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Locks of Love, Inc.
Also Known As: LOL
2925 10th Ave N Ste 102 Lake Worth, FL 33461

GENERAL INFORMATION

Who We Are

Our purpose is to return a sense of self esteem and normalcy to children suffering from hair loss by providing the highest quality custom-fitted hair prosthesis made from donated ponytails.

• This organization is a 501(c)(3) Public Charity .
• This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.
• Financial information in this report is derived from the organization's November 30, 2008 Form 990.
• Additional narrative information in this report was last supplied by the organization on February 26, 2009.
• Contributions are deductible, as provided by law.

How to Help

This organization is seeking funds from contributions and grants. These funds will be used for unrestricted operating expenses and special projects.

Location(s) Served

• National
• International: Canada

NTEE Code

• G99—Diseases, Disorders, Medical Disciplines N.E.C.
• G40—Diseases of Specific Organs
• G99—Diseases, Disorders, Medical Disciplines N.E.C.

Chief Executive

Mrs. Madonna Coffman

Chief Executive Profile

Motivated by her own daughter's experience with alopecia, Madonna Coffman, a former surgical nurse, began working with Locks of Love to provide wigs and cranial prostheses for children suffering from long-term hair loss caused by alopecia, radiation treatments or severe burns. Prior to her involvement with Locks of Love, she spent many years volunteering for LIFE (Leaders in Furthering Education).

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

MISSION AND PROGRAMS

Mission

Children must apply to Locks of Love in order to be considered for a hairpiece. Application includes a nomination form, photo of the child without a hairpiece, doctor''s diagnosis, most recent tax return or verified documentation of income, and two letters of recommendation. Families whose annual income is under $100,000 are accepted. Extenuating finanical circumstances will be evaluated on a case by case basis. Children can receive a replacement hairpiece every two years, by re-submitting financial information and recent photo to Locks of Love. Once approved, recipients begin the production process in their homes by making a plaster mold of the child''s head. Locks of Love provides the molding materials via UPS. These include an instructional video, a water-transfer pen, plaster strips and a hair ring, from which the child can choose his or her new hair color. From this mold, a fit cap is produced to check the vacuum seal. Once the fit cap is approved, the actual hairpiece is assembled by hand. The children choose the hair color, length and skin tone of their piece. Each prosthesis contains approximately 140,000 strands of hair which have been hand injected into the silicone cap. The entire process takes approximately four months. Locks of Love depends on monetary donations from private foundations and the general public to cover the costs of production and shipping for these hairpieces. The organization receives approximately 2,000 ponytails per week through the mail, which allows us to reduce our production costs. The target population for this program is children 18 and under suffering from medical hair loss. Qualifying diagnoses include the following: alopecia areata, severe burns to the scalp, radiation treatment to the brain stem or extended chemotherapy as a treatment for cancer, trichotillomania, ectodermal dysplasia, loose anagen syndrome, graph vs. host disease, monilethrix, injury, etc. Children too young to mold (under age six) or suffering from short-term hair loss are provided synthetic hairpieces free of charge. These pieces can be worn during hair re-growth.

Programs

Children must apply to Locks of Love in order to be considered for a hairpiece. Application includes a nomination form, photo of the child without a hairpiece, doctor's diagnosis, most recent tax return, essay about the child nominated, and two letters of recommendation. In order to get a replacement hairpiece, each applicant must re-apply with Locks of Love. The Board of Directors reviews the completed file for consideration. The President of the Board recommends approvals. Recipients begin the production process in their homes by making a plaster mold of the child's head. Locks of Love provides the molding materials via UPS. These include an instructional video, a water-transfer pen, aprons, plaster strips and a hair ring, from which the child can choose his or her new hair color. From this mold, a fit cap is produced to check the vacuum seal. Once the fit cap is approved, the actual hairpiece is assembled by hand. The entire process takes approximately four months. Locks of Love depends on monetary donations from private foundations and the general public to cover the costs of production and shipping for these hairpieces. The organization receives approximately 500-700 ponytails per week through the mail, which allows us to reduce our production costs. The target population for this program is children 18 and under suffering from long-term medical hair loss. Qualifying diagnoses include the following: alopecia areata (totalis and universalis), severe burns to the scalp, radiation treatment to the brain stem as a treatment for cancer, loose anagen syndrome, etc.

Additional Comments from the Organization

Locks of Love has been featured in such publications as People, NY Times, USA Today, Ladies' Home Journal, Self, Glamour, American Girl, Cosmo Girl, The Chicago Tribune and the Miami Herald. We have received national television exposure on programs like Oprah, NBC Today, Extreme Makeover, 20/20, Good Morning America, CBS Early Show, Jay Leno, Inside Edition, Montel Williams and many more. We rely on volunteers across the country to organize fundraisers and raise awareness.

GOALS AND RESULTS

Accomplishments for Fiscal Year Ending November 30, 2005

1. Helped over 1,700 families since the organization's inception, in December 1997.
2. Promote awareness regarding the causes and effects of hair loss in children

Objectives for Fiscal Year Beginning December 1, 2005

1. Increase awareness of our program among pediatricians, dermatologists and other healthcare practitioners so that more children will be referred to our services.
2. Partner with corporate sponsors in the medical industry to increase program awareness and referrals.

Self Assessment

Currently, Locks of Love does not have a waiting list and has been able to allow children to choose hair length, color and skin tone of each hairpiece.

FINANCIAL DATA

Revenues and Expenses: Fiscal Year Ending November 30, 2008

Balance Sheet: Fiscal Year Ending November 30, 2008

Note: The balance sheet gives a snapshot of the financial health of an organization at a particular point in time. An organization's total assets should generally exceed its total liabilities, or it cannot long survive, but the types of assets and liabilities also must be considered. For instance, an organization's current assets (cash, receivables, securities, etc.) should be sufficient to cover its current liabilities (payables, deferred revenue, current year loan and note payments). Otherwise, the organization may face solvency problems. On the other hand, an organization whose cash and equivalents greatly exceed its current liabilities might not be putting its money to best use.

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