Ava's story
Many hands.
One mission.
At just 15, Ava Zhang became one of Virginia’s youngest licensed cosmetologists. She carried her scissors to family shelters, senior residences, school classrooms, and storefront sidewalks across Virginia. These are the people and places that shaped Cuts for a Cause.
More than a haircut
It starts with showing up.
Many of the people Ava serves are judged for their appearance while lacking the means to change it. Cuts for a Cause exists to close that gap, one chair at a time.
“My love for hairstyling started with cutting my Barbie dolls’ hair before moving on to friends and family. During COVID, when many salons closed, I began offering free haircuts outside my local grocery store to gain experience. After meeting Yusuf, a man experiencing homelessness who told me he hadn’t had a real conversation in months, I realized a haircut could help someone with more than just appearance. It can help people feel seen and become a form of trust, inspiring me to found Cuts for a Cause.”Ava Zhang · Founder
What began as one licensed teenager with a pair of shears has grown into a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with shelter partners, dedicated volunteers, a leadership team, and a growing calendar of service days, workshops, and fundraisers.
01
Family shelters
A fresh start in a borrowed chair.
Most sessions happen in shelter common rooms: an office chair, a cape, a spray bottle, and a table of combs beneath the kids’ artwork on the wall. Ava cuts hair for children, parents, and grandparents, often for up to seven hours at a time.
And she keeps coming back. On one February visit to Fauquier Family Shelter she gave 20 free haircuts in a single day. On another, she cut hair for an entire family while volunteer Amira read books with the children.
“Thank you so much for cutting my son’s hair. I can finally see his eyes again!”Ms. Camila · Resident, Fair Ridge Shelter
02
Senior care
Every generation deserves to feel seen.
In a senior living salon, the pace slows down: a wash, a trim, a blow-dry, and a long conversation. For residents whose outside connections can be few, a visit from Ava is about company as much as it is about hair.
Her bond with one senior community grew so close that she helped residents prepare for their annual Senior Prom.
“Her continued friendship with our residents and community is greatly cherished as it symbolizes the bridge in generational gaps and a bond that can be formed, regardless of age or background.”Ms. Sarah · Director, Chesterbrook Residences
03
School haircut days
Fresh cuts, full confidence.
Cuts for a Cause brought free haircut days to McLean High School, turning a classroom under the “We Are McLean” wall into a pop-up salon. Students lined up for trims, fades, and long-overdue restyles, at no cost to them or their families.
For a teenager, a good haircut is how you show up in class, in photos, and at your first job interview. Ava, a teenager herself, knows exactly what that feels like.
50+ students served across 2 haircut days at McLean.
“You’re the first person to cut my hair exactly how I like it. My hair feels so much healthier and cleaner now.”McLean High School student
04
Self-care education
Skills that stay after the cut.
A haircut lasts a few weeks. Knowledge lasts much longer. Through talks like Confidence Through Care, Beyond Beauty, and Back-to-School Skincare 101, Ava teaches teens, shelter residents, and staff the basics of skincare, hygiene, and simple routines that last.
In hands-on workshops, like one at Good Shepherd Housing, participants learn foundational makeup techniques and finish with a guided makeover.
15+ presentations given, reaching about 80 attendees, with 10–15 people in each session.
05
Community & fundraising
Raising funds, together.
For the board’s first fundraiser, the team set up outside the local Giant: a table of homemade treats, hand-lettered signs, and a chair where anyone walking by could get a free haircut.
Made possible with support from the local Giant, every sale helped keep services free for the people Cuts for a Cause serves.
Since then, volunteers have kept the momentum going with restaurant fundraiser nights at Panera and Chipotle and an online Krispy Kreme campaign. Every dollar goes back into free haircuts, care kits, and self-care lessons.
$1,220 raised across all fundraising events so far, including 2 free haircuts given at the Giant pop-up.
See all events ↗
06
Beyond the chair
Care that keeps giving.
Ava’s visits often come with more than scissors: gift baskets for families, donated shampoo, conditioner, and soap, and flowers and handwritten notes for the shelter staff who make every session possible.
It is a small way of saying what the whole project is about: everyone in the room deserves to be cared for.
“When I arrived back at work on Tuesday, everyone was busting down the door to tell me how much of a good job you did and how wonderful a young lady you were.”Ms. Winston · Manager, Fauquier Family Shelter
“A haircut can be a fresh start, a moment of dignity, and a reminder that you matter.”
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