CENTRAL, Texas — Teachers are having a hard time buying school supplies for the upcoming academic year. That's why one local hair stylist has taken to Facebook to help them out.
Nikole Estrada, the owner of Image Hair Studio in Temple, knows her teacher clients spend hundreds of dollars on their school supplies.
This year, rising prices are making it harder for these teachers to gear up for the new school year, so many have posted their Amazon wish lists to Facebook.
This is where Estrada comes in.
"At first I wanted my clients to add their links, and my intention was to buy one thing from each of my teacher clients," Estrada said.
But that small group of teachers expanded across the Central Texas area.
One by one, educators started adding their wish lists to Estrada's post in the Temple Watch Facebook group, and Estrada continued to purchase at least one item from each of their wish lists.
Estrada said she felt as a business owner, a mom and a community member, it was her duty to give back.
"Usually I would be giving to my children," Estrada added. "But now that all of my kids are out of school, I can use some of that money I'm not using anymore to kind of help."
Hannah Hernandez, a teacher at Temple ISD is hopeful that putting her wish list on Estrada's page will help her purchase supplies this year.
"I'm no expecting anything – that's not why we do that," Hernandez said. "You know, as teachers we are always hopeful and every little thing helps."
She added that something as small as a pencil can help not only a teacher, but the students they teach.
Estrada said she hopes this initiative helps to launch more acts of service in the City of Temple and beyond.
"I hope that everybody in the community helps – like not just one person," Estrada added.