Fundraising Tip of the Week #6: Make Your Friends & Family Part of the Process

Each year thousands of people either shave their heads or donate their hair to support cancer research and provide wigs for children battling cancer or alopecia.  The most well-known, of course, is Locks of Love. A new group called Buzzing4Change is taking up this mission, as well, encouraging college students (who rarely cut their hair anyway to join the effort in one-day buzz-athons on campuses around the country.

Drastically changing your appearance for a good cause is without a doubt a great gift.  It can take months of growing your hair to the required 10 inches, and often means foregoing harsh chemical treatments (although Locks of Love does accept permed and color-treated hair). Then, with one trip to the salon, it’s all over.

Usually, hair donors get praise and support from their friends and family who admire their generosity and devotion to a wonderful cause.  Who doesn’t care about children with cancer?! But rarely do donors attempt to fundraise for the organization whose work is just beginning when they receive a hair donation.

Did you know that is costs Locks of Love over $1,000 to create the wig and hair prosthetic for a child? 

So our Fundraising Tip of the Week is to add a fundraising component to your next hair donation.  Let your friends and family join in your effort to help a child suffering from the devastating effects of radiation.  By creating a personal fundraising page as part of your hair growing and donation process, you’ll let the people in your life show how much they support you while helping make a difference to an organization that changes people’s lives.

It’s basically like quadrupling the impact of your donation.  Not only do you give a cash gift with your hair donation, but you may also inspire others around you to do the same.