Once a month, young people gather at Elkhart’s Tolson Center for a haircut. The haircuts are free, and the barbers are residents of the Indiana Department of Correction’s South Bend Community Reentry Center.
Lanell Ayers is one of the barbers who was trained during his time with the Indiana Department of Correction. He says it’s a chance to give back to the community.
"To me, it means a lot," Ayers said. "We didn’t have this, where I’m from."
The reentry center houses individuals who are nearing the end of their prison sentences. While each of them has a job in the community, events like the free haircuts are a chance for them to donate their time, according to Officer Gabriel Morse, the facility’s community engagement coordinator.
"Through my office, I’m tracking between 1,000 to over 1,700 hours that they donate into the community every month," Morse explained. "That’s on top of employment and everything."
Morse said the barbers were either trained before they were incarcerated, or through a program at an Indiana Department of Correction facility, before they arrived at the reentry center. He said the free haircuts give them another chance to practice their skills and get out in the community.
"The community loves them, and I was just listening to a story from somebody that said, ‘I’m only going to get my haircut from one of these gentlemen.’ They do such an excellent job. They do really, really well with the children here," Morse added.
The reentry center offers the free haircuts at a few sites in the area. Morse said the monthly visit to the Tolson Center typically sees a good turnout. "I think we’ve got almost a dozen people that have already come through in just the last less than a half hour," Morse noted.
Velishea Smiley is the assistant director of the Tolson Center for Community Excellence. She says the partnership with the re-entry center is important for the community.
"Some of our community members haven’t been able to afford to get haircuts, and they’re able to provide that service for free," Smiley said. "So, it enlightens not only the parents by helping them out, but it makes the kids feel confident in being able to have a fresh haircut."
For Ayers, he says it means a lot to be able to help families who may not be able to afford a haircut. "Nowadays, haircuts are $40, $50, and we’re up here giving back to the community for free," Ayers said. "So, giving back, just, you know, helping out."
