‘Grateful to serve’: Hundreds get free haircuts and necessities at Lincoln’s Back 2 School bash

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Hundreds of kids left the 13th annual Back 2 School bash on Sunday with fresh haircuts, full backpacks and big smiles.

“It just brings that confidence back so they can look good and feel good and perform better,” said KB Mensah, the founder of Visionary Youth.

Visionary Youth partnered with the Malone Center to give families a helping hand before stepping back into the classroom.

Mensah said this event really takes the stress off of some parents’ shoulders.

“The parents have been just truly blessed with a lot of things,” he said. “They didn’t have to make that decision between the backpack, a haircut and an outfit. We have that choice right here. Giving them socks and underwear, the essential needs that most people don’t think about.”

Vendors like the Lincoln City Libraries and Community Action also showed up to offer resources for those families.

Free food, books and entertainment lined the sidewalks of South 11th Street to make everyone feel welcome.

The President of Visionary Youth, Lawrence Chatters, said the turnout was more than he’d ever seen.

“It’s really a great energy to start the year off here in Lincoln,” he said. “We’ve become so accustomed to doing it, but the need right now is so substantial that today, we’re really seeing a lot of people out here.”

And he said the community’s response is what makes the event worth it.

“Nothing but gratitude from everyone here,” he said. “As I was walking through the line this morning, people were here at 7 o’clock waiting, the event started at 10. All I’ve heard is just gratitude, thank you, thank you, thank you. I just return it to them, it’s a reciprocal thank you to them because we’re happy to be here to serve them and we’re grateful to serve this Lincoln community.”