MINNEAPOLIS — For the past 18 years, a local barber has dedicated his talent and time to people experiencing homelessness.
He’s part of the Basilica’s outreach program where unsheltered people can get connected to resources, while also getting a fresh cut.
Every Thursday for the past 18 years, Armstead Lewis has walked through the doors of the Basilica to join a handful of volunteers. It’s here they engage in community building, connecting people to resources or just offering a listening ear.
It’s also where Lewis keeps one of his barber chairs. Before he began giving out free haircuts, he was once someone in need.
“When I didn’t have nothing, these people looked out for me. I wear a size 15 shoe. They found me shoes from the Timberwolves. They gave me $25 worth of gas that got me to the end of barber school,” Lewis recalled. “That $25, I was on my last, and that $25 bounced me from that to where I am now.”