During February, Cartoon Cuts locations up and down the East Coast will be collecting donations to support Ellie’s Hats, a foundation committed to supporting children battling cancer. Ellie, the inspiration behind the foundation, has been a happy customer of Cartoon Cuts since entering remission.
Ellie’s first visit to Cartoon Cuts was one of celebration and excitement. She had finished her chemotherapy treatment, her hair had grown back, and she was ready for a new, stylish haircut.
She is now a frequent Cartoon Cuts visitor, and she stopped in last month to get a haircut and a photo with her friend “Ellie, the Elephant.”
“Hearing her story was so inspiring, and we wanted to help Ellie help others,” said Kathleen Perkal, founder of Cartoon Cuts. “We are proud to partner with Ellie’s Hats to raise funds to support families battling childhood cancer.”
This month, Cartoon Cuts customers will have the opportunity to donate $1 at checkout to support the Ellie’s Hats Foundation. The proceeds will be used to donate hats to children battling cancer and to send care packages directly to children at pediatric cancer facilities.
“We at Ellie’s Hats are so excited to partner with Cartoon Cuts to bring joy to families during such a difficult time,” said Jay Coakley, founder of Ellie’s Hats and Ellie’s former teacher.
The fundraiser will take place Feb. 1 through Feb. 28 in all 12 Cartoon Cuts locations, including the Wellington location in the Mall at Wellington Green. For more information, visit www.cartooncuts.com.
Perkal, a mother of two rambunctious toddlers who hated getting their hair cut, established Cartoon Cuts in 1991. She decided to create a hair salon that catered specifically to children, with fun accents like an elephant hair washing station and TVs at every salon chair.
Cartoon Cuts celebrated its 25th birthday in 2016, and the company has performed more than 6 million haircuts.
Ellie’s Hats is a nonprofit organization that donates hats to children battling cancer, supports their families and raises awareness of childhood cancer.
In 2015, Coakley, a physical education teacher, was inspired by the bright hats worn by his student, Ellie, who was going through chemotherapy. He organized a hat drive to provide Ellie with more fun hats to wear.
This gesture led to the founding of Ellie’s Hats, which has now donated thousands of hats to children across the country who are being treated for many different forms of cancer.
