CONCORD, N.C. -- Fantasia Barrino is getting into the beauty business.

The American Idol winner has teamed up with Carolina Panthers safety Mike Minter to open a chain of beauty salons to fund a home to help single mothers.

The driving force behind the project is Minter's sister, Rosalind Beaty.

Beaty said that she hopes to open franchises that will channel their profits to a faith-based, nonprofit residential home for single mothers.

The first shop is due to open this fall in Concord under the name Imaj Salon and Spa.

Barrino won Season 3 of American Idol in 2004.

She recently played herself in the Lifetime cable movie "Life is Not a Fairy Tale."

The film was inspired by her autobiography about dropping out of high school and becoming an unwed mother at 17.

- MY58 Entertainment

Visit Fantasia's original American Idol profile.