May  17,  2012   Tori  Forrest    

Organization  Provides  Free  Haircuts  for  the  Homeless    

  She  walked  with  her  hair  in  a  disheveled  ponytail.  It  was  uncombed  and  

overgrown  by  at  least  eight  months.  

  Jane  Smith  was  the  first  client  to  enter  the  Makeover  Mission  Outreach  

Center  on  a  Saturday  to  get  a  free  haircut.  Jane  has  been  couch  jumping  at  friends’  

homes  for  over  a  year.  

  “I  thought  my  rock  bottom  was  ending  up  here,”  Jane  said.  “But  rock  bottom  

is  finally  admitting  that  you  don’t  know  how  to  get  yourself  out  of  these  

circumstances.  I  never  thought  I  could  feel  so  bad  about  myself.”  

  Low  self-­‐esteem  is  one  of  the  most  common  outcomes  of  homelessness,  

according  to  an  article  by  Frederick  A.  Diblasio.  Low-­‐self  esteem  hinders  those  

trying  to  successfully  integrate  themselves  back  into  society.  

Despite  this,  few  organizations  that  cater  to  the  homeless  take  this  fact  into  

consideration.  

  Homeless  individuals  begin  to  experience  depression  because  they  find  

themselves  in  the  position  where  they  can’t  provide  themselves  or  their  families  

with  their  basic  survival  needs  of  food  and  shelter.  

  The  Makeover  Mission’s  goal  is  to  provide  hair  and  beauty  services  to  

homeless  or  low-­‐income  individuals  who  are  trying  to  find  a  job  or  create  a  fresh  

start  for  themselves.  The  rationale  is  that  if  the  foundation  is  set  for  self-­‐esteem,  the  

person  will  be  more  motivated  to  pursue,  obtain  and  be  able  to  keep  the  career.  

Tori  Forrest,  a  licensed  cosmetologist,  founded  the  Makeover  Mission  in  

2012.  

Focusing  on  building  the  self-­‐perception  of  those  they  help  is  the  most  

important  step  before  creating  their  new  life,  Forrest  said.  

  “You  can  give  underprivileged  individuals  every  basic  necessity  to  make  a  

fresh  start,”  Tori  said.  “However,  if  they  don’t  have  the  confidence  or  self-­‐assurance  

to  believe  they  can  make  it  on  their  own,  they  won’t  continue  to  succeed.”  

The  Makeover  Mission  is  an  organization  devoted  to  help  build  up  the  self-­‐

esteem  of  their  clients  before  sending  them  to  find  a  job.  

Jane  had  an  interview  on  Monday.  The  Makeover  Mission  provided  her  with  a  

new  haircut,  a  fresh  manicure  and  an  interview  outfit.    

  “It’s  been  a  rough  couple  of  years  and  I  feel  like  this  job  interview  is  the  

opportunity  for  me  to  create  a  better  life  for  myself,”  Jane  said.  “The  Makeover  

Mission  gave  me  the  confidence  that  I  need  to  just  walk  into  the  interview  without  

the  insecurity  that  they  will  judge  me  for  how  I  look.”  

  Low  self-­‐worth  contributes  to  poor  job  performance.  This  is  caused  by  the  

belief  that  they  don’t  have  the  ability  to  do  more  and  that  they  are  hopeless  and  

incapable  of  improvement.  

Tori  believes  that  boosting  self-­‐respect  will  yield  long-­‐lasting  results  when  it  

comes  to  helping  the  homeless  and  stop  the  cycle  of  repeat  homelessness.  

  “It’s  such  a  simple  concept,  but  it’s  powerful,”  Tori  said.  “Just  make  them  feel  

good  about  themselves  again.  Even  if  it’s  just  for  a  day,  they  believe  that  they  really  

can  be  a  better  version  of  themselves.”  

  For  more  information  about  volunteering  or  donating  to  Makeover  Mission,  

visit  its  website,  www.makeovermission.com,  or  call  them  at  123-­‐456-­‐7890.