Michael Making Lives Better

Michael R. Hooks grew up in a single-parent home. His mother never had a job and never owned a house or a car. Hooks says his family was a product of the welfare system, and he recalls being surrounded by people who barely scraped by. As a young kid, I can remember vividly not having the things I needed to start the school year, (so) I didnt want t... o go to school, says Hooks, now 48. These memories along with many factors are what drove Hooks to start giving free haircuts to students before the first day of school 14 years ago. Already the owner of Michaels Hair Salon, Hooks saw it as a small way he could help the community in a way he knew how. Haircuts soon turned into giving away backpacks, which turned into filling packs with school supplies, which turned into a community-wide family resource fair. In August, Hooks will hold his 14th annual Back-to-School Free Haircut Day as well as his third annual Family Resource Fair. Last year, more than 1,000 participants and about 60 agencies were involved in the Family Resource Fair. Free dental exams, immunizations, physicals and vision screenings were offered in the past. This year, Hooks hopes to teach people about the Affordable Care Act, offer CPR certification, teach people urban farming and how to cook healthy meals on a low-income budget. In many ways Hooks still identifies with the reluctant elementary-school student who goes to class in hand-me-down clothes, unsure where hell eat dinner and just wanting enough paper and pencils to get through the day. When youre young, youre vulnerable, and if theres no one there to care for you, anything could happen to you, Hooks says. We dont ask for parents who dont work or parents that use drugs as a kid, we dont ask for those things, but as a kid theres nothing we can do about them. But if you can come along and give those kids those people a hand, a new way of looking at life, a better understanding ultimately thats what I believe (in). SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR Michael Hooks created MMLB with the aim of solving social ...Read More