Barber gives kids with special needs free haircuts, goes viral

A Cincinnati barber is going viral for giving back to the community with free haircuts for some VIP clients.

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Vernon Jackson operates Noble Barber and Beauty and recently went viral because of a TikTok video that shows how caring he is with some of his clients.

Ellison Eubanks, 7, has Down syndrome among other health issues. WLWT reported that while his smile brightens up the room, there is one time that he isn’t so happy — when it’s time for a haircut.

“My husband and I both would kind of play rock-paper-scissors on who gets to take Ellison to get his hair cut because we both knew what we were in for,” Julie Eubanks told WLWT.

But then they found out about GIFTED, an initiative started by Jackson in 2021, and everything changed.

Normally Ellison has anxiety when he gets his haircut, but Jackson calmed the boy’s nerves.

Jackson can be seen laughing with his client and playing a game of “stop-and-go” while giving Ellison a trim.

“I said, ‘Ellison, if at any moment in this haircut you need some time to yourself or you want me to stop, just say stop, and give me a go when you’re ready,’” Jackson told WLWT. “And so we get to going, and the next thing you know, immediately, he says ‘stop.’ And then he says ‘go.’ And by the second time, it turned into a game. And we were just cracking up.”

“Good Morning America” reported that the video was captured during Ellison’s second trip to see Jackson.

Jackson has helped others through his GIFTED program.

In 2022, it was A.J. Lucas, who was 7 at the time, in the chair. A.J. was diagnosed with autism, ADHD and sensory issues, Spectrum News 1 reported at the time. His mother, Melissa Lucas, told the station that the hair on him overwhelmed him.

Jackson was able to help A.J. and his mom, and others like them.

Jackson told Spectrum that he does what he needs to make his small clients comfortable.

“Sometimes kids are afraid to sit in the chair, so if I gotta sit down on the floor with them, stand up and cut their hair, squat down if I have to, whatever is needed,” Jackson said last year.

Jackson has started a GoFundMe to help offset the haircuts.

According to his fundraising page, he offers free haircuts on the third Monday of every month “for children with intellectual, physical, or developmental disabilities.”

He has earned $14,700 of the $15,000 goal he currently has set as of Thursday afternoon.