As families navigate rising living costs, churches across the nation are offering vital back-to-school support, providing free haircuts, essential supplies and warm meals for students.




A local church in Louisiana offered free haircuts for children as well as school supplies and meals ahead of the first day of school.

True Vine Missionary Baptist Church, located in Alexandria, Louisiana, held its fourth annual “Community Cutz” event on Monday. The back-to-school event involved 10 barbers and stylists who volunteered their time and services to make sure the kids were ready to head back to the classroom, according to Premier Christian News.

The event was organized by deacon Steven Willie Chark and the church, along with the participation of local groups such as the Southern University Rapides Alumni Chapter and the Ezekiel Iota Chapter of the Xi Phi Epsilon Christian fraternity.

Chark explained that the event was created to support families facing rising living costs.

“Right now, people are having a hard time making ends meet, and if we can provide a free haircut, or braid a little girl’s hair, or something like that, just to relieve some of that pressure and pain, that’s our ultimate goal,” he told KALB-5.

Southern University Rapides alumni chapter distributed free school supplies and books, while members of the Ezekiel Iota Chapter of the Xi Phi Epsilon Christian fraternity served free chili dogs to children and parents, Premier Christian News reported.

Other churches, like True Vine, have also offered community outreach events ahead of the school year.

Faith Christian Center Church in Beaumont, Texas, will offer free haircuts for students before the start of the school year from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 10 at Barbers Trade School, 4835 Concord Road.

The church, which first launched the event in 2007, will partner with local barbers and barber schools in Southeast Texas. According to Senior Pastor Carlton Sharp, a haircut helps build self-confidence for students going back to school, not just for physical appearance, Beaumont Enterprise reports.

“We are grateful to Barbers Trade School for joining us in this year’s outreach,” Sharp said. “When churches and local businesses work together, we can make a lasting impact on the lives of our children and families.”

Meanwhile, Victory Baptist Church in Augusta, Georgia, held a back-to-school bash last month that offered free haircuts, school supplies, face painting and even basketball tournaments for students in the community.

Josh Tesch, outreach pastor at Victory Baptist Church, told WRDW that the event was a way for the church to reach the community.

“I think there’s no better way to show the love of Jesus than to meet people where they are, right? And not just on the walls of a church, but actually in the community loving on people, right? And so I think that’s what Jesus would do. So we’re taking the love of Jesus outside the walls of the church into our community,” Tesch said.

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