A Maui barbershop is cutting kids' hair for free ahead of the new school year, easing one small cost for families already stretched by back-to-school shopping.

• Barbers from Uppercuts 808 set up shop in a school gym on Lanai and gave 80 kids free haircuts.
• Lanai has almost no barbershops, so families usually fly to Oahu or Maui just for a trim.
• The timing landed right before school picture day, when school shopping is already expensive.
• Days earlier the same crew gave free cuts to foster children in Kahului.
• Owner Javi "Toro" Alvarez started out cutting hair from the back of his truck and says this is about giving back to the community.

Outlook: The crew heads to Molokai and Hana next, and is asking other local stylists to join in.