Hairstylist takes her salon on the road to give free haircuts to the homeless

Katie Stellar believes that getting a haircut can be a transformative experience.

"When you feel good about yourself, it can inspire you to do so many things," she told KARE 11. Stellar owns the Stellar Hair Company in Minneapolis, and as part of her Red Chair Project, she puts one of her salon chairs in the trunk of her car and drives around the city, offering free haircuts to people she meets who are homeless. While she's out, Stellar also passes out bags filled with food and other essentials. "When you have the ability to give, it's a responsibility to give," she said.

Stellar provides haircuts to new people and trims to those she's already met, and has been told by some that it's been decades since their last professional cut. Stellar was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis as a child, and at 18, underwent surgery to remove her large intestine. Her hair started to fall out, and she soon realized "what a big part of my identity it was," she said. "That's probably my main motivator — I don't do hair because I'm naturally good at it. I became good at it because I saw it was a way and a vessel to connect and care for people." Catherine Garcia

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