The story of Giving Hands Hair Salon

Vanessa Howard grew up in a drug-infested household in Tampa, Florida. As a teen she was the victim of domestic abuse. Eventually she had three children of her own, and only $1.75 to her name. Then she met a landlord who let her rent an apartment, and she started working at a local beauty salon to support her three daughters.

                                                                                                        Giving Hands Hair Salon
Decades later, Howard was finally able to open her own business, called Giving Hands Hair Salon. To help other girls living in poverty around Tampa, she provides free hair care one day each month. Almost 300 women and girls from transitional housing and homeless shelters have benefited from her free styling. "I would encourage other broken woman," she said. "I believe we should use what we've been through to help others."