A Nanaimo group is offering free prom dresses to ensure every graduating belle feels ready to go to the ball.
Prom Closet Nanaimo is making its debut this year, offering lightly used and free gowns to make sure the financial challenges of prom don’t hold graduates back from joining celebrations.
Prom can get pricey with some teens paying upwards of $500 to get the right dress, according to volunteers, who want to offer an alternative to those in financial need as well as teens who’d rather get something second-hand.
“[Volunteers] want to reduce some stress around prom. Just to bring out the fun of it,” said Joan Hiemstra, a member of Prom Closet Nanaimo.
“For some girls, going and spending that money is a rite of passage and they want to and they don’t want to be denied that ... but for some they just don’t ... and yeah, we just want to celebrate those girls, too.”
It’s not the first time volunteers have stepped in to help get graduates ready for the pomp and ceremony of prom.
The Cinderella Foundation matched up teens in need with gowns until it closed about five years ago.
John Barsby Secondary School has been opening its closet for a decade to any graduate in the district who could find the time to try on dresses during school hours. It closed this year, having less room to keep the dresses with a larger student body and donated the garments to Prom Closet Nanaimo.
There are now racks full of colourful dresses in sizes 00 to 24 waiting in storage for the group’s first two-day boutique event Monday and Tuesday (Feb. 23-24).
Dresses are free to Grade 12 students, who’ll make appointments with personal advisors to get outfitted for the big day.
There will also be suits for guys.
So far there have been 18 bookings, but Hiemstra expects more.
This is just the beginning of Prom Closet Nanaimo, she said.
“I don’t want it to stay just something to help people who can’t afford … I really want to see it growing into the socially acceptable thing to do,” she said of girls recycling and redesigning second-hand dresses.
Donations of recent, lightly used prom dresses are still in demand and can be dropped off at the front office of Nanaimo Christian School.
People looking to donate or sponsor the group, or set up a prom outfit appointment can also send an e-mail to promcloset.nanaimo@gmail.com.