How Locks of Love broke my heart

[saskia_madding]

I am all for volunteering. It is an excellent way to ensure your contributions are used appropriately and ethically.

I volunteer at an animal rescue that is pretty corrupt and horrific. So instead of donating money, I donate my time and I purchase some of the supplies that we use in the back (like animal shampoo).

That way I can control where my money is going, and I can still help the animals in the shelter. Because even if the people running the place are terrible, the animals still really need the help.

[cobblersmaid]

I am all for volunteering. It is an excellent way to ensure your contributions are used appropriately and ethically.

I volunteer at an animal rescue that is pretty corrupt and horrific. So instead of donating money, I donate my time and I purchase some of the supplies that we use in the back (like animal shampoo).

That way I can control where my money is going, and I can still help the animals in the shelter. Because even if the people running the place are terrible, the animals still really need the help.

What she said.

[Fractalsofhair]

That is terrible, but at least it was only hair you lost. You raised $5000 which will help those cancer patients a lot more than hair. Seriously, if a little kid has cancer, they probably don't care if their wig is "real human hair" or a synthetic one, and they will probably be more comfy with just a comfy hat on...Hair does grow back after chemo, and after cutting it short! Had you donated $ to Locks of Love, I think that that would be very tragic. But hair, it grows. It takes a lot of work, and I wouldn't suggest donating it to a sham "charity", but if you do that by mistake out of wanting to help others, you were trying to help others, and you will soon have long hair for yourself! And then, if anyone you personally know wants a wig if they're going thru chemo, you now know how you can actually help them!

[BirdieGene]

Thank you So much for sharing your story here.

[prittykitty]

I am sure that they sold some of the hair to companies who make hair extensions. This is really sad when you can't even trust a charity.

[apynip]

every time i hear these stories I'm proud of my self that i kept my poney tail instead of giving it off to be sold to a bogus charity. ( i lost it in the move though... i think a neighbor threw it away)

[Beatnik Guy]

I ended up raising over $5000 that went to the Children's Cancer Research Fund.

We always say that it's best to give to cancer research.

[JamieLeigh]

Thank you for the story. It's true that LOL is a big scam, but don't let that undermine the sacrifice and the feeling that you were helping someone in need. That's the main thing, is that you wanted to help someone, and you did everything you thought you could do in order to make that happen. If there were more people with that mentality out there, I'm sure we'd see a lot more being done as far as treatments and whatnot that REAL charities support.

I always say it's better to donate money to cancer research than to donate your hair to a fictitious child. As one of my friends put it, "I'm sure the kid would rather be cancer-free and have her OWN hair, than to have cancer and be wearing MINE." If hair is the center of someone's universe, then that person can grow his/her hair out and donate the money he/she WOULD have spent on salon visits to the charity of his/her choice.

[Teazel]

mbaker, you rock.

[Wicked Princess]

What Locks of Love actually does isn't so much "wrong" as much as it is "not even remotely the same thing as they promote themselves to be". They do provide wigs to adults who would "need them" - but they sell them those wigs. This is not charity...it's a BUSINESS. I think I would like them better if they just CALLED themselves a business instead of trying to defraud the public.

I, too, have donated to Locks of Love, but it wasn't with passion. At the time, I had tailbone length hair, and I cut it to waist (this was my decision, I wasn't pressured into it) and the salon woman told me that they could always donate it if I wanted, rather than just throw it away. So I did. I wasn't going to keep it anyway...I hardly cared what is done with it! I could only imagine how terrible you must feel, when you DID care.