Barber For The Homeless Is Given An Amazing Gift From A Kind Stranger

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Barber For The Homeless Is Given An Amazing Gift From A Kind Stranger

PhillyVoice

A stranger awarded a Philadelphia barber for his kindness for helping countless homeless men in his community.

Since the beginning of January, Brennon Jones has been offering free haircuts to the city's homeless, but was afraid he'd have to put his good deeds on hiatus with the winter weather looming just around the corner.

Jones, 29, told Buzzfeed while he had previously retired from barbering after an 11-year career, he decided to re-enter the trade after a "a brief encounter with a homeless gentleman who made me view life differently."

While Jones decided to start cutting hair free of charge, he realized he would have to set up his business, "Haircuts 4 Homeless" outside - like on sidewalks or islands on the street - since he didn't have his own shop.

Just this year alone, Jones has estimated he's done countless haircuts on his down-on-their-luck clients.

"Me personally, I think I surpassed a thousand haircuts, so many I stopped counting," he said to FOX29.

Despite being worried over the upcoming weather, Jones' fears were put at ease when he met a Good Samaritan who offered to solve his problem.

Back in April, Sean Johnson had approached Jones while he was in the middle of a haircut, where inquired about the barber's plans for the winter.

"I didn't have an answer," Jones told BuzzFeed. "My plan was to go work in a random barbershop and put HC4H (Haircuts For Homeless) on hold."

Wanting to help, Johnson got into contact with Jones months later, and asked him to meet him at a newly-renovated barbershop he owned.

"He asked me 'Why would you want to be an employee if you have the potential to be an owner?' I couldn't answer that question either," Jones said. "He tossed me the key and said, 'If you like it, it's yours.'"

Jones said he was amazed with Johnson's generosity, but didn't understand why he was given the tremendous gift, free of charge.

"I was blown away. I was trying to figure out why, and he said 'because of the things you've been doing for others,'" he said.

The barbershop, Phenomenom Perfection, was opened to the public on Nov. 13, and Jones said his business will host weekly "Makeover Mondays" where the homeless can come in for a free haircut, lunch, and toiletries.

When asked by FOX29 about his charitable endowment, Johnson said it all stemmed from wanting to help his community.

"It wasn't about me giving a barbershop, when you look at the homeless and the things that they need, I looked at it as more," Johnson said. "I built something and I want to see it keep going, and I want to see it do a great thing."

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Maya has been working at Shared for a year. She just begrudgingly spent $200 on a gym membership. Contact her at maya@shared.com