Established in Perth in 2015, Short Back & Sidewalks is a free haircutting service for those in need. Founded by Craig Hollywood, the not-for-profit service has since expanded to New South Wales, Victoria and the Northern Territory.
Some of Australia’s best hairdressers and barbers volunteer for Short Back & Sidewalks to provide free haircuts while also creating meaningful connections with some of the most marginalised community members in the country.
Since the inception of Short Back & Sidewalks, volunteer hairdressers have provided roughly 4,500 haircuts, Hollywood told Broadsheet. This works out to be around 25 people per week thanks to the network of 150 volunteers.
Like pretty much every industry, the COVID-19 pandemic has been tough for Short Back & Sidewalks when it comes to fundraising as well as physical on-the-ground work. To raise some much-needed funds for the organisation, the team has linked up with HoMie— a Melbourne-based social enterprise that supports young people affected by homelessness and hardship — to create a limited-edition T-shirt.
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The unisex crew neck T-shirt is ethically manufactured, made from 100% cotton and costs $50. On every purchase, 100% of the funds raised from the Short Back & Sidewalks x HoMie VIP Day T-shirt will go back into helping Short Back & Sidewalks continue its work with creating positive connections and visibility for the vulnerable and marginalised community members of Australia.
You can also make a donation to Short Back & Sidewalks via its website or you might be interested in volunteering for the organisation instead. Short Back & Sidewalks is always on the lookout for hairdressers and barbers who are community-minded and would like to get involved. There are also roles for those who don’t cut hair, including in event coordination, rostering and fundraising.