Stranger gives barbershop to man behind 'Haircuts for Homeless'
PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - With winter on the way, a man who dedicated his time to giving free haircuts to the homeless thought he might have to stop his mission helping others. That all changed when a stranger stepped in with an incredible act of Kindness.
By now you’ve probably heard of Brennon Jones. FOX 29 first met him nearly a year ago, and since then, he says his mission to help the homeless has continued.
“Me personally, I think I surpassed a thousand haircuts, so many I stopped counting. So it’s been a good year so far,” Brennon explained.
The good work of people like Brennon is often told but what isn’t always shared is how many others get involved after the word gets out. People like Sean Johnson.
“When I found out well I need to be part of that. I need to see what I can do to help," Sean Johnson said.
Sean Johnson wanted to help, so he decided to give a fully-renovated, basically new barber shop that will offer services to those in need, to Brennon Jones.
It was given to Brennon free of charge.
Brennon says he was amazed by the offer.
“He said listen, I’ve got a building I want you to come check out. He said do you like this place? I said yeah I like it, he tossed me the key and said it’s yours,” Brennon recalled.
Sean Johnson himself knows about the path from struggle to success, having to rebuild his life.
“When I was in their I went to school learned how to cut hair, my mother paid for my license and I’m not gonna let my mom down,” Johnson said.
From incarceration to successful owner of Taper’s Barbershop, Johnson planned on expanding down Old York Road to another shop he bought and renovated, but meeting Brennon changed that. He’s experienced success and now says he is more focused on community significance.
MORE: Philly barber is providing the homeless with free haircuts
“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. I built something and I want to see it keep going and I want to see it do a great thing,” Johnson said.
The new shop will open in November with set days to exclusively serve the homeless. Now, Sean and his commitment to community building have partnered with Brennon who previously had no idea how he would continue the haircuts throughout the winter.
“I just continue to rely on my faith, God brought me this far I know he’s not gonna leave me now,” Brennon said.
A too often ignored homeless population will thankfully continue to see the benefits, For Goodness Sake.