Free prom dress distribution (April 12 in Fillmore, April 18 in Oxnard ) helps underprivileged girls in Ventura County
VENTURA COUNTY – “Prom Dress Project” is at it again, and this time, with the help of other community partners, will be able to distribute free prom dresses to students in Oxnard and Fillmore this month, the organization reported in a media release. The Prom Dress Project is a community collaboration that brings new or used prom dresses to underprivileged girls who could not otherwise afford a prom dress.
“For more than four years, the Prom Dress Project has collectively brought together the caring power of our community by bringing light to the need of providing prom dresses to young girls who could not afford a dress due to tough economic conditions. We started helping out students at Pacifica High School in Oxnard and expanded our operation countywide,” Nancy Rodriguez, founder of the Prom Dress Project, stated in the release.
Thanks to our very generous community, more than 500 dresses will be available for high school girls attending prom this year, along with make-up and hairstyle demos, gift cards and discounts provided by local vendors, she said. Thanks to local business partnerships, prom dresses were collected at locations countywide through March 24, including B95.1 Studios, Salzer’s Records, The Massage Place (Fire House Plaza), The Wooden Hanger, JDK Shoes and Camarillo Bridal.
The first fitting event will be held at Fillmore High School, thanks to a partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County, from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, April 12. The second event will take place at Pacifica High School in Oxnard, thanks to a partnership with Arial’s Closet, from 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 18. Both events are open to the public.
“We are delighted to support Nancy Rodriguez, a mentor at our Montalvo school-based mentoring site in her efforts to bring a smile to students at Fillmore High School and across the county. The Prom Dress Project is a unique way for our community to flex its charitable muscle,” Pedro Chavez, director of Education & Public Affairs at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County, stated in the release. “The expense of going to prom can be overwhelming for many families living with limited resources. These young women shouldn’t be denied a memorable experience simply because they can’t afford it. Some memories especially those that we all know will last a lifetime should never be denied!”
“Prom Dress Project” came about in 2009, when Rodriguez and her friends realized that there were many struggling families in the Ventura County. By working together, they realized they could make a positive difference. Rodriguez linked up with Cuba Montero, a counselor at Pacifica High School, who had started an in-house prom dress-recycling program for her students. Rodriguez felt very passionate about the cause, and wanted to offer the same type of program to girls throughout Ventura County. And so, with the help of friends, family, and the local community, “Prom Dress Project” was launched and has been a successful venture.
About the Prom Dress Project:
Since “Prom Dress Project” was launched in 2009, hundreds of gently used dresses have been collected and distributed to underprivileged girls in Ventura County and neighboring communities. For more information on “Prom Dress Project,” or to reserve a spot, please visit www.PromDressProject.org.
About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County:
For more than 100 years nationally and 44 locally, Big Brothers Big Sisters has operated under the belief that inherent in every child is the ability to succeed and thrive in life. As the nation’s largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring network, Big Brothers Big Sisters makes meaningful, professionally supported matches between adult volunteers (“Bigs”) and children (“Littles”), ages 6 through 18, in communities across the country. We develop positive relationships that have a direct and lasting effect on the lives of young people. Learn how you can positively impact a child’s life, donate, or volunteer at www.bbsvc.org