Sustainable Salons engineered another worthy philanthropic event, hosting more than 300 guests from Sydney’s vulnerable communities. Offering free haircuts, food and services at Eat.Shop.Chop on April 19, the group brought together organisations such as OzHarvest, Thread Together, TOGA, Randwick City Council, Orange Sky Laundry, Eastside FM and My Foundations Youth Hosting, comprising 80 volunteers, in a four hour festival to help those in need.
The volunteers worked together to distribute 300 bags of groceries, offer 270 hot meals, give 105 haircuts at a pop-up salon and supply 2000 items of clothing from Thread Together, personally selected by the team to ideally suit every guest who went through the personal shopping experience.
“Why shouldn’t they wear brand new clothes?” said Thread Together CEO Greg Fischer. “Why should manufacturers feel concerned about seeing homeless people wearing their clothes? We need to take away the stigmas and shame associated with people in need – Eat.Shop.Chop is all about changing the narrative around the homeless and what they deserve.”
“Everyone deserves to feel confident and welcomed, which is what Eat. Shop. Chop is all about,” added Paul Frasca Co-Founder and Managing Director of Sustainable Salons. “We set out to provide those doing it tough with a sense of self-worth and connectedness to their community. To elevate even one person’s quality of life – even if that’s just with a haircut – is what we’re all about.”
The pop-up salon was a particular highlight, hosting 17 hairdressing professionals to give fresh cuts and light refreshments, in order to make the guests feel suitably pampered. Congratulations to the volunteer team of hairdressers – Mel Corthine, Harrison Sansom and Leah Rowley from Stevie English Hair, Lee-Ann Suthern from TONI&GUY Newtown, Annie Habib of Organic Hair Culture, Megan Moss from Eclectic Hair Face and Body, Louison Brothier from Prema, freelance hairdresser Cecile Mezino, Anais Aubrus from Franck Provost Bondi, Kate Sweeney from Salon Renaissance, Ellie Martins and Sienna Prince Rankin from Eild Life Hair Origin, Virginie Gayssot of Franck Provost, Leanne Devine, Bernice Ryan and Shannon McBride of Headoffice Hair Specialist and Nina Santucci of Access Hair.
The event also coincided with OzHarvest Market’s first birthday, through which it has served free food to 35,000 people all over Sydney.
“The OzHarvest Market has become a real community hub, where people in need can access rescued food, enjoy a hot drink and a warm welcome from our volunteers,” said Founder and CEO of OzHarvest, Ronni Kahn. “I’m constantly overwhelmed by the heartfelt stories of compassion and connection generated from the market and there was no better way to celebrate its first birthday than with a community festival alongside the other amazing stakeholders at The Addison Project.”
Guests were given a hot shower and fresh laundry thanks to Orange Sky and the entire day had a real festival atmosphere about it, with DJing from Eastside FM. Congratulations to Sustainable Salons for putting on such an important event, and well done to the hairdressers who took part.
For more information visit sustainablesalons.org
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