Bronx Beauty Salons Distribute 1,400 Resource Guides
A nonprofit initiative turns seven local hair and barber shops into hubs for job training, housing, and voting information.
By Natalia Costa ·
Seven salons and barber shops in the South Bronx now serve as distribution points for community service information.
The program, called Civic Salons, is operated by the Women’s Housing and Economic Development Corporation, or WHEDco. It launched in March 2026 and targets three specific neighborhoods: Highbridge Concourse, Crotona East Morrisania, and Melrose. The sites are located near affordable housing complexes developed by the organization, including Urban Horizons, Intervale Green, and Bronx Commons.
WHEDco trains owners and staff to explain available resources to clients. These resources cover employment, financial education, childcare, housing, and small business support. The nonprofit funds the initiative through the New York Women’s Foundation. It builds on prior work with approximately 100 personal care businesses in the area, providing business advice and resource exchanges.
Alcania Trinidad, owner of Alcania’s Glamour on Gerard Avenue, says her clients ask most often about immigration advice and job opportunities. She places informational sheets near the service chairs so patrons can review them during appointments. Trinidad states the space allows people to receive valuable life information alongside their hair services. WHEDco staff visit the locations monthly to replenish materials. In some shops, brochures run out before the next visit, prompting owners to request additional copies.
From July to September 2026, staff and owners distributed more than 1,400 copies of materials covering about ten services and events. This count reflects materials handed out rather than the number of people who enrolled in programs. The initiative also provides nonpartisan election education. Kerry A. McLean, vice president of community development at WHEDco, says the goal is to help residents use their voices through voting and community meetings.
New York City has used beauty professionals as community connectors before. In 2019, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene partnered with a Queens beauty school to train students in recognizing mental health signs. That program aimed to guide clients toward professional help without providing diagnoses. Civic Salons operates with a similar premise, using the trust built in personal care spaces to bridge the gap between neighbors and local resources.
