Friday, June 5, 2009

CATHEDRAL DEANERY — Franciscan Haircuts from the Heart, a non-profit that provides professional hair care to the poor and homeless, hosted an open house and dedication of its new Franciscan Daymaker Salon on May 14.

The new salon on Logan Street. (CT/Tony Tribble)

Dedication blessings were offered by Father Jim Schappelle and Glenmary Father Francois Pellissier.

The new salon is located at 1800 Logan St. in the Mercy Franciscan St. John Social Service Building. For more than 14 years, Franciscan Haircuts provided hair care at its 13th Street salon in Over-the-Rhine. Due to an increase in need, Franciscan Haircuts has built a larger salon. The Franciscan Sisters of the Poor funded the construction of the new salon and office space.

Franciscan Bonnie Steinlage founded the ministry. She felt called to become a beautician for the poor after hearing the Ash Wednesday reading from the Gospel of Matthew: “When you fast and pray, wash your face and comb your hair…” She became a licensed cosmetologist and began cutting the hair of the homeless at the Mary Magdalene House in Over-the Rhine in 1988.  In 1995 she opened the Daymaker Salon at 13th Street near Main Street.

Franciscan Haircuts from the Heart’s programs gives children a haircut so that they can fit in with their classmates, provides job-seeking adults with a clean professional hair style when they go on nterviews and helps the elderly and disabled maintain their dignity and self-esteem.

Persons eligible for services must live 100 percent within the federal poverty level.