Project Prom, the nonprofit effort to provide students with free prom attire, is gearing up for the upcoming prom season, gathering over 2,000 dresses according to a rough estimate, as well as suits, ties, shoes, necklaces and all the other elements of a complete wardrobe.
The offerings are completely free to anyone with a valid student ID and are not limited to the Thompson School District.
“Last year we tracked where students were coming from, and we found that we were reaching beyond the Thompson School District,” said Celeste Smith, a volunteer serving as the lead organizer for Project Prom.
These students were given prom attire as well, and their presence, combined with the surge in donations Project Prom has seen over the last four years, led the organizers to officially expand into a regional effort. The Thompson Education Foundation, the nonprofit arm of the district, partnered with its counterparts in districts including St. Vrain in Longmont, District 6 in Greeley, Poudre School District in Fort Collins and others to spread the word that free prom attire is available.
Donations, largely of dresses but also of menswear like suits, largely come from individuals, and are often direct donations rather than financial. Some dresses have never been worn, while others might have been hanging in a closet for years before finding a new home.
“There comes a point where you don’t need to have these dresses in your closet, or suit coats, and people want to help kids, and provide a great experience,” said Kim Akeley-Charron, executive director of the TEF, which is serving as the fiscal agent for the event.
“I think our donors have memories that are attached to these dresses, and they want to pass those on,” Smith added.
Donations are closed for this year, as the all-volunteer staff of Project Prom shifts its focus to setting up the event and preparing for the shopping dates, but those interested in donating are encouraged to hold on to their attire, Smith said, as a collection day for next year is expected this fall.
The project is a community endeavor, Akeley-Charron said, with partners including the Ace Hardware at Orchards Shopping Center and the Artisan Shop and Studio in Centerra serving as designated drop-off points, handling donations and freeing up volunteer time. The district volunteered storage space during the year at Namaqua Elementary School until Exodus Moving and Storage shipped them in a day to a donated storefront provided at the Promenade Shops at Centerra.
This year, the event will be held at 5879 Sky Pond Dr., Unit 318, a recently vacated store next door to Bath and Body Works.
Shopping days will be held Friday and Saturday for the next three weekends — April 11-12, 18-19 and 25-26 — from 5 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. Fridays and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays.
The only thing necessary is a valid high school ID, and there are no income limits on who can pick out a dress or a suit.
In fact, Akeley-Charron said, because of the size of the offering at Project Prom, odds are good that anyone’s perfect dress or suit could be within its walls.
The thrill of picking out a perfect outfit, the pair said, is why they keep trying to expand and improve the program.
“Once they find the perfect dress, they go over to the accessories and start to piece together the perfect outfit,” Smith said. “You see that excitement, that glow.”
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