Rapid City cosmetology school offers act of kindness to foster families

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) - Free haircuts for foster children, a simple act that means so much.

“There’s a lot of financial burden that goes into taking in these kids,” said Peggy Sproat, Paul Mitchell School of Rapid City owner and president. “I know, I’ve done it myself and you give them everything just like they’re your own child.”

The Paul Mitchell School of Rapid City is helping foster families get ready to head back to school.

Not only will foster kids be able to receive free haircuts, but their families will also be able to redeem two free haircuts and facials throughout the year.

“I get a little emotional,” said Sproat. “But it really does do a lot for those kids, and when they don’t have that parent structure that’s there to be able to support them and guide them and give them the life that they should have and they deserve.”

Sproat was once a foster parent and is touched to be a part of this partnership. The idea came from America’s Kids Belong, a nonprofit foster organization, and has made its way to South Dakota.

“Not only does it support the foster families but the kids are what we’re trying to keep in those homes,” said Kristi Woolsey, South Dakota Kids Belong state director. “Not to move from home to home to home and to have that ability to stay with those teachers that they’re in at those schools, stay in that foster family, the longer they can stay there, the better.”

Woolsey said a number of foster parents are excited and thankful for this service and the Paul Mitchell School doesn’t plan to stop here.

“In the little bit of time that we’ve had to set this up, it’s been such a rewarding factor to be able to give back to these kids that may not necessarily have that and then also be an outreach for them to maybe have a career once they’re done,” said Sproat. “They’re in the progress of putting together some scholarships, full-ride tuition scholarships for these foster kids once they’re out of high school.”

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