Salon Gives Free Haircuts To Homeless

By Mark Taylor

DENVER (CBS4)- A downtown Denver salon that normally caters to the business district is now catering to Denver's homeless.

Belle and Beau Salon hosted HairCuts for the Homeless on Sunday.

"We just wanted to give back and put some good out there," stylist Jared Lucas Stone said.

The salon handed out flyers to patrons on the 16th street mall.

"We just see homeless people walking by constantly and how they are mistreated and turned away for jobs because of their first impression," Stone added.

About a dozen people were lined up on Welton Street before the Salon opened Sunday.

"I am grateful, and thankful, this is a great thing, they are doing for us," Jo Anne, one patron said as she was getting her haircut. "I can never afford a haircut it's very expensive."

Patrons also got a to-go bag with hair-care products and a free lunch. Organizers hope it helps those down on their luck move forward from past mistakes and reminds potential employers not to judge applicants solely on appearance.

"If we could change the life of one person, that would be great," Stone said.

The salon is at 1735 Welton Street. Organizers hoped to help at least 300 people before they close around 7 p.m. Sunday.

Mark Taylor is a weekend morning anchor and reporter with CBS4 news covering a wide variety of stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkTaylor_TV.