Fargo Salvation Army Cuts Hair, Not Corners

The Fargo Salvation Army recently held “Cuts for Kids," a new program that featured an afternoon of free back-to-school haircuts for nearly 100 children in the Fargo/Moorhead area. (View photos.)

The effort took place Aug. 17 inside the garage of the Fargo Salvation Army, where seven professional styling chairs were set up. About 10 volunteer stylists from local salons kept their scissors snipping for five hours straight.

“This is a pretty good deal – great for the kids,” said Fargo resident Steve Belcourt, who stood in line with his daughter, Hanna, for nearly two hours. “I’m a single dad, so this helps us a lot.”

Hanna and 96 other children were given free shampoo, conditioner, styling products and a comb thanks to $250 contributions from Radisson Hotels and Choice Financial Bank, which also provided 16 volunteers to help with coordination efforts.

Many of the kids brought hair magazines to show their stylist what kind of hairdo they wanted, and the stylists delivered. 

“The stylists are taking their time with these kids and helping make this a very special experience,” said Gerri Leach, community relations director of the Fargo Salvation Army. “Many of these children don’t usually get a real style – their parents have to cut their hair.”

Leach started Cuts for Kids by calling her own stylist of 15 years, who gave her the phone numbers of other stylists around town. Most of the stylists she called agreed to volunteer for the event, including her long lost friend, Wilguens Dort (pictured).

Dort moved to Fargo from Haiti with his family in 1997. At the time, he was just 12 years old.

“I remembered Gerri. She helped my family when we came here – none of us could speak English,” said Dort, who jumped at the chance to help.

“I’ve been here for three hours now,” he continued, while shaving stars into the head of a child who wanted a crazy haircut. “I’ve done seven haircuts already. I love this, this is fun for me.”

Leach and fellow Salvation Army employee Tai Leathers came up with the idea to start Cuts for Kids after attending a homeless outreach event, where they noticed the longest line was for haircuts. 

“Tai said we should do that for kids for back-to-school,” Leach said. “We knew there would be a need.”