KANSAS CITY, Mo. – At the national headquarters of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S., the Vietnam War veteran who founded Sport Clips Haircuts handed over a check for $1.35 million to the VFW Foundation today in order to support Help A Hero Scholarships for active-duty U.S. service members and veterans. Sport Clips began fundraising in October with the goal to exceed the $1.25 million raised last year for the program. By Veterans Day, November 11, Sport Clips, along with its clients, team members and product partners, raised the money for the largest donation in its 11-year history of supporting those who've served through the Help A Hero initiative.
In attendance was first-time scholarship recipient Army Specialist Ian Tucker, who is currently enrolled at Missouri State University studying criminal justice and legal studies. Tucker’s goal is to earn his law degree, work for the Department of Justice and eventually make his way into the political arena.
(L to R) VFW National Commander B.J. Lawrence is joined by Sport Clips representatives Martha England, vice president of marketing, Amanda Palm, corporate communications manager, and Gordon Logan, founder and CEO at today's presentation of Sport Clips' largest donation to date of $1.35 million in support of the VFW’s “Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship” program which provides scholarships to service members and veterans.“To see the impact of 1,300 Help A Hero scholarships at work in the lives of individuals who are pursuing post-military careers is powerful and one of the best ways we can say, 'Thank you for your service,'" says Sport Clips Haircuts Founder and CEO, Gordon Logan, a U.S. Air Force veteran and Life Member of the VFW. "We've been doing this as a team with the VFW for over a decade and have put $5.5 million into these scholarships that have supported men and women in their education and training goals for so many sound professions…everything from doctors to truck drivers to chefs, counselors and lawyers. We're grateful to be a part of an effort that's making a positive difference for them, their families and the communities in which they live and work."
“Issues surrounding the GI Bill educational benefits have plagued student veterans this year and our Help A Hero Scholarship provides the peace of mind student veterans and their families need,” said VFW National Commander B.J. Lawrence. “With the help of Sport Clips, their supporters and all their team members around the county, we’re helping take care of tuition fees so our veterans don’t have to take on additional student loan debt. They’ve sacrificed enough, and they deserve every road to a successful career that we can help pave.”
Clients, individual supporters and Sport Clips team members donated the largest portion of the money raised, while Sport Clips partners Sally Beauty Supply/Direct Beauty Express, John Paul Mitchell Systems, American Crew, Nioxin, Sexy Hair and Gibs Grooming also made generous donations to the Help A Hero program. More than $100,000 of the money was raised from Sport Clips $1 per haircare service donation made on Veterans Day.
The Help A Hero program started when Sport Clips first worked with the VFW to provide phone calls home for deployed and hospitalized service members and veterans in 2007. When the drawdown in troops began a few years later, the partnership transitioned in 2013 to become the VFW’s “Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship” program. To date, nearly 1,300 student veterans have received scholarship grants of up to $5,000 to enable them to continue in their higher education programs.
Sport Clips is the Official Haircutter of the VFW, and its Help A Hero campaign is just one of the many ways it supports active-duty military and veterans. To find out more, visit your local Sport Clips or SportClips.com.
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About Sport Clips Haircuts
Sport Clips Haircuts is headquartered in Georgetown, Texas. It was established in 1993 and began franchising in 1995. The sports-themed haircutting franchise, which specializes in haircuts for men and boys, is ranked by Entrepreneur Magazine as one of the “Fastest-Growing Franchises” and in the top 10 in its “Franchise 500.” There are over 1,800 Sport Clips stores open in the U.S. and Canada. Sport Clips is the “Official Haircutter” of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), offers veterans preferential pricing on haircuts and franchises, and was named a “2018 Best for Vets: Franchises” by Military Times. Sport Clips provides “Haircuts with Heart” through its annual Help A Hero fundraiser that with this year’s gift has contributed $6.5 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. Sport Clips is a proud sponsor of Joe Gibbs Racing’s NASCAR drivers Erik Jones and Denny Hamlin, Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser-Sullivan Indy Car driver Sebastien Bourdais, and partners with numerous NCAA and professional sports teams. To learn more about Sport Clips, visit sportclips.com.