AZUSA, Calif. (KABC) -- If you're heading back to school you, want to look sharp. So a church in Azusa made it happen for a whole bunch of kids by making sure they got free haircuts!
It wasn't the choir, but the buzzing sound of hair clippers that could be heard coming from the parking lot of Sandals Church in Azusa. The church held an event called "Cutz and Cookies," providing free haircuts, cookies, games and goodie bags full of school supplies to kids heading back to school.
"We want to inspire and empower and excite kids as they go back to school with some fresh cuts," said William Yih, Campus Lead, Sandals Church Azusa.
"We just wanted to do something for the community. We know that kids are getting back to school. We just wanted to do something that was practical, that would help people," said Griffin Harrel, Campus Pastor, Sandals Church Azusa.
After more than a year at home, students enrolled in the L.A. Unified School District are back to in-person learning. By the last week of April, LAUSD reopened all of its elementary, middle and high schools. Parents praised the church for serving the community with free cuts for kids, helping students to look and feel their best when they head back to school.
"I haven't taken them to visit a barbershop for over a year so this is really good. Especially when I saw them, they cut their hair in the outdoors and I feel more comfortable," said parent Yimo Lei.
The church's pastor says Sandals is new to the community and wants to be an asset seven days a week, not just on Sundays.
"What can we do to make people's lives a little bit easier and show them that the church actually cares about them," said Harrel.
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