08/31/2026
❤️ A Heartfelt Update From Shear Gratitude Inc. — We Need Your Help ❤️
I’ve debated for a while whether to make this post, because asking for money has never been something that comes easily to me. I would much rather roll up my sleeves, organize an event, collect donations, give out haircuts, and find another way to help.
But sometimes being transparent means admitting when you need help, and that is where Shear Gratitude is today.
When Shear Gratitude first started, the mission was simple: provide free haircuts to members of our homeless and veteran communities.
Three years later, that little idea has grown into so much more.
We’ve organized clothing drives where our community donated an incredible amount of clothing, shoes, jewelry, bedding, blankets, pillows, and everything from business and professional attire to everyday casual clothing.
We started food drives, collecting non-perishable food to help families and individuals who were struggling.
As we continued working with shelters and listening to the people we were serving, we realized that sometimes a haircut wasn’t the only thing standing between someone and a fresh start.
A professional-looking resume could help someone get an interview.
A mock interview could help someone feel prepared and confident enough to walk through that door.
And ultimately, a job could be the first step toward permanent housing and a more stable future.
So we expanded.
We created Building Bridges, a program designed to help autistic children and adults feel safe, comfortable, and understood during a haircut. For some members of our community, a traditional salon environment can be overwhelming because of noise, crowds, unfamiliar surroundings, or sensory sensitivities.
So we provide quiet, one-on-one appointments, additional time, and a calmer environment where they can feel safe and respected.
We also created Cuts for Care, because we know that financial hardship doesn’t always come with the willingness to ask for help.
Some families may need assistance but may feel uncomfortable asking for a completely free haircut.
So instead, we offer heavily reduced haircuts. It’s not about a handout. It’s about all of us working together to make sure a family can still afford something as simple as a haircut while they navigate a difficult season.
And through all of this, we have continued to look for new ways to help.
Over the past three years, Shear Gratitude has provided approximately 700 free haircuts, and we have helped roughly that many people through our clothing donations and distributions.
Those numbers mean so much to me because behind every number is a person.
A veteran.
A parent.
A child.
Someone who was struggling.
Someone who needed a little confidence.
Someone who simply needed somebody to remind them that they mattered.
But today, I need to be honest about something that happens behind the scenes.
Right now, Shear Gratitude is essentially run by me.
I plan the events. I organize the donations. I coordinate with shelters and community organizations. I transport supplies. I host the events. I maintain the organization. I handle the administrative responsibilities. And I do everything I can to keep this little nonprofit moving forward.
And I love it.
I truly, truly love what Shear Gratitude has become.
But I am also a mom of three. My daughter is eight, and my two stepsons are just weeks away from turning ten and seven. I recently took another huge leap and opened my own hair salon.
Life is busy. Sometimes it is chaotic. And as much as I wish I could give every waking hour to Shear Gratitude, I simply can’t.
And financially, it has become increasingly difficult to carry this organization on my own.
Our community has been INCREDIBLE when it comes to donating physical items.
Food. Clothing. Shoes. Hygiene products. Cleaning supplies. Laundry detergent. Bedding. Blankets. Pillows. And so much more.
I could honestly keep listing things forever.
And I am beyond grateful for every single person who has donated.
But what we don’t receive are many monetary donations.
And unfortunately, nonprofits have expenses that can’t be paid with donated clothing or canned goods.
Every month, there are storage expenses.
There are costs associated with maintaining our 501(c)(3).
There are transportation costs as we travel between shelters, veteran organizations, and community events throughout the Bridgeport to New Haven area- and sometimes farther.
There are event expenses, supplies, and countless little costs that add up behind the scenes.
And for a long time, I have simply paid for those things myself.
But I have reached a point where I can’t continue being the only person financially keeping Shear Gratitude alive.
That doesn’t mean I want to stop.
Actually, it means the opposite.
I want to see what this organization could become if I didn’t have to constantly worry about whether there will be enough money to keep it running.
I want to expand our programs.
I want to reach more shelters.
I want to provide more haircuts.
I want to continue helping people prepare for employment.
I want to grow Building Bridges.
I want to continue offering Cuts for Care.
And most importantly, I want to continue creating opportunities for people in our communities to feel seen, valued, and cared for.
So today, I am asking for something a little different.
I’m not asking anyone to make a huge donation.
If you’ve supported Shear Gratitude before, if you’ve donated clothing or food, if you’ve attended one of our events, if you’ve received a haircut, if you’ve shared one of our posts, or even if you’ve simply followed along and watched this organization grow…
Consider giving $5.
Or $10.
Or whatever you genuinely feel comfortable giving.
And if you’re able to set up a small recurring donation, that would mean even more because it gives us something incredibly important: stability.
Just think about this:
❤️ If 100 people set up a recurring donation of just $5 a month, that’s $500 every single month.
That’s $6,000 a year that could help Shear Gratitude pay our basic overhead expenses, keep our organization running, purchase supplies, help cover transportation costs, and most importantly, allow us to put money toward creating some amazing fundraisers and community events instead of constantly worrying about where the money for our next event is going to come from.
And that’s only 100 people.
Imagine what we could accomplish if even more of our community joined together.
Five dollars may not feel like much.
Ten dollars may not feel like much.
But when a community comes together, those small contributions can become something so much bigger.
I have never wanted Shear Gratitude to be about me.
It’s about us.
It’s about what happens when a community decides that someone’s circumstances don’t determine their worth.
It’s about reminding people that they haven’t been forgotten.
And it’s about giving someone a little bit of dignity, confidence, compassion, and hope when they need it most.
I am incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished in these first three years.
And I’m even more excited about what we could accomplish in the next three.
But I can’t do it alone.
If Shear Gratitude means something to you, even in the smallest way, please consider helping us keep the doors open and this mission moving forward.
Every dollar truly matters. ❤️
If you would like to donate or set up a recurring donation, you can do so here:
👉 https://www.sheargratitude.org/donate
And if donating isn’t possible right now, sharing this post is just as appreciated.
Thank you to every person who has ever donated, volunteered, shared a post, showed up to an event, handed us a bag of clothing, dropped off food, supported one of our programs, or simply believed in what we’re trying to do.
You are the reason Shear Gratitude has made it this far.
And I hope, with your help, we can keep going. ❤️
With gratitude,
Shear Gratitude Inc.
Shear Gratitude Inc is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing free and reduced haircuts to the veteran and homeless communities. Your support can make a real difference in the lives of those in need.
