Although Majestic Hair Design is open for business, owner Debbie Wise hasn’t spent much of the week doing hair at the Irondequoit salon.
Instead, she has been screening calls on behalf of Catholic Family Services, helping people who are applying for rental assistance through the Eviction Prevention Pilot Initiative.
Wise is among 25 salon owners who also serve as community health educators for Common Ground Health. The program trains stylists and barbers to educate their clients on health care and to connect them to providers.
She said it was a good fit because as a hairstylist, she is used to people opening up about their problems.
“I hear a lot about not having enough food. Being scared where their next pay is coming from. Being thrown out on the street. Getting sick, getting ill and their children," said Wise. “Some of our children are doing without.”
For the past week, community health educators have been inundated with screening applicants. Cassandra McCrae, owner of Diva Defined Salon & Boutiques in Greece, has a desk set up at Rochester’s eviction court.
“We’re taking names and phone numbers and we have our database with us and we have our computers and laptops also set up so that we can just immediately do a referral for them,” said McCrae.
Since Friday, McCrae and Wise have referred a combined 30 people. They say their phones continue to ring off the hook.
“The calls have not stopped through the night and through the day. But we’re ready and we’re willing and we have the compassion,” said McCrae.
In order to receive assistance, applicants must have enough income to cover next month's housing payment and prove that their hardship is a direct result of the pandemic. The hardship is not difficult to prove, but many people have been turned away because a lack of consistent income disqualifies them.
“Some of the clients are still unemployed and some of them haven't found a job yet," said McCrae. “And they're still going to be in the same boat that they were in November and December.”
She added that she wishes the requirements were more lenient so people who are out of work can still get housing assistance through the program.
In addition to connecting people with housing assistance, Wise and McCrae also give people information on food, child care and other resources.
Wise said she’s happy to help make a difference: “I’m just glad that we can help our needy.”
Tenants in need of housing assistance can dial 211 to get connected to resources.
