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Owner of Fall River hair salon offers free prom services for foster kids


Fall River hair stylist Michelle Carvalho offers free prom services to kids in foster care. (WJAR){p}{/p}
Fall River hair stylist Michelle Carvalho offers free prom services to kids in foster care. (WJAR)

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Ahead of a busy prom and wedding season, the owner of a Fall River hair salon is making sure kids in foster care who plan to attend the big dance look and feel their best.

Michelle Carvalho owns MB Beauty located at 415 Elsbree Street in Fall River, Massachusetts.

Having opened her own spot in 2008, Carvalho said she's been doing hair and makeup for about 19 years.

“I’ve been cutting everyone’s hair since 13 or 14 years old, they weren’t necessarily the best haircuts though, but I was still doing it," said Carvalho. “It was just always something I wanted to do. I like to make people feel beautiful and feel good about themselves because not everybody has that all the time."

Carvalho said her job is rewarding.

Not only is she a hair stylist but she offers other services like makeup applications and spray tans.

“We do lots of weddings, on-site work, all kinds of stuff," she said. "I have a lot of customers who are like family to me. I like to help people. I’ve always done it, I’ve always liked taking people in, helping them get on their feet, and get them on their own.”

In prior years, Carvalho said on Christmas she and her family fed the homeless out of her salon.

“I have kids too. I have an eighteen-year-old and a ten-year-old. I make them participate in everything because they’re spoiled and have everything but I need to humble them a little bit," said Carvalho. "A lot of my friends take on foster kids and I just see how hard it is to manage their family life. I just wanted to do something different for others."

In 2020, before the Covid pandemic, she decided to do something different.

She offered up free prom hairstyles for kids in foster care and free haircuts for guys as well as makeup and spray tans.

“2020 was the first year we started then Covid came in and was like, 'You’re not doing this this year,' the year after was still kind of tight so last year the first year we really had people coming," said Carvalho. “This year I really want it to be a big thing. We do have some vendors that want to donate jewelry, so that’ll be good, and we have some dresses that come in too so if there is anybody looking for a dress if we have their size they can come in and pick something out also."

Carvalho posted on her business's social media accounts with an open invitation for those kids.

“Prom, I think it’s a big deal. That’s what these kids wait for like their whole four years of high school. It’s the end all be all party and they should look amazing and feel amazing when they get to go there," she said. “Sometimes they don’t have the means to get a dress or go get their hair and makeup done and this just helps."

Carvalho said since word spread about her offer, she's not only been setting up appointments but other people in the cosmetology industry have reached out.

“I have a lot of help. I have other hairdressers messaging me, 'If you need me let me know, I can help you, whatever,' So we should be able to help anyone that wants an appointment," she said.

Carvalho said since everyone's prom is not on the same day she is working around the different dates to make sure those qualified kids can get their makeover.

She said she hopes it helps not only the kids, but their foster families.

“I hope it’ll give them some kind of relief where it’s one less thing they have to worry about that added expense," she said. “I love it. I really do. It just makes my heart happy."

To book an appointment, Carvahlo can be reached at (508) 536-8007.

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