Sport Clips Haircuts Stylists Help Veterans Go Back to School

Sport Clips Haircuts’ stylists around the country will help kick off the annual “Help A Hero” scholarship campaign today as part of the company's mission to help service members and veterans take the next step toward civilian careers through education. Now through Veterans Day, November 11, more than 17,000 Sport Clips team members will support the annual campaign to Help A Hero through special events and in-store fundraising. The goal this year is to raise $1.5 million toward scholarships through the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. (VFW)-administered program.

 Sport Clips worked with the VFW to establish the Help A Hero scholarship program in 2013, after partnering for more than a decade to provide phone calls home for America’s service members and their families. The VFW’s “Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship” program now provides up to $5,000 of assistance per semester to qualified U.S. service members who are in need of financial assistance to pursue an education at post-secondary institutions, including trade schools. To date, Sport Clips, clients, team members and product partners, including Nioxin, DBE, Sexy Hair, Gibbs Grooming, American Crew, Rockwell/Mr. Gladstone and JPMS, have raised more than $4.9 million for the program to fund 1,115 scholarships. But the company's founder, a veteran, says there's more work to be done.

 “Estimates are that one million service members will leave the military over the next five years, so it's mission critical to help pave the way to civilian careers and essential employment. We started the Help A Hero program to help veterans with the education costs not covered by the GI Bill," says Gordon Logan, Sport Clips founder, CEO, Air Force veteran and VFW Life member. "Help A Hero Scholarships are changing lives by offering the support needed to ease the transition from the military and providing for veterans and their families as a way of saying 'thank you' for their service."

 Stylists often hold golf tournaments, bake sales, "pie in the face" raffles, football squares and other special events as Help A Hero outreach, while encouraging clients to donate through the checkout kiosk after getting a haircut. They'll also take part in the “The Biggest Haircut Day of the Year” Veterans Day, November 11, the day Sport Clips donates a dollar for every haircare service to the scholarship program. Last year, the $1 haircut service donation accounted for more than $130,000 of the $1.25M total raised. Some locations are also offering free haircuts to service members and veterans with valid military identification - check here for participating stores and store hours. 

 Nina Nelson, Sport Clips area manager, says, “Our CEO, Gordon Logan, is a veteran, as is my father, and a lot of our clients and a lot of our family members, so Help A Hero is well supported by our community.”

 “When veterans return home, they should be focusing on putting their lives back together and not worrying about how they’re going to pay for college,” said VFW National Commander B.J. Lawrence. “The Help A Hero scholarship works to fill the giant gaps in benefits so many service men and women face. What may seem like a simple haircut to you or me, is actually a bright future and successful career for a military family.”

 Sport Clips is the official haircutter of the VFW, and the Help A Hero program is just one of many ways the company supports active-duty military and veterans. To find out more about working with Sport Clips, visit SportClipsJobs.com.

About Sport Clips Haircuts

Sport Clips Haircuts is the nation's leading men's and boys' hair care franchise with almost 1,800 locations open in the U.S. and Canada. Fully-equipped for the sports enthusiast, Sport Clips surrounds its clients with televisions tuned to sports and sports-themed decor. Stylists enjoy a fun work environment with a guaranteed base-pay plus service, plus retail commission and tips! Sport Clips also supports the growth of their team members through continuing education, exciting contests, and award recognition. Through the Wayne McGlone Memorial Relief Fund, Sport Clips provides assistance to employees facing emergent financial situations. Sport Clips also provides “haircuts with heart” through its annual Help A Hero fundraiser that has given more than $4.9 million to the VFW; national partnership with St. Baldrick’s Foundation, the largest private funder of childhood cancer research grants; and other national and local philanthropic outreach. To learn more about Sport Clips and job opportunities near you, visit sportclipsjobs.com. 

  About The Veterans of Foreign Wars

The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. is the nation's largest and oldest major war veterans organization. Founded in 1899, the congressionally-chartered VFW is comprised entirely of eligible veterans and military service members from the active, Guard and Reserve forces. With more than 1.6 million VFW and Auxiliary members located in more than 6,300 Posts worldwide, the nonprofit veterans service organization is proud to proclaim “NO ONE DOES MORE FOR VETERANS” than the VFW, which is dedicated to veterans’ service, legislative advocacy, and military and community service programs. For more information or to join, visit our website at www.VFW.org.