Assumption’s Environmental Concerns Committee hosted a used prom dresses donation drive from January 16-19 to provide prom dresses for juniors and seniors who want to attend their prom but lack the financial resources to afford a dress. Prom dresses typically range between $100-600, so for many Louisvillians, prom dresses can be a financial burden. All dresses were donated to Prom Project, an organization that collects dresses for an annual event at Northeast Christian Church.
Girls who attend the event are paired with a personal stylist, who helps them pick out a dress, shoes and jewelry. According to Northeast Christian Church, over 2700 girls have received dresses from Prom Project in the Louisville, Kentucky area.
Emma Reidy, a member of the Environmental Concerns Committee who led the donation drive said, “I’m really shocked by the generosity of people who donated, I thought we’d get maybe 20 dresses and we ended up getting 65.”
Reidy was inspired by her own time volunteering for Prom Project in the past, and with her own senior prom quickly approaching, wanted to give back to the project and share this opportunity with others.
Prom is a monumental occasion for many girls in America. In the months leading up to senior prom, students can be seen searching the internet for the “perfect” dress. Instagram accounts are made to reserve a dress amongst the student body to preserve each girl’s dress as uniquely their own.
Prom Project ensures that as many girls as possible can enjoy that occasion. When asked about the meaning of prom to girls Reidy said, “A dress is really special. You spend the whole night in it. You only have that one night in high school.”
To learn more about Prom Project, and inquire about volunteering in the future, visit http://www.promprojectky.com/volunteer.html.
