Good deed ripples far: barbers give free haircut to homeless in Dublin, Melbourne, Philippines, Costa Rica, Jamaica, NYC, LA, TX

(quote)
For Bustos, now 30, it all started in 2012, where he gave free haircuts to needy children at a local barbershop. "It made such a strong positive impact on me that I decided to bring it back home to NYC," said Bustos. Calling him "angel", Ray said, "When someone comes along and gives you something you never get… it makes me wanna cry."
The first homeless person in New York that he gave a haircut to looked in the mirror after Bustos was finished and said, "Do you know anyone who is hiring?" Other people are so shocked after looking in the mirror they can't even speak. "I make a point to ask every person how the haircut makes them feel, and 90% say it gives them more confidence."

56-year-old Ray, who has been homeless for eight years as a result of a drug, said he was seeing his 11-year-old daughter that evening, and wanted to look put together for the visit. He carried over a milk crate to sit on, and after Bustos finished buzzing his head and grooming his goatee, Ray gave high fives to his friends. He then gave Bustos a big hug, calling him his "angel."

"When someone comes along and gives you something you never get, it's just nice," said Ray. "It makes me wanna cry." Third in line was James. After getting his hair shaved, he said he finally felt confident enough to go out and apply for jobs.

Passersby stopped to ask questions, snap pictures and commend Bustos. One person was a barber who said he'd be interested in helping the homeless, too. And that's exactly why Bustos sets up in such public spaces -- to inspire people to use their own passions to help those in need.

For Bustos, now 30, it all started in 2012. While visiting family in the Philippines, he decided to host an event where he gave free haircuts to needy children at a local barbershop. "It made such a strong positive impact on me that I decided to bring it back home to NYC," said Bustos.

Since then, Bustos estimates he's cut the hair of more than 50 homeless people -- not just in New York, but also in places like Costa Rica, Jamaica and Los Angeles. Bustos said. Once he found a man in Long Beach, Calif., sitting under a tree. The man told Bustos he had just gotten out of prison, where he had spent 10 years. "I asked him what he was sent to prison for, and he said 'kidnapping and robbery.' Then there was just this awkward silence. It was the longest 10 seconds of my life, because what do you say to that?" said Bustos. "But everyone deserves a second chance." He sees many of the same people over and over again, and hasn't heard any success stories yet. But that doesn't stop him from being optimistic. "A lot of them are still on the streets, but I have hope for them -- like James, I have hope that James will find a job tomorrow," he said.

“Can you believe this is happening?” Mark Bustos, a professional stylist with a celebrity clientele, works at a salon in Chelsea during the week. On Sundays, he gives homeless men haircuts. David Terry is 50 years old, H.I.V. positive and homeless, wandering the streets. “I get very depressed because it’s like I’m on the treadmill going 80 miles an hour with the brakes on,” he said. But for one hour the other Sunday, life slowed down to a happy pace. Sitting on a park bench on the corner of East Houston and Chrystie Streets, Mr. Terry was getting a haircut from Mark Bustos, a professional stylist with a celebrity clientele.

“Can you believe this is happening?” Mr. Terry said, a white bib wrapped around his neck, cigarette in hand and Stevie Wonder’s “Conversation Peace” playing in the background. An hour later, he looked in the mirror, and saw that his messy mop was now a stylish flattop. “Yeah, baby, I’ve still got it,” he said, striking a victory pose. “I’m the king of the world.”

Every Sunday, Mark Bustos, 30, a hairstylist at Three Squares Studios, an elite salon in Chelsea that charges $150 to clients like Norah Jones, Marc Jacobs and Phillip Lim, hits the sidewalk and provides free cuts to the homeless.

"It's been life-changing for me and I’ve been doing that ever since" "I’m blessed I love it." - Rudy Ibanez, 21, offers to give free haircuts to the homeless on Sundays in order to "do some good." Ibanez gave homeless man a haircut and shave who told Ibanez he hadn't had a haircut in five years. "The first thing he said was 'Wow,'... like three times. He was trying to open up his mouth and nothing was coming out," remembered Ibanez. Ibanez then bought the man some food and clothing before separating, but said he knew instantly he wanted to help others. "It really changes my whole state of mind," said Ibanez. "I was trying to do some good in life."

"I got off of work and saw this homeless man with long hair and beard," said Ibanez, who approached him to offer a haircut. "The first thing he said, 'Hey bro do you have any money.' [I said] I do have my clippers and I can give you a hair cut." While the man was initially reluctant, Ibanez said he won him over and eventually gave him a haircut and shave. He told Ibanez he hadn't had a haircut in five years. "The first thing he said was 'Wow,'... like three times. He was trying to open up his mouth and nothing was coming out," remembered Ibanez. Ibanez then bought the man some food and clothing before separating, but said he knew instantly he wanted to help others.

"It really changes my whole state of mind," said Ibanez. "I was trying to do some good in life." Every Sunday, Ibanez meets with homeless people who are looking to have a haircut. He said he goes to the same area every week and now has his own following."They just ask me how my day is going," Ibanez said of those he meets. "I asked them how is your day, how is life treating you bro?" Ibanez said he generally works until his wireless clippers give out. "I just go as long as the battery lasts," he said. "Sometimes there could be six or seven homeless people at the most." Ibanez said he started cutting hair at age 12 because he felt like it was an extension of his drawing. He said loves spending time outside of his barber shop and meeting people who are thankful for some conversation and a haircut.

"It's been life-changing for me and I’ve been doing that ever since" the first free haircut, he said. "I’m blessed I love it."

In this May 1, 2013 file photo, Michael Johnson, left, hugs friend Anthony Cymerys, known as Joe the Barber, in Bushnell Park in Hartford, Conn. For more than 20 years, Cymerys, 82, cut hair alfresco in Hartford for the fee of a hug. On Wednesday, June 13, 2013, Cymerys said as he was setting up, health officials and police told him and his friends, who hand out food to the needy, had to leave because they didn't have permits.

The Good Men Project - Every Wednesday in Hartford's Bushnell Park, a barber sets up shop to give free haircuts to anyone who wants one---from the homeless to longtime clients all reward the kind 82 years old barber with one hearty hug. "Joe the Barber" has been giving haircuts in exchange for hugs for 25 years in the city - he's been a fixture at Bushnell Park every Wednesday, and the city honored Cymerys for his charitable deeds. However, "Joe the Barber" has been giving haircuts in exchange for hugs for 25 years in the city - authorities ordered the 82-year-old good Samaritan out of a city park. Cymerys' friends questioned officials' actions, saying it was only a year ago that the city honored Cymerys for his charitable deeds - he's been a fixture at Bushnell Park every Wednesday.

Styling the Melbourne streets: Nasir Sobhani spends his one day off giving haircuts to the homeless. he is 26-year-old barber, a former drug addict and now helps those in need, bringing dignity and hope to the homeless with the simple act of a free haircut. Mr Sobhani's whole intention is to help others in order to show his gratitude for getting his life back. Four years ago Nasir Sobhani was heavily addicted to drugs, using anything he could get his hands on. Today he has been sober for more than three years, and spends his one day off a week from the Medusa Hair Salon in Melbourne's north-west, helping those less fortunate than him. The 26-year-old Melbourne man, known as the Streets Barber, gives haircuts to the homeless as part of his Clean Cut Clean Start initiative.

'A homeless person doesn't get the respect and attention needed,' Mr Sobhani told Daily Mail Australia. 'So letting them know that they are worthy of human interaction is actually the main purpose here.' For over a year he has been taking to the streets in Melbourne to offer his services as a barber, a passion he said helped him move on after his battle with drugs. 'March 23, 2012 was the day I became sober. Right before rehab I decided I wanted to start cutting hair.'

His first client was a heroin addict who used to wash windows outside the barber shop Mr Sobhani was working in.'One day I saw him and he told me he was off the drugs for a month – I couldn't believe it! He wanted to get a haircut... his hair was very long and he had dirty dreadlocks in the back, and overall he just needed a complete makeover. 'I asked him to let me cut his hair, so we sat down together and we shared our stories about our past.

'After I was done he loved the way he looked and his mum even came in and was taking photos and was in tears.

'It was a very monumental moment in my life, and it was at this point that I realized that if I could help encourage this change for a guy and all I’m doing is just what I love doing, then maybe I should keep doing it,' he said. For over a year he has been giving haircuts to the homeless as part of his Clean Cut Clean Start initiative

The 22-year-young Dublin Barber, Warren Flynn, who lives in Finglas South, runs 'The Dublin Barber' in Ringsend, gives free haircut to homeless. He has admired the volunteer work done by his friend Anthony Flynn who was one of the founders of a new charity - Inner City Helping Homeless. "I just felt I wanted to give something back as I'm lucky enough to have a job." One day, he cut the hair, trimmed the beard of a homeless man on a Dublin street and was surprised by the reaction to his good deed. "His hair was pretty long and his beard was fairly rough. I gave him a modern fashionable haircut and used some gel. And gave the beard a trim. When I held the mirror, it was like he didn't recognise himself at first," he said. "It was an amazing feeling for me. I think it's the barber's craft to treat everyone like a VIP and make them feel the best they can." Warren wanted to do something to help homeless people by taking his scissors, tools and a fold-up stool onto the streets of the city. But it was the response of the homeless man himself who saw in a mirror his transformed appearance that Warren appreciated most. "I've been homeless for four-and-a-half years. This is the best I've ever felt," the unnamed man told Warren.

The young barber, who lives in Finglas South, runs 'The Dublin Barber' in Ringsend. He has admired the volunteer work done by his friend Anthony Flynn who was one of the founders of a new charity - Inner City Helping Homeless.

"I just felt I wanted to give something back as I'm lucky enough to have a job. So I went out walking the streets and I got chatting with a guy who had a sleeping bag outside Pearse Street Dart station," Warren told the Herald. The 28-year-old homeless Dubliner accepted Warren's offer of a free haircut. The young barber opened his fold-up stool and there, on the public footpath, the two men continued chatting as he gave him a haircut and then trimmed his beard. "His hair was pretty long and his beard was fairly rough. I gave him a modern fashionable haircut and used some gel. And gave the beard a trim. When I held the mirror, it was like he didn't recognise himself at first," he said. "It was an amazing feeling for me. I think it's the barber's craft to treat everyone like a VIP and make them feel the best they can."

(unquote)

Photo courtesy Ramsay de Give / The New York Times, news.com.au, AP Photo / Jessica Hill, The Streets’ Barber / Instagram, and Jerry Hernandez / Rudy Ibanez / Youtube.com / abstractionvideography