Company delivers donated prom dresses to needy high school girls Video: Prom dress collection Workers at Zengeler Cleaners put the finishing touches on cleaning and pressing new and gently used prom dresses Thursday before loading them into vans for delivery to needy Chicago-area high school girls. It's the 14th year the company has collected the stylish garments through the Glass Slipper Project, a Chicago-based charity. Company President Tom Zengeler recalls collecting about 300 dresses during the first year, compared to a total of 5,287 prom dresses collected this year. Shoes, handbags and other accessories are also donated. "Many times, this is the first dress these girls have ever had," Zengeler said Thursday. "When they are selecting the dresses, a lot of times they are in tears because they've never been able to afford an item like this." Throughout the year, Zengeler Cleaners has been collecting dresses at each of the company's eight locations in Lake and northern Cook Counties.

They have also had help from area high schools in the collection drive. Dresses and accessories are distributed free to students at Glass Slipper "Boutiques," where each student receives individual assistance from a volunteer as she shops for her prom ensemble.Prom Dress Under 50 Dollars "So many young women now have the special opportunity to enjoy their prom this year, thanks to those who make these generous donations," Zengeler said.Clown Shower Head "Boutique" shopping opportunities will be held on two consecutive Saturdays, April 2 and 9, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Price Elementary School, 4351 S. Drexel Blvd., Chicago.Shower Curtain Rings At Walmart Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks.

People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the X in the upper right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ. Suburban Chicago's Got Talent Short & Sweet Theater Reviews Cook of the Week Challenge Letters to the Editor Find archived newspaper articles back to 1901. Purchase a Digital Subscription Start a New SubscriptionEvery year the HAY Center hosts a prom readiness event for foster youth. We want foster youth to have normal high school experiences including attending their high school prom. This event makes sure they have everything they need to feel special the night of their prom. Youth shop with volunteers from a variety of donated, gently-used prom clothing so they are able to wear exactly what they want. They are given fashion advice, makeovers, etiquette tips, and even learn a new dance so they leave ready for the big event. Items needed can be gently used unless indicated new

00 Restaurant Gift Cards for night of Prom Chain restaurants work best due to the large geographical area we cover (Chili’s, Olive Garden, Pappas, etc.).GREENSBORO, N.C. -- High school students in need of affordable options for prom dresses and accessories can lean on their peers. The Greensboro Youth Council is once again accepting new and gently worn formal dresses for the upcoming Camille’s Closet program in April. The idea is to give families struggling financially a break on the big night by providing young ladies with a dress, shoes, purses and other accessories for free if they qualify for the assistance. The program usually helps around 150 students every year. “I think there are going to be a lot of girls who benefit from it,” said Candice Hoskins, a student at Grimsley High School. “There are people coming from all over the place that need to go to prom and there are thousands of high school seniors so whoever needs a dress they can come get one.”

Among the needs this year include more plus size dresses, size 10 and above. You can help the cause by dropping off items at the following locations: • Greensboro Youth Council Office, 501 Yanceyville St. (Drop off times: Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.) • Cheshire Center, 2500 N. Church St. (Drop off times: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) • Griffin Community Recreation Center, 5301 Hilltop Rd. (Drop off times: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.) • Lewis Community Recreation Center, 3110 Forest Lawn Dr. (Drop off times: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.) For more information on donating a dress or how to receive a dress, call 336-373-2734 or visit the Camille’s Closet webpage.Sam Herod remembers the day a couple years ago when, as one of the many kind gestures he performs as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), he drove Lisa Slayton to the first day of her sophomore year at a new high school. “They didn’t give her a lot of clothes at the group home, but she’s very fashion conscious and she put together this outfit that looked so nice,” he says.

“But when she turned to get out of the car, I could see that the whole thing was held together in the back by a giant safety pin.” So when the time came this year for Lisa to start thinking about her senior prom, she had to wonder whether she could even attend. “I didn’t know if I would be able to get a dress,” Lisa says. “Definitely not my dream dress.” But that’s just what she got, thanks to Glamour Gowns 2013, on Saturday and Sunday, March 9 and 10, at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Now in its twelfth year and produced in collaboration with CASA of Los Angeles and more than 250 volunteers, Glamour Gowns treats 325 female foster teens to a free prom shopping day. Nearly everything related to the event is donated, from new dresses and shoes to accessories and makeup. Even the space is donated, thanks to L.A. City Councilmember Jan Perry. “Foster parents usually don’t have the means to give girls all of this,” says Sandi Romero-Boada, chair of the Glamour Gowns Committee.

“But it’s about more than just getting a dress. These girls feel like they’re someone special. They feel like a princess for a day.” As Sam sees it, prom season is also a rite of passage, a prelude to independence, and a time for teenage girls to think seriously about life after high school. So he made sure Lisa didn’t miss Glamour Gowns. He picked her up on Saturday morning and took her to breakfast at the Pantry downtown. There he talked to her again about college, a topic he has raised throughout the four years he has been her CASA. “Lisa is such a bright girl, and I’m trying to get her to think seriously about the future,” he says. “She could be the President of the United States. She understands the law, knows the Bill of Rights. She could go to court and represent herself.”Lisa was once in a group home with another child who had a learning disability and clearly didn’t belong there. Lisa went to court and advocated for her to get a CASA. (The girl was later assigned to Sam.)

But for all of her precociousness, Lisa has had few adults in her life. She has been in the child welfare system from a very young age and has endured one failed placement after another. She describes Sam as “the dad I never had.” “My thing is this,” Sam says. “Adults put her in this situation. She didn’t ask for it. So I think it’s the obligation of another adult to step up and say, ‘I’m here for you.’” And she credits him for her now having a plan. Before they left the restaurant, she explained that she wants to go first to a vocational school to become a registered nurse, then to a four-year college for bachelor’s and master’s degrees and a career as a physician assistant. When Sam dropped her off at the convention center, Lisa was among the first girls through the door. Most had no idea what they were in for. “You can tell when they’re on their way up the escalator that many of them are thinking, ‘This is hand-me-down stuff,’ because that’s what they’re accustomed to,” explains Dr. Anissa McNeil, a Glamour Gowns Committee member, a CASA, a CASA of Los Angeles board member, and a former foster child.