With this past month being Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, it really got me thinking about doing my part. Doing my part to give back, to help others out with the skills I have and to make giving back a priority.

When we were younger, it was easy. In college, they required that we volunteer 10 hours a week for a cause we believed in. I spent those hours washing dishes a local homeless shelter, mentoring a girl in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, walking dogs at the local animal shelter, helping with warm clothing drives in the winter, and going on a few mission trips (see examples of these in a few hilarious throwback photos I’ve included!) Giving back felt good.

This was during one of our trips to feed the homeless when I was in high school

A shot I took while we were on a mission trip in Fiji my Sophomore year

Mission Trip to the Bahamas

When we were in 8th grade, my friend and I planned a mission trip for our class to the Bahamas! I got braids because of course I did.

Another shot from our 8th grade mission trip from my old black and white film camera (remember when terry cloth jumpers were SO IN?!)

In Fiji playing "Awana Talkie Talkie" (a very duck-duck-goose game) during one of our breaks from building a church there

A cute bunch of kids we brought food for in Fiji

Now that it’s not in the required curriculum of life, I must say it’s a bit more difficult to give back. Luckily there are companies out there who are making it easier.

Hair Cuttery is gearing up for their Share-a-Haircut program next week. Since ’99, they’ve donated well over a million haircuts to those in need. On February 1 and 2, when you get a haircut, they donate one to a homeless person in our community through partnering with local shelters and community organizations! In the past, Hair Cuttery has supported lots of incredible causes like the American Cancer Society, Girls on the Run, The American Red Cross and The National Network to End Domestic Violence. With a focus on aiding the area’s homeless, this struck close to my heart.

You see, giving back to the homeless community has a special place in my heart. When I was younger, once a month our church would make bagged lunches and we’d deliver them to homeless in D.C. Doing this as a young person completely changed my perspective on others. Many of these people were veterans and people who'd lost their job in a rough economy. And especially in these colder months, life for them is no cake walk, friends. I want to do my part to make a difference and I love that Hair Cuttery does too. You can find out more about their Share-a-Haircut program here!

This post was done in partnership with Hair Cuttery. Find your nearest location here. All opinions expressed are my own.