Sometimes the best Americans are the ones you’ve never heard of.
They’re not running for office or seeking the spotlight – they’re just quietly making their communities better, one person at a time.
And one Georgia man just proved what real service looks like and now he needs America’s help for a once in a lifetime opportunity from Wahl.
This pediatric speech pathologist became something special for disabled kids
Kevin Simmons from Gainesville, Georgia works as a pediatric speech pathologist, helping children overcome communication challenges every day.
But Simmons noticed something troubling about the kids he treats – many of them were terrified of getting haircuts.
For children with sensory sensitivities and disabilities, the buzzing clippers, bright lights, and unfamiliar environment of a traditional barbershop can trigger severe anxiety and meltdowns.
Parents would tell him stories about failed haircut attempts that left their children traumatized and the whole family exhausted.
That’s when Simmons decided to do something about it.
He trained as a sensory barber through ConnectAbility, a Georgia charity that supports individuals with disabilities and their families.¹
Now he volunteers his time giving specialized haircuts designed specifically for children with autism, sensory processing disorders, and other disabilities.
"His connection with the kids helped him recognize the need for an alternative to the often anxiety-inducing experience of traditional haircuts," according to the announcement from Wahl, the men’s grooming company.²
Simmons provides what they call a "haircutting experience that’s comfortable for those with sensory sensitivities."³
Think about that for a second – this man saw kids suffering from something as basic as getting a haircut, and instead of shrugging it off, he learned an entirely new skill to help them.
Now he’s competing for the ultimate recognition – and $25,000
Wahl, the grooming company that’s been around for 106 years, just named Simmons as one of five finalists in their Benevolent Beards Contest.⁴
The contest celebrates bearded men who "make the world a better – or ‘bearder’ – place to live."⁵
Here’s what’s at stake: The winner gets $5,000 for himself and $20,000 for his charity.
That’s $20,000 that ConnectAbility could use to help even more families in Georgia dealing with disabilities.
The winner also gets crowned as the new "Wahl Man of the Year" – a title that’s been around for 18 years.⁶
And the winner’s charity gets a visit from the Wahl Mobile Barbershop, where master barbers will offer free beard trims to the public at a charity event.
But here’s the thing – Simmons needs votes to win.
Public voting is open until September 12, 2025, and anyone can vote via the BenevolentBeards2025 page on WahlUSA’s website.⁷
He’s up against some serious competition
Simmons isn’t the only one doing good work.
The other finalists include Miguel Delvalle from Hartford, Connecticut, who overcame homelessness to open a barbershop and now runs free haircut events for the homeless through his charity Scissors Society, Inc.⁸
There’s Darren Thompson from Washington, D.C., who spent seven years fighting to get his underserved community a dog park and now organizes everything from outdoor movie nights to free breakfasts for school kids.⁹
Jesse Presson from Charlottesville, Virginia is a U.S. Army veteran with a traumatic brain injury and PTSD who now advocates for hyperbaric oxygen therapy for other veterans through the Hyperbaric Wellness Foundation.¹⁰
And Ryan Saunders from Seattle runs the National Film Festival for Talented Youth, helping young filmmakers from all economic backgrounds break into the industry.¹¹
These are all worthy causes. But there’s something particularly moving about what Simmons does.
He saw children in his own community – kids he works with every day – struggling with something most of us take for granted.
And he didn’t just sympathize. He acted.
What this really says about America
In an era where everyone’s angry about something and social media is full of people complaining about problems, Kevin Simmons just quietly started solving one.
No government program told him to do this. No mandate required it.
He just saw a need and filled it.
That’s the America that still exists outside Washington, D.C. – neighbors helping neighbors, professionals using their skills to serve their communities, regular people doing extraordinary things without expecting recognition.
The fact that a grooming company is putting $25,000 behind this kind of service shows that corporate America can still recognize and reward real virtue when they see it.
This isn’t some woke virtue-signaling campaign. This is honoring a man who volunteers his time to help disabled children feel normal during something as simple as a haircut.
ConnectAbility serves families across Georgia who are dealing with disabilities – families who often feel isolated and overwhelmed.¹²
Twenty thousand dollars could expand their programs, train more sensory barbers, and help more kids avoid the trauma of traditional haircuts.
Simmons has until September 12 to collect enough votes to win.
You can vote once, and it takes about 30 seconds at https://bit.ly/BenevolentBeards2025.¹³
Sometimes making America great doesn’t require massive government programs or political battles.
Sometimes it’s just one man with a good beard and an even better heart, armed with clippers and patience, making life a little easier for kids who need it most.
That’s the kind of American who deserves our support.
¹ Wahl Clipper Corporation, "Georgia Man One of Five Finalists Vying for the Most Benevolent Beard in America," PR Newswire, August 18, 2025.
² Ibid.
³ Ibid.
⁴ Ibid.
⁵ Ibid.
⁶ Ibid.
⁷ Ibid.
⁸ Ibid.
⁹ Ibid.
¹⁰ Ibid.
¹¹ Ibid.
¹² Ibid.
¹³ Ibid.
