Sport Clips Haircuts donates $1.33M to VFW for Help A Hero, the largest veteran scholarship program of its kind

Check presentation event offered free haircuts for veterans

DENVER, Jan. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- For the ninth year in a row, Sport Clips Haircuts presented a check to the VFW Foundation exceeding $1M for Help A Hero Scholarships for veterans, the largest veterans' scholarship program of its kind. The donation presentation was held at the VFW Post 1 in downtown Denver, known for its historic significance and dedication to honoring and empowering those who have served, where free haircuts for local veterans were part of the event.

Veteran-founded Sport Clips launched the Help A Hero Scholarship program in 2013 to be administered by the VFW. It affords service members and veterans support for education needed in post-military careers when G.I. Bill funds are often exhausted.

"Help A Hero recipients tell us these scholarships lighten the financial burden of additional education following their service and allows them to focus more on their studies and less on financial concerns. It's one of the primary reasons Sport Clips started the program," said Gordon Logan, Air Force veteran, VFW Life member, and founder and chairman of Sport Clips. "It's something we hear from numerous grateful veterans, even though the gratitude is ours for their sacrifice and service."

"We're proud to partner with Sport Clips and its team members in making a positive difference in the lives of veterans," said VFW National Commander Al Lipphardt. "The VFW recently announced 161 student veterans, including active duty and Reserves, received a total of $741,000 in Help A Hero Scholarships for the current spring semester, which is proof these funds are hard at work supporting those who've served."

The check presentation in Denver was also an opportunity to thank the local McMurdo family who own 19 Sport Clips locations in Colorado and host an annual golf tournament in Castle Rock to benefit the Help A Hero Scholarship program. The family's work has generated more than four hundred thousand dollars in donations to the program over seven years.

Logan also credits stylists, clients, and product partners for being on the front lines of fundraising for the annual program that has awarded $13.8 million in scholarships to more than 3,000 student veterans. Almost 20 percent of this year's donation was from Sport Clips store owners across the country who committed $2 per haircut service on Veterans Day, while clients, individual supporters, and Sport Clips team members gave the most generous portion of money raised in stores and online. Sport Clips product partners Direct Beauty Express, John Paul Mitchell Systems, Sexy Hair, Gibs Grooming, Actiiv, and American Crew also made substantial contributions.

The application period for fall 2025 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.

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 #44 in the Entrepreneur "Franchise 500" for 2024 and was named a 2024 Top Franchise by Franchise Business Review. There are almost 1,900 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 2021 Top Franchise for Veterans by Entrepreneur. Sport Clips provides "Haircuts with Heart" through its annual Help A Hero fundraiser that has contributed $15 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 sportclips.com.  

About the VFW
The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. is the nation's largest and oldest major war veterans organization. Founded in 1899, the congressionally chartered VFW is comprised entirely of eligible veterans and military service members from the active, Guard and Reserve forces. With more than 1.4 million VFW and Auxiliary members located in nearly 6,000 Posts worldwide, the nonprofit veterans service organization is proud to proclaim "NO ONE DOES MORE FOR VETERANS" than the VFW, which is dedicated to veterans' service, legislative advocacy, and military and community service programs. For more information, or to join, visit our website at vfw.org.

SOURCE Sport Clips