Comments on: Ronald McDonald, pull tabs, and American giving

By: Lyle Frederick

Lyle Frederick — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 19:16:02 +0000

I have been donating my tabs to Ronald McDonald House for a while. It is one way I try to help. I do not have that many, but I hope when added to the others it will. I wish I had the cash, but I am not able to do this.
Here is the link on the RMH site that talks about the pop-top donations.

http://www.rmhca.org/index.php?page=pop-tab-program

By: Kathy

Kathy — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:30:31 +0000

Bottom line? Donate cash. Non-profits can get grant money, but it’s usually designated for a specific project, not for general operating funds. Or donate in-kind contributions, like volunteer time or office supplies.

And I say that as someone whose daughter has sent two ponytails to Locks of Love and would donate myself if they wanted gray hair. Non-profits need to pay rent, utilities, and salaries. And they need our time. They can find big donors to give to the marquee causes; they need us for the regular stuff.

By: Del

Del — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 18:12:58 +0000

B - here’s a story in the NY Times I missed the other day, although I now realize some of the sites I visited referenced it.

Another issue I read about is how strangers now feel comfortable approaching girls or women with long hair and demanding that they donate. Sheesh.

By: Del

Del — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 17:37:49 +0000

B, I did a lot of reading after Kathy’s comment, and from what I could tell, L of L (according to their detractors) they receive far more hair than they can ever use. Some of the hair is made into wigs (a few sites quoted numbers that seemed to be rather low) but a lot of it is sold to overseas wig manufacturers, at prices far lower than market. The money goes to run the charity, including paying the salary of its director, of course.

I don’t think your hair ended up in the trash, but if what these people are saying is true, it may have ended up on the head of a rich gal with no medical problems - or perhaps on the stage! Imagine your beautiful hair tumbling down the back of an opera singer as she appears, wild-eyed and disheveled in her snow-white nightie, for the mad scene in Lucia di Lammermoor.

There are other places to send hair these days - I think Pantene is running one - and there seem to be legit places online where you can sell it for a pretty penny. And keep the money for yourself - or even give some, or all, to charity.

By: B

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 14:35:28 +0000

Tell me Locks of Love isn’t throwing hair out. No disrespect for eight year olds, but I sent them 2 feet of braid I’d been growing for over thirty years. I sure hope that didn’t end up in the trash.

By: Del

Del — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 03:07:08 +0000

OMG, I had no idea Locks of Love threw out most of its hair. That is awful. There are eight-year-olds bravely cutting off hair it’s taken them more than half their little lives to grow. At least Jo March was able to sell hers and give the money to Marmee.

By: Kathy

Kathy — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 01:22:54 +0000

When 15YOD was in Girl Scouts, her troop visited the Ronald McDonald House here in Birmingham, and we listened to a long spiel on the benefits of the pull tab. We dutifully filled our little cardboard house to overflowing and then resorted to zip-lock bags. I’m pretty sure my mother finally took all of them home with her to give to another worthy cause.

This sounds similar to Locks of Love, which I understand ends up discarding most of the donated hair it receives. It’s a nice feel-good for the donors, but what the non-profits really need is cash.