Give a Charlestown Kid a Free Haircut

Kids in Charlestown can go back to school in style and help another local child do the same through Hair Cuttery's Share-A-Haircut program.

Throughout the month of August, children ages 18 and under who receive a back-to-school cut at a Hair Cuttery salon, including the Charlestown one at 5 Austin St., will be giving one back to a disadvantaged child in the community, according to a press release from the company.

Hair Cuttery estimates it will donate up to 100,000 back-to-school haircuts this year, the 14th year of the program, at a value of $1.6 million. Since the program began in 1999, Hair Cuttery has donated more than 700,000 free haircut certificates to kids in need. 

“Share-a-Haircut is about the ritual of preparing for a new school year,” said Dennis Ratner, founder and CEO of Hair Cuttery. “A new haircut symbolizes a new start and new possibilities. We want kids to associate feeling good about themselves with getting ready for back to school.”

A new haircut could have more impact than one might imagine.

According to a Hair Cuttery survey, 88 percent of moms say that haircuts help their child "feel good and more confident about themselves" and nearly four in 10 moms "believe a haircut boosts their child’s performance in school.

The free haircuts also help with rising back-to-school costs.

According to The National Retail Federation, the average cost of back-to-school spending in 2012 for kids in kindergarten through 12th grade was $688.

“Having been a stylist my entire life, I understand the impact a fresh new haircut can have on someone’s self-esteem,” Ratner said. “I love seeing the look on a child’s face when they first check-out their haircut in the mirror. They walk out of the salon with a little extra pep in their step. That extra confidence can make a big difference to children as they start the new school year.” 

New this year, haircuts can also be donated to children through the Hair Cuttery blog widget. Learn more on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #shareahaircut.