Last weekend, Atlantic Counties’ Project Prom opened their doors for hundreds of teens to pick out a free prom dress and accessories to go along with it. Project prom is a non-profit organization dedicated to making the prom experience accessible for teens of all different backgrounds. Eager to pick out their dress, the line of people attending this event was wrapping around the building before the doors opened at 10 am. Once in the building, each attendant was assigned their own dress shopping helper who assisted them in finding their perfect dress, trying options on, and of course helping them decide which dress to take home. These kind volunteers made sure that every person had the perfect prom dress shopping experience.
Prior to the event, the organization was donated thousands of gorgeous dresses by the Atlantic County community, which were then organized by size and color to make the process as fun and efficient as possible. The shoes were also classified by size, while the free fake lashes and accessories were laid out for all to pick from. The Project Prom website says that throughout the years, “The many dresses donated were able to successfully send thousands of girls in the Atlantic County area off to prom in gorgeous, gently-used prom dresses– Free of charge!”.
As a student who went to the event to get footage for Red Hawk News and also pick out a dress, I first handedly experienced this beautiful organization and how they worked. Every person there left with a huge smile on their face, ready to go show off their new dress and accessories. There were balloon arches for girls to pose in their dresses for photos, and the atmosphere was positive and excitement-filled through every step of the process. The volunteers at the jewelry table even helped match the jewelry to your dress with you! It was an incredible environment, where you could hear girls constantly complimenting and supporting one another.
Founder Irene Kate has made an immense contribution to her community with this project. It continues to leave a lasting impact on all that are involved in it, volunteers and shoppers alike. ACIT student Layla Miller, who attended Project Prom, says “dresses and accessories that you have to wear at prom are very expensive for most people, and not everyone has the time to go to a fancy dress shop to find a nice dress to wear, so it’s great that its in a local area, and is open to everyone so they can look good for free”. This event is truly amazing. If you have a prom dress sitting in your closet, please consider donating it for Project Prom’s 2025 event to contribute to positivity in your community and to help make prom accessible for everyone!
