MIDLAND, Texas —
Local barber DeAngelo Sanchez is no stranger to serving those with disabilities.
He’s used his skills as a barber to help families with children on the spectrum both in his shop and through his annual Cuts for Autism event.
“I'll do an annual Cuts for Autism, and it all started from the Cuts for Autism. I went home that evening and just realized there was families that weren't able to make it to the event and I just... Why just do this one time? I should make myself available year-round for these people,” said Sanchez.
That realization is what drove him to seek out developers to work with so that Able Ally can become a reality.
He also wanted to make sure it would help those with all kinds of disabilities.
“So basically, the app, it's a booking app for families with disabilities, so they can find their service providers, all services. It's going to be the providers that want to work with these families, with the disabilities... Dentists, physical therapists, barbers, just people that really want to work with these families,” Sanchez continued.
Sanchez said the app will be free for those that sign up as users.
Able Ally is still in development, but Sanchez said he is more motivated than ever to make sure it gets made.
Especially since he understands the struggles that families like these sometimes go through.
“I have a son, he's 11 years old. He's nonverbal, he's on the spectrum... Oh, it really means a lot to me. It's very challenging to just take my son to the grocery store to get his teeth brushed, you know, so trying to find the right provider for him. It's very personal, I want him to be comfortable. We want to feel welcomed, so it's not just for my son. It is for these other families. When I'm offering my service to these families, you know, I want them to be welcomed. I want them to feel safe,” Sanchez added.
Sanchez said he hopes to have the app ready sometime next year.