Helping the homeless, one haircut at a time. This is #Phillystreetcuts

Lolly Galvin continues to do good for the homeless.

The Dignity Project expands

Earlier this year we wrote about the Dignity Project, the project where Lolly gave bags filled with toiletries to homeless people and spent some time with them. Crowdfunding made it possible for her to go on a tour throughout the states, where she went to hand out toiletries to the homeless in several cities.

The day she got back from her tour, a homeless person asked her about a haircut instead of toiletries. This prompted her to execute the idea she had been playing around with in her mind.

#phillystreetcuts

Lolly decided to expand the Dignity Project by providing haircuts for homeless people in her own city, Philadelphia.

The haircuts make people feel fresh and clean but maybe even more importantly, it’s the attention they get, a nice conversation, someone who helps them that makes them feel good.

Just a chair and the hair

She called on a bunch of stylist to execute the haircuts to make the homeless of Philly feel better, one haircut at a time.

She simply walks up to people, chats with them and asks if they want to get their hair cut. Next the supplies come out and Lolly, the stylist and their current customer spend some time together, chatting and cutting.

Change of hair, change of expression

Lolly takes before and after pictutes of the people gettinga haircut and the change in their expression is almost greater than their hair.

"I do not tell anyone a certain way to look or pose. I simply ask for a before or after and capture them naturally and swiftly without making much of a deal about a photo being taken. Putting them side by side and truly looking at the differences I don’t just look at the cut, but the changes in facial expression that always amaze me."

Memorable encounters

I think my favorite interaction was two guys in their mid twenties who stopped and took photos after asking what we did. Mike, the man who got a haircut, said, "they’re cutting homeless people’s hair."After a short pause one of the guys said to him "well you dont look it anymore, man." I looked up as they both smiled. Those are the moments that keep me driven to do these acts. I can see humanity and love trying to pour out of people, and yet I see a world where the messages are division and fear. So when two strangers from two very different walks of life put that guard down and have that exchange my entire day is made. It’s what weare here for, and it’s there for you anytime and any place.

Humanity

"I love taking a seat next to the person who’s getting their #phillystreetcuts to talk about life. I also love how many people stop, take photos, and see first hand that you can help out those around you for no reason other than wanting to give a piece of you. What is disguised as a haircut is really a demonstration of simplistic humanity. And it reaches not just the person getting the cut. It reaches every single person who walks by and sees that the world is much kinder than we allow ourselves to see."

This is the link to the article we wrote about the Dignity Project. Below you find the accompanying video.