Golden Cuts owner Lisie Reyes touches up a haircut. (Courtesy Lowell Police Department)

LOWELL — Superintendent Greg Hudon and the Lowell Police Department are pleased to report that Lowell Police Youth Services partnered with a city barbershop — Golden Cuts — to provide free back-to-school haircuts for Lowell youth who participate in the LPYS Boxing Program.

Students were also provided with a free backpack if they needed one thanks to the generosity of the Bethesda Church of Lowell.

Fifteen students received free haircuts at Golden Cuts, on Middlesex Street, last Thursday in preparation for the new school year.

The LPYS Boxing Program is open to any Lowell youth between the ages of 10 and 18. Club members meet several times per week to train at the program’s facility on Central Street, which was opened thanks to support from the Officer Sean A. Collier Memorial Fund and the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s Shannon Community Safety Initiative program.

Building confidence among students is one of the goals of the boxing program and other programming offered by LPYS, which seeks to create opportunities for all city youth to participate in free after school activities, athletics, and other ventures that emphasize health and wellness, while also experiencing positive interactions with police officers.

The barbershop was busy on Thursday afternoon as students stopped in for back-to-school haircuts. (Courtesy Lowell Police Department)

Golden Cuts is owned and operated by Lisie Reyes and her son Yaveht Adorno, who have been in business in Lowell since 2016.

The barbershop offered to provide free haircuts last year after hearing that students in the boxing program wanted to know where Officer Dominic Lessieur — a former Golden Gloves champion — got his hair cut. Officer Lessieur is a longtime customer of Golden Cuts. Golden Cuts stepped up for students again this year as well.

“It’s very nice that for the second time we are bringing smiles and awesome haircuts! This back-to-school season, we’re here to give the little heroes the look that will inspire them to shine in the classroom and beyond,” said Yaveht Adorno, of Golden Cuts. “Each haircut is a masterpiece, and every child is a success story. Here’s to another year of incredible hair adventures! Thanks Lowell for all the support!”

“Bethesda Church really does enjoy giving back to the children in our community. When the opportunity came around again this year to help, we couldn’t pass it up,” said Pastor Eric Diaz. “Lisie, at Golden Cuts, and the other barbers offer their time to give these kids some great haircuts. We try our best to match that same goodwill with gathering bookbags to help these kids out.”

“A major goal of Lowell Police Youth Services is to help students build self-confidence, and nothing helps with that quite like a fresh haircut as students head back to school,” said Superintendent Hudon. “We are grateful to Golden Cuts and Bethesda Church for being such great community partners as we work to reach and support city youth.”

For more information on joining the Youth Boxing Club, email: LPDYouthServices@lowellma.gov.

About the Lowell Police Youth Services Program
The Lowell Police Youth Services Program seeks to create opportunities for all city youth to participate in free after school activities, athletics, and other ventures that emphasize health and wellness, while also experiencing positive interactions with police officers. The Lowell Police Youth Services Program is open to partnering with all community stakeholders.

For more information on the Lowell Police Youth Services Program, email: LPDYouthServices@lowellma.gov. To make a donation to the Lowell Police Youth Services Program via the Greater Lowell Community Foundation, click here.

To follow the Lowell Police Youth Services Program on Instagram, click here.