While there are many forms of philanthropy, for Aashana Vishnani, Darius "Slim" Merchant and Marissa Langford, their donations can take years to grow.
Locks of Love is a nonprofit organization that accepts donations of hair to create hairpieces for children who suffer from medical hair loss from any diagnosis.
Vishnani, junior in public relations, recently donated her hair to Locks of Love.
She said she grew it out for two years to make it long enough to donate.
The hair is put in a ponytail and cut at the base. The full ponytail is then dried and put into a plastic bag and shipped to Locks of Love in West Palm Beach, Fla.
The hair must be at least 10 inches in length from tip to tip; anything shorter cannot be used for a hairpiece.
"I've been growing my hair for eight years," said Merchant, a WEGL 91 radio personality who intends to donate his hair. "When I cut it, I want it to be for a good reason."
Merchant's hair is rare among donations.
"Not many African Americans donate because the hair doesn't meet the requirements," Merchant said. "I just want to help out the kids."
Hair that has oil or other products in it generally cannot be accepted. Also, hair that has been bleached, or highlighted is prohibited because of a chemical reaction used in manufacturing.
Donations must be exceptionally dry as well.
"Imagine what condition damp hair is like after a week in a plastic bag," said Diane Black, volunteer for Locks of Love.
Black said while many people's hearts are in the right place, the requirements are there for a reason.
"Honestly, Locks of Love throws out about 80 percent of its donations because they can't use them," Black said.
The leading culprits are damp, or colored hair, which is immediately recognized and thrown out.
"I waited a little over a year to finish getting the color out of my hair before donating," said Langford, senior in history. "We stood there with a hair dryer making sure it was completely dry. I didn't want to waste it."
With such a drastic change in appearance, Langford initially questioned what people would think of her new look.
"It was kind of scary that first day without my long hair," Langford said. "But I knew it was a great cause. Everything grows back."
Vishnani also said she missed her long hair, but was more than pleased with the results and the good feeling it engendered.
Merchant was less concerned with his appearance.
"I don't care what people think," he said. "It feels great to me to help out."
Black said Locks of Love faces a few dilemmas.
"They've been overwhelmed with donations," Black said. "They sell a lot of the donations to help manage their overhead costs, which are increased because of all the donations they have to process."
According to the Locks of Love website, the only hair that can be sold is short, gray or otherwise unusable hair.
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