Washtenaw County Commissioner Yousef Rabhi, D-Ann Arbor, will be launching his campaign Monday to collect donations for area organizations that help the homeless in exchange for shearing off his hair, according to a Friday announcement from the county.
Rabhi, 24, announced at a Nov. 7 meeting of the Board of Commissioners his intent to cut his 28-inch-long mane of hair as a fundraising effort. Rabhi hasn’t had a haircut since 2005.
Yousef Rabhi
In a partnership with the United Way of Washtenaw County, donations will be accepted online and through mailed contributions to United Way of Washtenaw County at 2305 Platt Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48104. Checks should be made out to “Yousef’s Haircut.” Rabhi plans to cut his hair in 2013 and donate it to Children With Hair Loss, a non-profit agency based in Michigan that provides free hairpieces to disadvantaged children.
The money raised by Rabhi’s campaign will be donated to the Safe House Shelter, the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County and the Alpha House run by the Interfaith Hospitality Network.
The campaign ends Dec. 21.
About 42,000 Washtenaw County residents are either homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
Amy Biolchini covers Washtenaw County, health and environmental issues for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at (734) 623-2552, amybiolchini@annarbor.com or on Twitter.