Yes, I’d Love to Go
to the Prom
Local group provides free prom
dresses to girls
who can’t afford
one
by Operation Glass Slipper Staff
Of the Minnesotans recently
surveyed, 97% believe people with developmental disabilities should
be included in public places and social events. The high school prom
is a classic example on an event that should be, and increasingly
is, integrated and accessible for all students with disabilities.
For many girls, however, just buying the dress is a barrier to big
to overcome.
Good news. Operation
Glass Slipper, a project of Gender Equity in Leadership and Learning
at St. Paul Academy, is making proms more accessible by providing
dresses at no charge to any girl who cannot afford one. “Any person, regardless of disability, should be
able to attend their prom,” says Pam Phillip of Operation Glass
Slipper. “And any of these girls who need a dress should come
to us. We’ll be happy to help them.”
How to Get a Dress
High school
girls will be able to select a dress during the Open House the weekend
of April 14-15 at Southdale Center in Edina. During this two-day
event, girls will be able to try on dresses, as well as choose from
a variety of shoes, clutch bags, shawls, and other accessories. Hours
are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 14, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
on Sunday, April 15.
High school girls who won’t be able to attend prom because
they can’t afford a dress, should tell their guidance counselor
or teacher at school, a community leader who knows them, or a member
of the clergy at their church, and have them get in touch with Operation
Glass Slipper. The project relies on these professionals to make
sure that dresses go to students in financial need.
Eligible girls will be able to get a dress at no charge, but must
present a current, valid high school ID, when they come to the Open
House to get their dress. They may bring one female companion (no
dates or boyfriends, and no children) and are asked not to wear makeup
(it soils the necklines of dresses that are tried on).
Donations Welcome
Operation
Glass Slipper asks women and girls in the Twin Cities to go through
their closets and donate their prom gowns and formal, bridesmaid,
and cocktail dresses (new or gently used), shawls, and clutch
bags. These items are being cleaned, repaired, and stored until
April, when the group will hold an open house at which girls for
whom prom dresses are prohibitively expensive can select one at
no charge. In order to have all the dresses ready in time for the
giveaway event, they will be accepting dresses for this year’s
event through March 15.
Over the last few months Operation Glass Slipper has received hundreds
of donated dresses, gowns, and accessories from many generous individuals
around Minnesota and Wisconsin, as well as from bridal shops and
department stores. However, they are still short of dresses in
the smaller (0-2) and larger (14+) sizes, so at this time they
are asking for monetary donations that will be used to purchase discounted
dresses in these sizes from their bridal and department store sponsors.
They are still in need of supplies such as a professional clothing
steamer, rolling clothing racks (the racks they have are bulging
with gowns), and bottled water, soft drinks and food for the volunteers
at the Open House. ![]()
Drop-off sites for donations, and other information on the project,
can be found on the group’s Web site: www.operationglassslipper.org.
The group can be contacted via e-mail at: info@operationglassslipper.org
