In addition to the clothing, produce and staples normally available at Faith Food Fridays, a brand new service was offered this week: manicures.
Equipped with a salon chair, an LED nail lamp and a palette of nail polish colors, Annelisa Martinez transformed the red tent into a makeshift salon ready for clients.
As a rising senior at Jesse Bethel High School and self-employed manicurist, Martinez doesn’t have a lot of free time, but she knew she wanted to give back to the community.
“I’ve wanted to do this for a while,” says Martinez, who remembers coming to Faith Food Fridays with her mother when they needed groceries. The young entrepreneur saved her income for two months to buy hygiene products and school supplies for the event.
While Martinez offered a stripped-down menu of her usual styles, she was still able to provide gel nails and manicures, but her main focus was more on cleaning her clients’ hands and nails to avoid any potential infections.
Martinez had set up a nearby table with deodorant, toothpaste, cotton balls, first aid kits and shower gel for anyone in need. The table also contained school supplies such as backpacks, crayons and pencils, and pet treats.
Next to her nail station, aspiring hairdresser Diego Barajas joined Martinez with his trimmer. The Vallejo High School student has been working on his craft for three months and was happy to accept Martinez’s offer. “It’s something new and it feels really good.”
It wasn’t long ago that the barber chair was a regular feature at Faith Food Fridays. Until the pandemic, free weekly haircuts were something the community could rely on.
“It’s been incredible to see the difference it’s made for people and hopefully for their lives,” said Mary Ann Buggs, administrative director of Faith Food Fridays. “That’s why I’m so happy to support her (Annelisa).”
When Buggs first heard Martinez’s proposal, she thought it was “extremely ambitious.” For years, she received ideas and similar proposals, many of which were never implemented. This taught Buggs not to expect too much.
Martinez stuck to her plan and quickly proved her enthusiasm. With the same tenacity, Martinez hopes to get into an elite university and eventually law school.
Even during the summer months, Martinez is booked solid every day, and her clients come from Richmond and Fairfield. “It makes me feel kind of special, they come all the way here to see me,” Martinez said. To grow her Instagram following, the entrepreneur is planning a giveaway when she reaches 300 followers – a milestone that isn’t far away.
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