Crowned with Care

At 5 am, I arrived at our neighbor's Hair Salon, The Perfect Collection. The first thing that caught my attention was a vehicle parked outside with its lights on. About 20 minutes later, I learned who was inside. It was a grandmother and her two granddaughters, waiting for “Free Hair Day” to begin.

Free Hair Day is an annual back-to-school event organized by Crystal Moore, a local hairstylist and business owner who has been serving families in our community for years.

“I always wanted to give back,” Crystal shared as she reflected on seeing the needs of children in the neighborhood.

Crystal’s Free Hair Day was strategically held on the last Sunday of summer break, as community members didn’t even see a flyer with details until 24 hours before the event. This was an intentional decision by Crystal, as she wanted to reach families who had made it to the end of summer and might still need a little help getting their children’s hair ready for school the next day. Her hope was for the girls to walk into school feeling confident, cared for, and ready.

Crystal’s connection to hair and community goes back many years. She learned to braid from her aunt and began working in a beauty salon at just 13 years old. She later attended cosmetology school in Wisconsin before returning to Chicago.

For the past six years, this special event has served countless families. This year, seven braiders, 10 assistants, and volunteers served 53 girls. Throughout the day, I watched parents wait with patience, gratitude, relief, and anticipation as they occasionally peeked through the salon doors to see the transformations. Of course, some girls cried their way through the process, only to light up when they saw the finished result.

Crystal laughed when she described that transformation: “They cry when they get it done, but they get out of the chair fresh. They don’t know how to act.”

When Crystal noticed that a child’s hair needed additional care, she took time to talk with mothers and grandmothers about proper hair maintenance and how they could better care for their children’s hair at home. Toward the latter part of the day, a parent walked in prepared to pay for her daughter’s braids. Crystal gently explained that there was nothing to pay. That day wasn’t about money. The whole day spoke to her team’s care and generosity.

Sunshine Gospel Ministries was grateful to contribute to this important event happening in our community. We joined Crystal and the volunteers in prayer as the day began, provided chairs so families could be comfortable while they waited, and gave new backpacks to girls who needed them.

Looking back, I believe the families who walked through those doors that Sunday felt seen, cared for, thought of, understood, heard, and truly valued.

“I really love what I do, and I love making women feel pretty. If I can do it for free, I will do it... It makes me feel happy.” - Crystal