HAIRraising Event Offers Top Salon Haircuts for Charity

On Sunday, April 29 more than 70 salons throughout Massachusetts, RI, CT and NH will participate in Boston Children's Hospital's annual HAIRraising event. 

For the third year in a row, participating salons will provide customers with a stylish haircut for a $40 donation to Children's Hospital.  

In the past, the HAIRraising for Children’s Hospital Boston event has raised more than $200,000 and organizers hope to raise another $100,000 this year according to Janet Gilfeather, coordinator Cause Marketing & Sponsorship at Children’s Hospital Trust.

“This has become a great program,” Gilfeather said. “The first year, the main focus was getting salons on board with the idea of HAIRraising. Now, we have top salons on Newbury Street and throughout New England that are involved with the program.” Gilfeather said. “Last year, our top fundraising salon was Nicholas Michaels Spa in Northborough.  They raised over $11,000 for the hospital. The average amount raised for most salons is around $1,500 to $2,000.  We are so grateful to all of the salons involved in HAIRraising for their support of Children’s Hospital Boston.”

The HAIRraising program was founded by celebrity hairstylist John Frieda and Gail Federici two years ago after Federici’s daughter required extensive open-heart surgery and received treatment at Children’s Hospital Boston. John Frieda first started the HAIRraising fundraiser in 2010 to benefit the Great Ormond Street Hospital in London and has since brought the charity here to the United States.

Owner of Andover’s Marissa Michaels Hair Salon Dennis Forman said that this is the first year they’re participating in this particular fundraiser but said that the local salon is no stranger to cut-a-thons.

“The salon and my staff feel very strong about giving back,” said Forman, who’s owned the salon for 21 years in downtown Andover.

Forman said they’ll also be adding in a eye brow, lip, and chin wax for no extra cost, courtesy of Kiki’s Skin and Body spa.

Tony Ciampa of Philip Ciampa Salon and Day Spa said he will have 30 stylists participating from all of their locations, including Andover.

“Last year we participated and raised a few thousand dollars. This year we hope to double it,” Ciampa said. “We will be operating on a first come, first serve basis.”

Haley Goff, marketing director at Dellaria Salons and Spas said all 25 of their studios in the Boston area will participate.

“We have somewhere between 100 to 200 stylists volunteering,” Goff said. “This is a very compassionate field where you develop close relationships with the clients. We were given a list of how many patients live in each town with one of our salons in it. The numbers were amazing.”

Goff said many of the Dellaria Salons are located in malls and in many instances, the malls allow stylists to work in the center courts. “Getting involved was a no-brainer for us,” Goff said. “What better way to contribute to a great charity and give people a great haircut?”

All proceeds go to The Children’s Fund. To learn more, visit www.hairraisng4chb.com.