March 25--The Glass Slipper Project, which has supplied more than 20,000 prom dresses to teens in financial need, will hold its annual pop-up boutiques April 2 and 9.
High school juniors and seniors from the Chicago area will be offered prom dresses, accessories, personal shopper service and minor dress alterations, all free of charge. Participants must be juniors or seniors and present their student identification cards, but they don't have to prove financial need or live in Chicago.
Organizers hope to serve up to 1,400 girls at two daylong boutiques featuring donated gowns and cocktail dresses.
"Prom is like a rite of passage," said Glass Slipper co-founder Dorian Carter. "I don't think people should have to miss it because of the expense."
Those who want to donate new or gently used prom-worthy dresses can drop them off at Zengeler Cleaners locations, Smitten Boutique or any green and white USAgain bin in the Chicagoland area. Drop-off and mailing instructions are at glassslipperproject.org.
Each boutique relies on 500 to 700 volunteers, some of whom come back year after year to act as personal shoppers, do alterations or help with setup and cleanup.
"You see instant gratification and a change," Carter says of volunteering. "These young ladies stand a little taller, and some of them have never worn a dress (like this) before."
This year's boutiques will be held 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Chicago's Price Elementary School, 4351 S. Drexel Blvd. Information about attending, volunteering or donating a dress is available at the Glass Slipper website.
nschoenberg@tribpub.com
