A Philadelphia barber is using his talents for good! Javier Santiago, is a father, Full-Time Uber driver and traveling Barber! He’s been making waves across the internet and social media as he drives across the US in his RV, with his family. However, this isn’t Christmas Vacation.
Empowering Cuts
Javier stops in any city where he sees a homeless person in need of self care. Javier pulls his chair onto the sidewalk and offers to cut hair, free of charge. This is part of the mission of his organization, Empowering Cuts, which was inspired by his barber instructor back in 2015.
When Philadelphia news outlet ABC6 interviewed Javier, he had this to say, “He used to take us to shelters, that’s how we learned how to cut hair. For me, being able to provide a free haircut to someone meant more to me than to actually receive money for it” He continued with the nonprofit despite the pandemic. Through the powers of social media, over the last few months, he was able to raise over $70,000 to purchase and convert a 32-foot RV into a fully stocked mobile barbershop.
“The RV is equipped with two barber chairs, a bathroom shampoo bowl, a TV, a refrigerator (and) a couch,” Santiago described.
Since opening the RV, he has continued cutting hair for the homeless population in Philadelphia, but he has also expanded, taking his scissors to cities in California, Texas, Florida, and Illinois. He said the people he works with tell him they are so grateful, and it is clear when you see the before and after photos.
Since its start, Empowering Cuts has provided almost 8,000 haircuts, and Santiago does not plan on putting his foot on the RV’s brakes any time soon.
During a time when with so much pain and uncertainty, it’s always great to hear a feel good story. This one is worth amplifying because it’s a barbering professional that’s taking his talents to cities and the people who can benefit from him pulling up with his RV.
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*Image Credit: Empowering Cuts
