Restoring dignity one haircut at a time.
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That's the goal of Community Hair Project, a charity which visits homeless shelters, women's refuges, community centres and parks around Australia to give free haircuts to those in need.
Wollongong is next up - with events to be held at two women's refuges in August - and the group is calling on local hairdressers and barbers to lend a hand.
"I started the Community Hair Project in 2017, after an exchange with a mother who came into one of the food banks I operate on the Central Coast," said founder Christine Mastello.
"She came in with her three sons who told me they were excited about getting their school photos. But she took me aside and said she couldn't afford haircuts for the photos, and she didn't want them looking back and seeing how poor they were.
"It instantly resonated with me - I have three sons too - and I called in a friend who was a hairdresser who gave the boys a haircut and I paid for their photos."
Four months later, Ms Mastello had set up the non-profit organisation and now, two years later, monthly events are held at 37 sites across the country.
Often held in collaboration with other charities, such as St Vincent's de Paul or local soup kitchens and community groups, they offer more than a haircut.
"People get their haircut, they get to feel good about themselves, they also get someone that listens to them, who will shake their hand or give them a hug," she said.
"And because we go back regularly, we build relationships with people - we remember their names."
Ms Mastello said the events wouldn't be possible without the generosity of hairdressers and barbers who offered two hours of their time for free.
"They get so much out of it too - the people we help, they really touch our hearts," she said.
"For instance there was a lady from a women's refuge who hadn't had her hair cut in 27 years, who came to the event with her long hair wound in a big bun.
"There was a homeless man who lived under a bridge in Melbourne - he had cancer and Vinnies would pick him up to take him to get chemo and then drop him back at the bridge. They brought him to us to get his head shaved.
"You can't help but be touched by these people, and to want to help them and so many others like them."
Ms Mastello said Wollongong stylists who wanted to help out could check out the Facebook site, or visit communityhairproject.org
"We'd love to get up to six hairdressers and barbers who would give two hours every three months - which would enable us to run an event in Wollongong every month," she said.