Locks of Love & Bye Bye My Hair
by Martha Decker on May.03, 2009, under Good Causes
Off to Locks of Love with Love
Well, I did it. This is something I have talked about doing for years. At 54 I decided it was time and I’m very happy with short hair. Besides, it grows really fast if I change my mind! It was a good feeling to pack up my 16 inch thick braid and take it to the post office. If you have long hair this is a great case to help with and it only costs you what the USPS charges for the mailing. The benefits are great….
LOCKS OF LOVE INFORMATION
Here is information from Locks of Love on how to cut it, what to do with it and where to send it:
Locks of Love is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children in the United States and Canada under age 18 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. They meet a unique need for children by using donated hair to create the highest quality hair prosthetics. Most of the children helped by Locks of Love have lost their hair due to a medical condition called alopecia areata, which has no known cause or cure. The prostheses we provide help to restore their self-esteem and their confidence, enabling them to face the world and their peers.
There is a donation form that can be used when sending your hair. It’s easy to print it out and include in the envelope.
Here are tips for what qualifies, what doesn’t and how to send your hair:
Please Note: Anyone can cut your hair as long as the guidelines listed below are followed. They encourage all of thier donors to go to a salon they are already familiar with to ensure their comfort when donating.
GUIDELINES FOR ACCEPTABLE DONATIONS
- Hair that is colored or permed is acceptable.
- Hair cut years ago is usable if it has been stored in a ponytail or braid.
- Hair that has been bleached (usually this refers to highlighted hair) is not usable. If unsure, ask your stylist. We are not able to accept bleached hair due to a chemical reaction that occurs during the manufacturing process. **If the hair was bleached years ago and has completely grown out it is fine to donate.
- Hair that is swept off of the floor is not usable because it is not bundled in a ponytail or braid.
- Hair that is shaved off and not in a ponytail or braid is not usable. If shaving your head, first divide hair into multiple ponytails to cut off.
- They cannot accept dreadlocks. Their manufacturer is not able to use them in our children’s hairpieces. They also cannot accept wigs, falls, hair extensions or synthetic hair.
- Layered hair is acceptable if the longest layer is 10 inches.
- Layered hair may be divided into multiple ponytails.
- Curly hair may be pulled straight to measure the minimum 10 inches.
- 10 inches measured tip to tip is the minimum length needed for a hairpiece.
- Printable Guidelines (PDF)Please Note:
- Shorter hair will be separated from the ponytails and sold to offset the manufacturing costs. Although the shorter hair cannot be used in the hairpieces, it still greatly helps to reduce costs.
- Gray hair will be accepted and sold to offset the manufacturing costs.
- Colored hair is not usable if it is colored over bleached hair.
HOW TO DONATE
- 10 inches measured tip to tip is the minimum length needed for a hairpiece.
- Hair must be in a ponytail or braid before it is cut.
- Hair must be clean and completely dry before it is mailed in.
- Place the ponytail or braid inside of a plastic bag, and then inside of a padded envelope.
- If you wish to receive our personalized thank-you card, please fill out the hair donation form, or write your name and address on a full size separate sheet of paper and include inside the envelope. They cannot acknowledge donors who do not send their name and address according to these instructions.
- All hair donations must be mailed to Locks of Love at:234 Southern Blvd.
West Palm Beach, FL 33405
I got the above information from the Locks of Love website.
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March 16th, 2010 on 9:24 pm
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March 7th, 2010 on 6:39 am
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February 5th, 2010 on 9:11 pm
Tell you friend thank you for me too!
February 2nd, 2010 on 7:05 pm
Hey there My daughter is 7 years old and she has grown her hair and it is long enough to donate 10 inches to locks of Love but I can’t seem to open the locks of love donation form. Do I need to fill it out to donate or does it matter?
February 5th, 2010 on 9:10 pm
You might send them an email telling them you are having trouble opening the form. I think you may only need to use the form if you want a certificate sent.
February 2nd, 2010 on 8:34 am
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November 13th, 2009 on 7:59 am
If you would like more information about the program click on their link. Their web page should tell you all you need to know.
November 5th, 2009 on 5:57 pm
Applause, applause for you! In another couple months I will be making my second donation, my first donation being about 3-4 years ago and a whopping 14″.
We long-haired become so attached to our hair and a lot of people do not realize how hard it is to ‘part’ (get it? part?) with…
But I am looking forward to my next donation in time for Christmas of about 12″.
Keep spreading the word!
November 13th, 2009 on 8:02 am
I have wanted to donate my hair for years but would end up getting tired of “messing” with the long hair. Work required it to be worn above the collar. I was very happy to have finally made it all the way through to the donation.
May 7th, 2009 on 8:31 pm
Way to go Martha! What a wonderful gift that will be to someone in need. You look good with short hair too.
May 5th, 2009 on 6:36 pm
Heather – thank you!
I just wish I had done this several times over the years. It felt good to have all that hair head off into the afternoon………
May 5th, 2009 on 11:08 am
Oh Martha – what a wonderful thing to do! As you say ‘you’ can always grow your hair back – but there are so many people who can’t. And, to think of being able to help a child this way is amazing.
You’re a good person 🙂
May 3rd, 2009 on 8:57 pm
Thanks Erica,
I tried once before but ended up cutting my hair off a couple inches at a time. I was determined this time. I have always loved the ease of care with short hair.
May 3rd, 2009 on 5:00 pm
So cool that I saw you Twitter this just now! It’s great to get the word out:-) I received my thank you card from Locks of Love this week – it was my 3rd donation. Debating on whether or not I’ll make #4. It’s nice not to have all the hair, yet it’s so easy to do & so nice to help someone whose hair isn’t growing… Kudos to you! And, how do like washing it now? 🙂