Paul Mitchell Schools Raise $1M for Charity: 2023 Gala Celebrates 20 Years and $25M to Date

November 6, 2023

Gail Fink

General News, Giving Back

The Beverly Hilton’s International Ballroom, home of the Golden Globe Awards and hundreds of other red-carpet events, provided the perfect setting for the Paul Mitchell Schools’ 20^th annual FUNraising Gala. Each year, participating students (aka “Future Professionals”) and team members from the 100+ independently owned and operated franchise cosmetology and/or barbering schools spend August through October voluntarily raising funds for national and local charities. This year, the schools raised $1 million, bringing their 20-year total to $25 million.

Co-hosted by Paul Mitchell Schools Dean and Cofounder Winn Claybaugh and actress Missi Pyle, the sold-out Gala included 700 school owners and team members, beauty and entertainment industry leaders, and representatives from this year’s supported charities, including:

John Paul DeJoria and Angus Mitchell, co-owners of John Paul Mitchell Systems and longtime supporters of Food 4 Africa
Leeza Gibbons, Emmy-winning TV personality and founder of Leeza’s Care Connection
Monique Coleman, Daytime Emmy-nominated actress best known for the Disney’s High School Musical original franchise and longtime supporter of Thirst Project / Legacy Youth Leadership
Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter Jordin Sparks and Senior Director of Celebrity and Influencer Relations, Kelli Davis, representing Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals
Kay Buck, CEO of the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking (Cast)
Deaf comedian Kathy Buckley and Michelle Christie, founder of No Limits for Deaf Children
Harry Fulmore, Regional Director of Workplace Initiatives for United Negro College Fund (UNCF)
Nora Della Maddalena, Best Friends Animal Society’s Senior Manager of Philanthropy
Plus, special video messages from Gary Sinise Foundation founder Gary Sinise and Cast ambassadors Kate Bosworth and Justin Long

World-Class Entertainment

No gala is complete without entertainment, and this one featured Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum singer/songwriter and actress Jordin Sparks, who gained worldwide attention as the winner of American Idol, Season 6. Jordin not only wowed the audience with her powerhouse performance, but also engaged with them from the stage in support of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and spent the rest of the evening personally connecting with many attendees.

[L-R] Monique Coleman, Leeza Gibbons, Jordin Sparks, Kathy Buckley and a No Limits family

A Culture of Giving

Acknowledging the contributions of participating students and team members, Winn Claybaugh said, “Twenty years ago, our students started holding bake sales, car washes, and cut-a-thons to raise money, and those funds found their way to several organizations. Our national and local FUNraising efforts have built homes with Habitat for Humanity in partnership with Vidal Sassoon and supported the victims of AIDS, breast cancer, homelessness, hurricanes, abuse, and hundreds of other causes. Because of our passion for helping children, we’ve raised nearly $1.6 million for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, over $1 million for No Limits, and $1.24 million for Food 4 Africa, providing more than 36 million meals for orphaned children and continuing to feed 10,000 orphans every single day.”

Local Charity Donations

In addition to raising money for national charities, many Paul Mitchell Schools designate part of their funds to charities in their local communities that their school leaders and Future Professionals care about. To date, the schools have donated over $1 million to more than 300 local charities such as Homeboy Industries, Boys and Girls Clubs, Ronald McDonald House, Friends of Foster Kids, LGBTQ+ centers, domestic violence and rape crisis shelters, Make-A-Wish Foundation, mental health and addiction centers, YMCA, police athletic leagues, children’s services, animal rescue shelters, and many more.

One example is Food on the Move, an organization sponsored by Paul Mitchell The School Tulsa and founded by Taylor Hanson of the band Hanson.

Taylor Hanson and Winn Claybaugh

“Being a small local charity in Tulsa, Oklahoma, just like many of the local charities supported by Paul Mitchell Schools, I can tell you firsthand that your support is not only appreciated but also essential for the work that we do locally,” Taylor said. “We could not make the impact we do without partners like Paul Mitchel Schools. You set the gold standard!”

Generous Sponsor & Volunteer Support

“In 20 years of FUNraising,” Winn noted, “every dollar raised by the schools has gone directly to the charities we support, and that happens because of our generous Gala event sponsors.”

The audience also included the first 100 students and school team members who individually raised at least $3,000 for the supported charities. Thanks to generous event sponsors, First 100 winners received a ticket to the Gala and an after-party just for them, plus accommodations at the Beverly Hilton and a day of hands-on education with:

Celebrity barber and North American Hairstyling Awards (NAHA) 2022 Educator of the Year John Mosley
Paul Mitchell Master Associate Pamela Perettie
Award-winning makeup artist Yvonne Macinnis

Thanks to the generosity of renowned beauty industry artists and educators who donate their time, the top 20 FUNraising schools also receive a day of education in their schools.

10 First 100 Winners Serve as Honorary Co-Hosts

Ten First 100 winners were selected as honorary Gala co-hosts to describe the national charity that meant most to them.

Megan Keele, a student from Paul Mitchell The School Nampa, in Idaho, joined John Paul Mitchell Systems co-owners John Paul DeJoria and Angus Mitchell to talk about Food 4 Africa. “I have five children of my own and it breaks my heart to think of any families with children being starved or malnourished and living in poverty.”

Annika Templet, a Learning Leader from Paul Mitchell The School Las Vegas, described her personal experience of attending monthly buffets hosted by the Gary Sinise Foundation while she served in the military. “Upon arrival, you were greeted by volunteers who would take the kids and start filling their plates,” Annika said. “It’s the only time I would have a warm meal with them instead of after them. Those small gestures made the time apart, and the fear, bearable.”

[L-R] Megan Keele, John Paul DeJoria, Angus Mitchell, Annika Templet

Andrew Gomez Compassionate Service Awards

The Andrew Gomez Dream Foundation was founded after a beloved and successful Paul Mitchell School graduate lost his life to suicide. Because so many people loved him and wanted to continue his legacy of caring, his family, former instructors, and friends formed the Andrew Gomez Dream Foundation. Each year, the foundation recognizes people like Andrew who exemplify selfless service and tireless dedication to their organizations and communities. This year’s Compassionate Service Awards went to salon owner, educator, and fundraiser Phil Wood and to Nancy Chavez, who dedicates countless behind-the-scenes, year-round hours to supporting the work of the Andrew Gomez Dream Foundation.

[L-R] Angus Mitchell, Nancy Chavez, Phil Wood, Winn Claybaugh

About the Paul Mitchell School Network

Paul Mitchell Advanced Education, LLC, is a partially owned subsidiary of John Paul Mitchell Systems and the franchisor of 100+ independently owned and operated franchise cosmetology and/or barbering schools operating under the Paul Mitchell brand.

At Paul Mitchell Advanced Education, we believe that education is an adventure and the learning experience needs to be fun and well rounded. Our courses focus on cosmetology, esthetics, and barbering education, highlighting important theory, practical, and business skills and emphasizing social and community responsibility. Our Learning Leaders are trained to draw out the artist in our Future Professionals and prepare them to enter their chosen careers as community-conscious salon, barbershop, beauty, and spa professionals. Visit www.paulmitchell.edu to learn more.

Over the last 20 years, the Paul Mitchell School network’s annual FUNraising campaign has collectively raised and donated over $25 million through the Andrew Gomez Dream Foundation in support of many charitable causes. Learn more at www.paulmitchell.edu/giving-back.