Great Clips salons across Montana have partnered with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals to raise funds for Shodair Children's Hospital in Helena throughout October.  

Through Nov. 2, the salons are giving a coupon worth $2 off a future haircut to everyone who donates any amount of money to the cause. 

“Great Clips started doing this over 40 years ago,” said Kate Thompson, Western Montana area manager. “To date we've raised over $9 billion for 170 different children's hospitals throughout the country. 

“It's pretty amazing because it's such a little thing that we can do as stylists to help give back to our communities, which is pretty cool,” she added.  

Shantell Sweeney, manager of the Whitefish Great Clips in the Mountain Mall, said in just 10 days of the fundraiser, the local salon has collected almost $800 in donations. 

“One little bit can make a big difference in other people's lives. Yeah, it's only a dollar here and there, but that dollar here and there adds up real fast," Thompson said.

The company employs over 30,000 stylists in 4,400 salons nationwide and throughout Canada. All the money raised stays local. 

The Children’s Miracle Network is an international nonprofit that raises money and awareness for children’s hospitals across North America.  

Shodair became a Children’s Miracle Network hospital in 1987. It provides specialized psychiatric care for children and teens, 99% of whom are from Montana. The hospital turns no one away because, as its mission says, “No family should have to worry about the cost to help a loved one.” 

Shodair began, in 1896, as a home for orphaned and abandoned children. It has since grown into a nonprofit that provides mental health care for children and has a nationally recognized genetics program for patients of all ages. 

Great Clips supports multiple charities throughout the year, like Clips for Kindness, where the salon will provide free services to a person who, due to illness, must lose their hair. The salons also provide free services to people who donate their hair to Wigs for Kids. 

Great Clips also has a special for Veteran’s Day, when they give veterans free haircuts. 

"If they're unable to come in that day, they can walk into the salon and get a coupon for a free haircut to come back later,” Thompson added. 

Thompson said that as a mother, the fundraiser for Shodair Hospital is dear to her heart. The fact that the money stays local is also a big driver. 

“This specific fundraiser that we do for the Shodair Hospital is incredible because it's staying local to our community,” she said. “I love that we can help impact our communities, and [Shodair] is the closest Children's Hospital to us, and it's where a lot of kids in our communities end up. 

“To be able to help raise money for our local community -- it's really neat,” she said. 

For more information visit cmnhospitals.org.