TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV)— People lined up out the door for a haircut at the Pathways Center. This is one of the many resources they provided during their Summer Bash that many people in the community take for granted.
Terre Haute native Marcus Davis was the first person to get a haircut. He has been experiencing homelessness in Vigo County for nearly seven months. He mentioned how good it felt to get a free haircut, something that many take for granted.
“It feels good because I have no money,” Davis said. “I have no job, and it just does a lot of justice for me.”
Chick-fil-A donated food for the event, and hot dogs, hamburgers, Sips With a Twist, and more were provided. There were also different community outreach programs there to provide information and services for the unhoused population that came during the bash.
Sommer Hutchinson is the Program Director at Pathways, and Kelli Fuller is the Homeless and Community Outreach Care Manager at the Hamilton Center, and they mentioned that the Summer Bash is part of a survey that has been going on all week to help understand more about the unhoused population and the services and resources they might need.
“This week we have been working on our summer count,” Hutchinson said. “So that’s where we access the number of people who are experiencing homelessness in our area. The people we serve a lot of the time, day to day, their experience can be quite a bit heavy, trying to figure out where they’re going to be at the end of the day, where they’re going to lay their head.”
“It’s just a way for us to have a better picture of what we see people are experiencing with our homelessness in our county,” Fuller said.
Mike Cahill is a retired barber in the area, and he volunteered his time during the bash to offer free haircuts. He does this because he feels blessed in his life and knows other people in the community need help, even if it is something as simple and easy as a haircut.
“A lot of people need a hand up,” Cahill said. “Not everybody has a good life, and I’m trying to help people, and I think it’s important. I’ve been blessed in my life, and I like to see people being helped.”
Davis is currently looking for a job. He loves to cook and hopes to find a cooking job soon.
Pathways is always looking for volunteers and donations as it tries to meet the needs of the community every day. If you would like to volunteer with Pathways, donate to them, or learn more about them, simply visit their website.
