FREDERICTON – Yvette Saad has been cutting hair for over 20 years, and in that time she’s used her talents to raise money for charities like Cancer Care. But it was living in downtown Fredericton that opened her eyes to the need of the homeless community.
“To see somebody out there, that they’re freezing, they don’t have enough food to eat, they don’t have a place to stay,” said Saad.
“It’s never too much to help such a good cause. And every little thing helps.”
On Wednesday, Saad cut hair from her chair at Splurge Salon and Esthetics, and donated the entire proceeds to the Fredericton Homeless Shelters – and the organization needs every penny.
It costs about $450,000 a year to keep both the men’s and women’s shelters in the city open. That’s about $25 per person, per night, and with the cold weather, both shelters are at capacity.
But Executive Director Warren Maddox says that’s actually a good thing.
“It means that they’re here, as opposed to trying to live rough on the street, which would be unimaginable. So it’s great. We’re doing exactly what it is we’re supposed to do, which is get people out of the brutal elements,” he said.
And Saad’s campaign is a popular one. Now clients like Georgette Roy are encouraging Saad to make this an annual fundraising event.
“These are human beings, and everyone should have a warm and safe place to sleep,” said Roy. “They’ve just had a bit of bad luck. It could happen to anyone.”
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