Barbershop giving free haircuts, school supplies to kids

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) -- A New Haven barbershop will give out free haircuts to school-aged kids Saturday; and it's not just haircuts, the youngsters will also get backpacks and other school supplies.

Levon 'Majesty' Whitaker has been making a living cutting hair in New Haven for more than 20 years. On Saturday, he and two of his co-workers from Transformerz barber shop will be using their talents to help local kids get ready for the new school year.

"I feel like the only way we can change the community is to show that we really care and start with the youth," Whitaker said.

So the guys from Transformerz are doing their part by giving free haircuts and back to school supplies to local kids.

"What we're going to do, we're going to give a lot of kids who were in the same situation we were, less fortunate kids in the community, a chance to go back to school with a better attitude with books, pencils, pens, book bags, anything they might be short off or that their parents can't provide," Whitaker said. "We're fortunate enough to provide for them."

Those haircuts will be given and book bags distributed at the Beulah Heights Church, and organizers are expecting more than 150 kids to stop by.

The supplies and book bags are being provided by Transformerz and organizations from Yale-New Haven Hospital to LEAP and New Haven Reads.

Boys and girls are invited, and everything is free.

"We even got the girls covered with the rainbow and pink," Whitaker said.

When the school bell rings in New Haven next week, thanks to barbers like Ephriam Green, many of the students will be looking sharper than ever.

"If you look good, you feel good at the end of the day, you know, most of the time, and it all starts with a haircut," said Green. "A lot of kids are shopping for clothes and stuff, we're just looking to give back with what we do: cut hair."

The back-to-school family fun day will be from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday afternoon at the Beulah Heights Pentecostal Church on Orchard Street.

Haircuts will be given on a first come, first serve basis.