“We have dresses, lots and lots of dresses,” Tullis said. “It is open to anyone who needs them.”
The free dresses are displayed boutique style at Clothes that Work, 1133 S. Edwin C. Moses Suite 392, to give the prom-goers a true shopping experience.
Based on a homecoming dress drive in August, Clothes that Work, which collects clothing for needy job seekers, launched the prom event to help parents struggling financially.
Many Miami Valley families face tough economic realities, said Ann Stevens, spokeswoman for Montgomery County Department of Job and Family Services.
The county’s jobless rate jumped from 12 percent in December to 12.8 percent in January. The expense of prom can add to the stress.
“There is so much hardship in this community particularly for those who’ve been unemployed for two years or more,” Stevens said.
Despite the economy, Lisa Brown, owner of the recently opened Pure Prom & Pageant in Butler Twp., said her dress sales have been brisk.
“Mothers will do whatever to make their daughters happy,” she said. “(The prom dress) is like a wedding dress, they’ll pay whatever to get that perfect dress.”
Michelle Flaum, a clinical faculty member at the University of Dayton called prom a milestone moment.
“In some ways, girls are on display and there is a lot of pressure on girls to find the most beautiful dress they can,” she said. “Their self-esteem is put to the test.”
Butler High School junior Christen Ruff plans to step out in a yellow gown on prom night.
As part of her National Honor Society project, Ruff collected 75 prom dresses for Kenzie’s Closet, a referral-based organization that this year will give more than 600 prom dress to needy girls in Cincinnati and surrounding areas including Dayton.
“I know there are a lot of girls in Ohio who can’t afford a dress,” Ruff said. “I hope a girl will have a beautiful prom dress they will love and they will have a wonderful prom night to remember with their beauty gown.”
Brynne Coletti, founder of Kenzie’s Closet, said the need for free prom dresses has increased twofold.
“It’s important for a young woman to feel like a young woman,” she said. “It shows these young girls that they deserve to be respected.”
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2384 or arobinson@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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