“A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal.” – Steve Maraboli, Author and Decorated Military Veteran
One man found deliverance in the unlikeliest of places—a tattoo parlor.
Daryl Bidner of Vancouver Island, BC knows the pain of homelessness and drug addiction all too well. He dropped out of high school and developed a drug addiction, eventually living on the streets as a result. He tried everything to get clean, but to no avail.
Surprisingly, after getting his first tattoo, he realized he was able to go an entire night without using drugs. “I came home and didn’t use that night,” Bidner reflects. “I felt great. I was stoked to look in the mirror and look at my new tattoo.”
After that, he began getting tattoos more often with the same effect—no more using. Eventually, he was officially clean.
To make the most of his second chance at life, Bidner decided to enroll in barbering school and open his own barbershop. The name? The Little Barbershop of Horrors. He also had contemplated opening his own tattoo parlor but settled on a barbershop because cutting hair was a skill he had mastered as a teenager.
The name of the barbershop may be unusual, but that’s the way Bidner likes it. He wants it to stand out above other similar businesses. To top it off, he uses his business to give back to the homeless community: Once a month, he offers free haircuts to people living at the homeless shelter nearby.
Bidner says, “It makes them feel better. Hopefully it gives them a little inspiration…Becoming a barber changed my life completely. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done.”
To read Daryl Bidner’s entire story, click here.
We, at Sheltering Grace, are passionate about helping homeless mothers and babies end the devastating cycle of homelessness. Please contact us at 678-337-7858 to learn how you can help. Your one act of kindness can make all the difference to mothers and babies in need.
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Sheltering Grace Ministry, Ltd. is a 501(c)3 Ltd. non-profit ministry. We resolve the initial crisis of homelessness by providing mothers with a safe place to live during pregnancy. We also equip them with the tools they need to improve decision-making, enhance employment options, and increase family income to act responsibly as the head of their household. All of our services develop their self-reliance to progress to permanent independent living. Please join us in renewing and rebuilding the lives of these brave women – #Be1of5000.
