7th annual salon event helps homeless women

Hundreds of homeless women spend day in salon chairs

DETROIT – The seventh annual "Hair for the Homeless" event kicked off Wednesday with the goal of providing relief for women from local shelters.

Hundreds of homeless women spent the day in salon chairs thanks to students at P&A Scholars Beauty School, New Clientele Magazine and professional stylists from Detroit, who volunteered their time, money and resources to give homeless women a new look.

The event was held on P&A Scholars Beauty School’s Detroit campus on Grand River Avenue.

Ashley Conyers, 25, has been living in a homeless shelter for two years after escaping a domestic violence relationship that caused her to lose everything, including her job at McDonald's.

“I haven’t been in a salon since my birthday, which was in January,” Conyers said. “I’ve been in some different situations, so for them to give back like this and be able to get your hair done for free, nails, makeup and everything … it feels really great.”

Over 500 women were expected to participate in the event.

Kimberly Smith, co-publisher of New Clientele Magazine, knows the power a day of beauty can have. As a victim of domestic violence herself, she seeks to make a difference one hairstyle and one makeover at a time.

“It really helps you boost your self-esteem to say, ‘Hey, I can make it. This is the new me and I’m not going back to that old person,’” Smith said.

Not only did the women leave with new looks, organizations donated care packages with beauty supplies for the women to take with them.

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