Trenton Transformation: Beauty and Beyond"

Partnering with the Princeton Tigers to Give Back to the Community of Trenton

Diane Bellamy, CEO of In His Image Hair Studio and Executive Director of Beauty to the Block (BTTB), along with her husband Antino, have developed BTTB into a vital community initiative in Trenton. Starting as a small event offering free haircuts and styles, BTTB has expanded significantly over six years to serve 350 people with various services including health screenings, meals, clothing, and resources for housing opportunities. The project, which began with serving 20-30 people, now involves over 50 volunteers and collaborates with multiple community organizations.

Diane emphasizes BTTB's role in empowering and honoring the humanity of those in need, seeing it as a way to highlight inner beauty and address issues like bullying, mental health, and addiction. BTTB has become a non-profit aimed at unearthing beauty in Trenton through need-based services and strategic partnerships. This year, Princeton student-athletes, including freshman Men’s Basketball player Dalen Davis, volunteered at the event. Davis shared how the experience felt like a home away from home and expressed interest in extending similar initiatives to his hometown of Chicago, highlighting the impact of cultural and educational empowerment. For a more detailed account of this transformative initiative, read the full article here.