This is something I posted on my xanga…I’m transfering bits and pieces here, but I won’t make you read the whole thing.
Okay, rant post here. I want to make sure everyone knows that LOCKS OF LOVE is an UNRELIABLE organization!!! Countless little girls and young women chop their tresses to give to this ‘nonprofit organization.’ This is a waste of perfectly good, pretty hair. Your hair needs to stay where it belongs- on your head!
Locks of Love is advertized as a non-profit organization that makes hairpieces for children who have lost their hair due to cancer or other illnesses. Sadly, LoL’s actions aren’t in keeping with its message.
Let me elaborate:
Taken from LocksofLove.com:
“Locks of Love is a non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children 18 years and younger suffering from long-term medical hair loss. We meed 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 cute. The prostheses we provide help to restore self-esteem and confidence, enabling them to face the world and their peers.”
Now, what they say is that they ask for donations of hair, which they then process and give away to kids who need it. Correct? Ah. Now let’s look at the actual statistics: (taken from a long hair site):
A little math using information from LoL’s own website and the BBB:
LoL receives about 2000 donations per week, by mail.
That’s 104,000 per year.
Let’s say that only half of that is usable for wigs.(Or use another fraction, if you desire.)
That’s 52,000 per year.
It takes 6-10 ponytails to make a wig.
Ok, let’s say each one takes 10.
That’s potentially 5200 wigs per year.
Now, in fiscal year 2002, how many wigs did LoL provide?
113.
Let’s take this a little farther….
Let’s say it takes 10 donated ponytails to make one wig. They made 113 wigs in 2002.
113 wigs x 10 ponytails each = 1130 total ponytails used to make wigs in 2002.
They received 2000 ponytail donations per week, which is 104,000 per year.
That means that Locks of Love only uses 1% of the ponytails donated by good meaning people. You only have one chance out of 100 that your donated hair will go directly into a wig for a child.
Now. Go to www.locksoflove.com and take a look at their wigs. Not very good quality, are they? No. And the kids don’t get them free, either.
Want to know what Locks of Love does with all the rest of their hair? They sell it. This ‘non-profit’ organization sells the hair they recieve as human hair extensions, mostly to celebrities who like to change their length on a whim. Not very honest, are they?
And look at this (from the Better Business Bureaus group):
11: Make available to all, on request, complete annual financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
In response to the Alliance’s request for a copy of LoL’s financial statements, LoL submitted a copy of its Independent Accountant’s Compilation Report for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2002. To meet this Standard, an organization with total annual income of over $250,000 should have, available on request, financial statements that have been audited.
In addition, the BBB Wise Giving Alliance requested, but did not receive, complete information on LoL’s finances, and therefore, is unable to verify LoL’s compliance with the following Standard for Charitable Accountability: 14.
Also from the BBB:
Source of Funds
Contributions 194,398
Hair sales 150,719
Grants 18,991
Interest income 7,858
Program income 2,474
Gain on investment sales 103
Total Income $374,543
http://www.give.org/reports/care2_dyn.asp?733
As if that’s not enough, people are constantly pressured into donating their hair, convinced they’re doing the right thing. And not only by Locks of Love reps, but by regular people who are misled. I can testify. I haven’t cut my hair in six years, and now I’ve got tailbone length, thick brown hair. I’ve been working hard at keeping it in good condition, because long hair looks awful when it’s ratty. But some people, sadly, take healthy long hair to mean an automatic donation. I’ve had…I think five or six people tell me over the past few years that I ought to cut my hair. “You know, Hannah, you really should cut your hair for Locks of Love.” Yeah, well, you know what? When you donate a kidney, I’ll donate my hair. You’ve got two of them, it’s really selfish for you to keep them both.
People get this insane idea that it’s selfish to keep long hair. They’re so misinformed! That’s why I’m making this post…at least my friends can be informed. Please guys, never tell someone they should donate to Locks of Love. It’s much, much better to donate money to the cancer research funds. Even cut off your hair and sell it to donate the money. Anything.
Please don’t get me wrong. I can’t critisize anyone who HAS donated. There’s nothing wrong with it, it’s a very kind and considerate thing to do, especially since most people don’t know where it’s going. Just wanted to clarify.
Credit for information goes to members of The Long Hair Community.