Spring is here and, the wondrous, once-in-a-teenager’s-lifetime event, the prom, is around the corner. But not all high school seniors can afford to buy their dream dress or tuxedo.
Dresses donated by Cherry Blossom Bridal for the Prom Come True drive.
“I was one of the families that could not afford prom,” Jasmine Jackson said. “My guidance counselor had to give me some stuff to make it work out. It’s very expensive, the prom, graduation itself, getting the teen ready and looking nice and everything. A lot of families cannot afford it.”
Jackson, 23, is now a library technician at the Rosedale Library and started the Prom Come True drive. The Prom Come True drive gives out free prom dresses, accessories, jewelry, shoes, tuxedos and formal wear that are gently used and were donated by members of the community.
When she started the drive last year, she was surprised by the strong participation from the community. She collected over 200 dresses. “Last year, I went to Baltimore to pick up 100 dresses,” she said.
The drive was so successful, Jacksons said, that she had leftovers. “We had more stuff than people,” she said. To stay current, the left over prom material from last year was given to the South Dakota Avenue Goodwill, two weeks after the event.
So far, 65 dresses were donated and Jackson hopes to pass the target of 200 dresses by distribution day. Jackson’s expectation for this year’s event, which will take place at the Rosedale Recreation Center on April 25, is that more teens will come out and enjoy the generosity of their community’s donors.
Jackson said one word explains why some students weren’t taking advantage of the donations. “I think it’s something to do with pride because of their age,” she said. “Or I guess they didn’t hear about it in time and a lot of them didn’t know about it.”
To counter that feeling of pride in teens, Jackson invited Chris Cooper of Project Tissue 8, a seamstress, to help. Cooper is in charge of resizing and revamping the selected dress to customize it for each teen’s taste. The only cost at the event is Cooper’s $5 alternation charge.
This drive benefits high school seniors and the donors, because the library provides receipts that can be used as tax deductions, Jackson said.
“We have the Friends of the Rosedale Library, which is a 501 (c) corporation, and we’re partnering with them on this program,” she said. “So, all donations made are on behalf of the Friends of Rosedale Public Library. So yes, the donations would be tax deductible.”
All that is required to receive a prom dress or tuxedo is some form of high school identification. Jackson encourages prospective high school senior graduates to drop by from 11 am – 2:30 pm April 25, to find the dress or tuxedo of their liking.
For more information, visit Prom Come True at http://dclibrary.org/node/47738.