KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Sport Clips Haircuts presented a record-breaking $1.55 million check today to the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW) Foundation to provide scholarships for service members and veterans. As the nation's leading provider of men's and boys' haircare, the veteran-founded company began work with the VFW in 2013 to offer Help A Hero Scholarships for returning military to prepare for civilian careers that often require additional college, graduate, and technical degrees and training. Since the creation of the program, Sport Clips has donated more than $10 million to the VFW’s “Help A Hero Scholarship” program.
Also today, the VFW and Sport Clips are pleased to announce 146 student veterans will receive scholarships for the Spring 2022 semester, totaling nearly $650,000. This brings the number of scholarship recipients to 2,200 and makes the program one of the largest veteran support programs of its kind.
PHOTO CUTLINE: Sport Clips Haircuts Communications Manager Amanda Palm presents a record-breaking $1.55 million check to VFW National Commander Fritz Mihelcic today, Jan. 11, 2022, at VFW National Headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri. The Sport Clips Haircuts donation was made in support of the VFW’s “Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship” program which provides post-secondary scholarships to service members and veterans."Helping ease the financial burden of going back to school is a very real way our Sport Clips team members, clients, and product partners say 'thank you' to those who serve in the military and their families," says Gordon Logan, Air Force veteran, VFW Life member, and founder and chairman of Sport Clips. "It's gratifying to see thousands of veterans…single moms, doctoral candidates, seminarians, technicians…going back to school with the help of these scholarships on their way to meaningful civilian careers."
“The VFW, along with the veterans, service members and military families we serve cannot express enough our appreciation to the entire Sport Clips team, network and partners for their generous support.” said VFW National Commander Fritz Mihelcic. “Their dedication to America’s student veterans is truly remarkable and serves to make a lifelong, positive impact in the lives of so many.”
Some $122,000 of the donation this year was from Sport Clips’ own $2 per haircare service made by the company on Veterans Day while clients, individual supporters, and Sport Clips team members donated the most generous portion of money raised in stores and through virtual walks. Sport Clips partners Direct Beauty Express, John Paul Mitchell Systems, Nioxin, Sexy Hair, Gibs Grooming and Actiiv also made substantial contributions.
Application period for fall 2022 Help A Hero Scholarships is open now through April 30 to receive up to $5,000 of assistance per semester, per family for service members and veterans in the rank of E-5 and below. To find out more, visit your local Sport Clips, SportClips.com/hero or VFW.org/scholarship.
Video here: VFWFBLive
Image here: HelpAHeroScholarshipDonation
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, offers online check in for clients, and ranks #24 in the Entrepreneur “Franchise 500” for 2022 and is listed in Franchise Direct’s 2021 “Top 100 Global Franchises”. There are more than 1,850 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 2019 Top Franchise for Veterans by Entrepreneur. Sport Clips provides “Haircuts with Heart” through its annual Help A Hero fundraiser that has contributed $10 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 NASCAR’s Joe Gibbs Racing team, and partners with other NCAA and professional sports teams. To learn more about Sport Clips, visit www.sportclips.com.