In celebration of National Barber Mental Health Awareness Day, The Family Tree Healthy Start Program is donating children's libraries to barbershops in Lafayette and surrounding areas.
The initiative is a push to increase early literacy, keep children reading and encourage parents to interact with their children — but to let them do that in a space that's familiar, and on their own terms, according to a spokesperson for The Family Tree.
"A lot of young boys of color form their identities in barbershops and they have father figures sometimes in their barbers, as they're forming their identity, books can be part of that," said Marie Collins, Executive Director of The Family Tree. By connecting books and reading to a male-centered space and involving male role models in boys' early reading experiences, boys of color are better able to connect with books and literature."
The barbershops receiving libraries are:
Executive Cuts
5356 Resweber Hwy. St. Martinville
337-349-7067
Marlo's Barbershop
734 Lombard St. New Iberia
337-577-3448
Fertile Grounds Beauty and Barbershop
305 Church St. Youngsville
337-450-8505
Presidential Kutz Barbershop
2429 W. Congress St. Lafayette
337-484-3208
Robert's Ultimate Cuts
719 S. Magnolia St. Lafayette
337-234-7660
DJ Kutz
101 Knight St. St. Martinville
337-342-7198
Da Woss Ness Barbershop and Beauty Shop
612 W. Congress St. Lafayette
337-347-1749
Holliwood Cutz
315 W. Landry St. Opelousas
337-739-5658
In & Out Cutz
1803 W. Landry St. Opelousas
337-351-2442
Krazy Fades Barbershop
1200 6th St. Mamou
337-351-8275
Immaculate Cuts
1210 Jane St. New Iberia
337-335-9702
For more information about The Family Tree, visit www.acadianafamilytree.org.
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