The effects of COVID-19 are wide-ranging affecting every industry. None more so than the barbershop, nail salon, and hairstyling studios.
These neighborhood respites are where the community comes together, shares information and challenges the status quo.
However, with person-to-person service-based businesses suffering heavily, who is looking after the barbers? Enter celebrity barber and master groomer, Marvin “Marv The Barb” Church who created The Barber Relief Fund.
“The grooming industry from barbering and hairstylists to nail techs and more are all suffering due to this unexpected pandemic,” said Church. “It is now that we need to stand strong together as one community that takes care of itself.
“We are the ones that make sure the world is at its best daily. It is now that we need the world to help us remain at our best.”
Giving Back When Its Inconvenient
Having worked on movie and television sets, Church knows that he is in a different position than most barbers. With a client list that ranges from Trey Songz, Wayne Brady, and Congressman John Lewis (D-GA), Church has been blessed.
His want to keep an integral community staple alive and its artists have given him a unique sense of purpose.
The Barber Relief Fund will provide financial assistance to qualifying barbers affected negatively by the COVID-19 outbreak. There is an application process and all funds granted are free of repayment. They must be used to assist the barber professional during this time.
“The barbershop is a staple in the community for the leadership within. As one of my clients, Congressman John Lewis said of the civil rights movement, ‘the barbershop was the place to provide the information to ease and comfort the community it serviced. Please help us keep the stewards of this community staple alive.”
