Barbershop gives Grooming Kits to Youth

Seventy Sixes Barbershop hosted a grooming party on Thursday, August 29, 2013, to culminate their summer grooming program, "Give Back, Get FRESh," a project in which the downtown-based shop provided cuts and grooming kits to young men throughout the summer.

Shop owner, Duane Reed, along with his wife, Kaia Shives and son, Taj Ree, passed out toiletry kits at Seventy Sixes then visited St. Benedict's Prep and gave kits to youth who live in the school's dorms.

Reed says, "A lot of men get little, if any guidance on how to properly care for themselves. Self-presentation and feeling good about who you are, are critical in any person's development. I see too many young men who need guidance as they are approaching manhood and this is how I am giving back."

October Jones, a mother of six boys brought her children and took some for her stepson. Jones says, "A lot of shops are giving away book bags, but I have boys who are about to be adults and need to know the importance of being presentable and staying sharp." She adds, "This is such a great idea. It will help a lot of young men who need it."

The grooming kits were furnished to youth in efforts to assist middle and high school young men in their most essential grooming habits. Youth participants and parents were excited about the shaving bags that were filled with items from toothbrushes, soap and nail clippers to lotion, shampoo, brushes and combs, most of the products were natural and organic selections to help youth become more aware in using healthier. Some of the items are donations from Milburn's Trader Joe's and Wholefoods. Other items are from Seventy Sixes' bath and body care line, while the rest were procured from donations made by clients of the shop. Shivers comments, "We found out that so many of our children are acquiring more and more allergies. We knew it was necessary to provide products that were free of a lot of chemicals. Sometimes families just cannot provide these options because they can be pricey. I am from a family of six children growing up in inner city Los Angeles. I know the sacrifices of parents. With the program, we wanted to help families in furnishing healthier choices because our kids our worth it."

"Give Back, Get FRESh," is part of Reed and Shivers' philanthropic organization, The Grooming Blueprint, a mentoring program that uses grooming as a platform to guide Newark male youth.

Reed who grew up between East Orange and Piscataway, launched The Grooming Blueprint in May of this year with Shivers, a local media professor and Rutgers doctoral student at the School of Communication & Information.

Seventy Sixes is located on 11 Central Avenue, downtown Newark.

For more information on The Grooming Blueprint, go to thegroomingblueprint.org or seventysixes.com.