EASTON, Pa. — Stephen Flowers doesn’t need anything for his birthday on Jan. 9.
But he does want something — to inspire a community to help people in need.
Since 2008, Flowers, a well-known Easton hairdresser, has provided his services for the homeless at Ripple Community in Allentown.
He cuts hair and provides a catered dinner for people who rarely ever see such kindness, in addition to providing his expertise to people in need in other places across the Lehigh Valley.
“I love giving back instead of receiving."Stephen Flowers
“I love giving back instead of receiving,” Flowers said.
Some may recognize Flowers from his numerous philanthropic endeavors across the Lehigh Valley.
You may have spotted him at Ripple Community, where he stops by once a month to do free haircuts. Or perhaps you’ve seen him co-hosting the Beards for Breasts fundraiser with two-time cancer survivor Sarah Trimmer.
'An amazing community'
For Flowers, who owns Suddenly Samantha hair salon in Easton, providing a helping hand to anyone in need is just part of life.
“How it started was on Christmas Day, actually, as I was walking my dog in the afternoon," he said. "And there was a homeless man, and he was looking for something to eat.
"Everything was closed except Wawa, so we walked down to Wawa, I bought him lunch, myself lunch, and then I ended up walking him back to my salon so he could eat indoors, and ended up giving him a haircut."
A case manager from Safe Harbor reached out to Flowers after hearing the story, telling him that some of her clients would really appreciate a trim.
"That's where I have the hard part taking credit, because I get credit for it, but none of it would happen if it wasn't for an amazing community.”Stephen Flowers
Not long after, Flowers decided that he would open his shop on Christmas and offer a warm place to spend a holiday, a fresh look and a hot meal for people in need.
Over time, what was a small event intended to help a few people ballooned into something new that could only happen with the help of an inspired community.
“I would get hairdressers and barber shops to volunteer, and we'd cut hair in my shop downstairs" at the Grand Eastonian Hotel & Suites, he said.
"They would get dinner, and kids would visit Santa Claus and get gifts. Everyone got essentials that they needed, whether it was jackets, hats, gloves, scarves, you know, whatever they needed. Tons of people donated. It was just amazing.
“And that's where I have the hard part taking credit, because I get credit for it, but none of it would happen if it wasn't for an amazing community.”
'Be kind to people'
The Christmas Day event went away because of the coronavirus pandemic. Since then, Flowers has made a point to carry that inspired tradition over to his birthday, which falls in the second week of January.
He said he isn’t doing it for fame, money or anything really, outside of the potential to drum up more support for the homeless and other individuals in need.
“My goal has always been that other people see what I do, and they take it to the next level, and they do it better than me."Stephen Flowers
He said he'd be more than happy to inspire someone else in the community to help even more people.
“My goal has always been that other people see what I do, and they take it to the next level, and they do it better than me,” Flowers said.
Asked whether he was looking for contributions for the cause, Flowers said he advised people to donate time or talent to organizations such as Ripple Community in Allentown or Safe Harbor or Third Street Alliance in Easton.
It’s just in his nature to do what he can to help as many as he can, he said — a sentiment that seems to spread across the Lehigh Valley with each and every effort he makes.
“My whole message is to be kind to people," Flowers said. "I want people to be treated with kindness, and I think everyone deserves the same dignity and respect, no matter who you are.”
