Spirit of Giving Shines in "Looks Like Me" Program

by Scott Peters
for the Corridor News
December 2001

On November 2nd, I had the privilege of attending a pep rally at Mt. Carmel High School that put me in the holiday spirit early this year. The focus of the pep rally was a fundraiser established to support the Looks Like Me Foundation. The Looks Like Me Foundation was started by Jayne Jeffrey in July of 2000. The foundation assists local children and young adults under 18 who are courageously coping with the effects of cancer and other diseases by providing natural looking wigs made of human hair. The organization takes monetary donations or donations of human hair to make the natural looking wigs. These wigs can take approximately two to three weeks to make and are each made by hand. Each natural looking wig can cost upwards of $1,500 each to purchase.

Michelle Carlson, a teacher at Mt. Carmel, organized the fundraiser at the high school to support the Looks Like Me Foundation. The students, faculty and administration sponsored four local kids and young adults coping with the effects of cancer treatment. The goal of the fundraiser was to have students and teachers donate their time, money, and/or at least ten inches of their own hair to have natural looking wigs made for each of the four kids.

Working together, the students and teachers successfully raised $5,685.02 for the Looks Like Me Foundation. One student, Meagan Moran, contributed $1,000 of her own money to the foundation. In addition, over fifty students and teachers selflessly donated at least 10 inches of their own hair to have wigs made for the kids. Hair stylists from Escondido and Carlsbad also donated their time and skills to cut the hair.

These dedicated volunteers made a real difference. My sincere appreciation and gratitude goes to Jayne Jeffrey for her tireless and courageous efforts to assist children and young adults in our community. Her efforts should be applauded and her example should be followed. It was with great pleasure that the rest of the San Diego City Council and our Mayor joined me in declaring November 2nd to be “Looks Like Me Day” in the City of San Diego for Jayne and her foundation.

My deepest thank you also goes to Michelle Carlson for her enthusiastic support of the Looks Like Me Foundation. In addition, I want to thank the stylists who donated their time and skills as well as the faculty and administration of Mt. Carmel High School, including Principal Joan Stewart. The spirited support of the student body should not go without special mention. Many students selflessly volunteered their time and willing donated their money and hair to the Looks Like Me Foundation.

Together, these contributions will provide both emotional and physical support and will help to improve the quality of life for the four children and young adults the volunteers sponsored. The effective and creative efforts of all those involved serve as a valuable example for all of us and remind each of us during this season of giving that we can positively touch the lives of others in our community by giving of our time, our money, our emotional support, and in this case some of our hair.

As I watched the dozens of young women sheepishly line up to have their hair cut, and looked around at the enthusiastic student body who had supported the foundation through monetary donations and volunteer hours, I felt good that this community’s children were developing the values that will make them the civic leaders of the future. Too often we emphasize young people’s problems and fail to celebrate good deeds and actions like these. Too often the many extraordinary things young people do for our community go unnoticed and unrewarded. This is why I have dedicated this column to the students, teachers, and parents who made a difference that day. Way to go!

If you'd like to learn more about the Looks Like Me Foundation, or if you're interested in making a contribution, please contact Jayne Jeffrey at 760-721-8559.