here (in her salon) to do this," she said, pointing to the small, comfortable space. She had to find a venue and many volunteers – barbers, stylists and support manpower.

At first, she would post about this idea once or twice a year. She wasn't getting a lot of feedback, but she didn't give up.

"I think people didn't really understand what they would be getting into," she said. "They had reservations about it."

"We all, as a community, don't interact much with the homeless," continued Brechbill. "I never felt fear that they would hurt me, but rather that someday it would be me in that position."

It was her son, Adam Stanley, who opened her eyes to the possibilities, she said. It was he who showed her the way to reach out and interact.

She apologized (unnecessarily) for tearing up a little.

When her son was a high school freshman, he told her one day that he'd met someone at Flannery's.

"He told me, 'Mom, he's homeless and has nowhere to go on Thanksgiving,' asking if we could invite him to eat with us at home," Brechbill said. "He's lost his job and had no family, Adam told me." They invited him, but he declined, so they took him a plate of food instead, which he accepted gratefully.

"We're all just a few paychecks from homelessness," Brechbill said. She knows, because she's come close herself.

"My husband retired from Crown Cork & Seal with insurance," she said. "But five years later, they took it away. Just one month after that, he was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer in his spine. As a result, his spinal cord was injured and he had to spend four months at Hopkins – without insurance."

That's not something you can plan for, and it could happen to anyone.

"We could have lost our home then," Brechbill said, visibly emotional. "If you get sick, life can change fast. We were lucky. Joyce Brown with BB&T Bank worked with us. I feel like she was my guardian angel at the time. Do you believe in angels?" she asked me.

I nodded yes.

"She had come across our hardship letter of a few months previously. She told me, 'I want you to know I think we can help you.' She and Susan Megargee with Re/Max were able to help us save our home," she said. "And now I just want to make things better for others."

She talked about how if everyone did a little bit, we would collectively make a real difference. And that, she said, is why she is so dedicated to making life a little bit easier for our homeless friends on Delmarva.

"It's all for others, it's not about yourself," she said. "And even your own children can teach you a thing or two about kindness."

And so she persisted, posting periodically about her haircut idea.

"We probably have at least 150 salons in our area," she said. But she felt frustrated by the lack of response.

"I decided I needed at least 25 barbers and stylists, and I needed a venue," she said. She created an event, picked a date and she secured Headquarters Live as a venue. She's got plenty of stylists and community support. But she needed some up-front funding to purchase supplies for the event.

She found out that the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore offered minigrants for charity events, but it would be necessary to partner with a registered 501(c)(3) charity. She immediately recalled a local news segment she'd seen on WMDT about a group called From Roots To Wings Inc., which provides food, clothing, toiletries and more to homeless on the streets of Salisbury. (full disclosure: I am serving as secretary of From Roots To Wings)

She contacted Ron Pagano, the president and co-founder of From Roots To Wings and explained her situation. Together, they applied for and received a small grant and are co-hosting the event.

"There are angels everywhere," said Brechbill. "This couldn't happen without all the hairstylists and barbers who have volunteered to help. It took a few years. I planted a seed and it germinated this year. The homeless community is like an extension of family. We're all connected. I'm so thankful for the community that we live in."

Susan Parker is engagement and community content editor at The Daily Times. @shorevoices

HAIRCUTS 4 OUR HOMELESS

Who: Enza's, An Organic Salon and From Roots To Wings, organizers

What: Free haircuts for homeless residents of the Lower Shore

When: Sunday, May 15, 1-5 p.m.

Where: Headquarters Live, Division Street, Salisbury

Participating hairstylists and barbers

Enza's An Organic Salon

Regis Salon

Just Imagine Salon

SuperCuts

Salon Image

Joseph Lauren Hair Classics

Designers Edge North

Designers Edge South

Gorgeous

Hair Pub

The Beauty Suite Hair &Nail Salon

In addition, many Independent stylists are participating