Community advocates in Albany feel the solution to gun violence is focusing on the youth. They believe if more time is spent boosting a child’s self-esteem and self-worth they’ll stay out of trouble, so right now, every Friday until February 9th a local barbershop will be giving away free haircuts, during a night of wholesome fun exclusively for teens.

The first night of the free haircut event kicked off last Friday, January 19th.  David Gordon with Boys and Girls Clubs of the Capital Area, says it was night full of activities like basketball, music, food, a recording studio, and a game room. “This is operational safe zone, he said, you can come in here and just hang out, get a free haircut and get something to eat.”

Gordon say’s he’s been working with children for 15 years, and has witnessed first hand the transformative powers of a brand new cut. “That guy is smiling. If you never seen him smiling, he’s smiling, he doesn’t have the ski mask on anymore, he wants to talk to all the girls and everything, it just builds his confidence and self esteem up,” he said.

Come Connect Church and Will’s Barbershop partnered with BGCCA to give all the teens interested a fresh cut, at no costs. Albany teen, Lavalas Cherimond was very appreciative. “I haven’t had a haircut in two months, Cherimond said. I was going to get one, but I came here and got one for free, so I feel like that was a gift to me for free and that was really generous.”

Gordon says the staff at his site act as mediators for a lot of challenges the kids face, and something as simple as a haircut can have a huge impact on child’s outlook.

Teen Night at the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Capital Area is every Friday night from 5:00-8:00, for ages 13-19.