SAN ANTONIO – Back-to-school season is just around the corner, and for many families, the cost of supplies, clothes, and haircuts adds up fast.
One San Antonio barber school owner is trying to lighten those costs — one free haircut at a time.
At back-to-school events across the San Antonio area, one might spot Tim Torres and his students from Cut and Shave Barber and Beauty College providing fresh cuts for kids ahead of the first day of class.
“A lot of kids have to go to school without haircuts. So if they look good, they can feel good, and they can perform good in the classroom,” Torres said.
Giving back comes easy to Torres. In 2018, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor and knew he wanted to do more for his community.
“So I decided to just share the love that I have and passion for this industry to share with everybody else,” he shared.
It’s now become a tradition he and his barber students look forward to.
“Maybe more kids will be nice to them and give them compliments, help them boost their confidence,” Chris Olivares, a barber student, said.
Parents say the impact is immediate — especially during the summer months, when budgets can be stretched thin.
“We’re enormously grateful. I mean we’re blessed,” said Yessica Orenday, who has three school-aged children and a newborn.
Orenday said expenses pile up quickly.
“The diapers, the wipes, and all the goodies,” she said. “But yeah, especially in the summer because the fridge pretty much gets beat up.”
Orenday said the free haircuts helped her save more than $150.
“It’s a good thing that they’re doing,” her son Rigo said. “I bet other families are grateful too.”
If your family is also experiencing financial hardship, Torres says families can stop by Cut & Shave Barber College for help.
The school is welcoming families every Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through the end of August at 1139 Gembler Rd., San Antonio, TX 78219. Families are encouraged to call ahead at (210) 273-8340.