You would think that purchasing a prom dress would be a given for most young girls. Unfortunately, the thought of spending money on a dress that is typically worn for only one day is beyond the ways and means of many families. Thankfully there is group that, for years, has been dedicated to collecting and recycling prom dresses so that everyone has a chance to shine on that special day.
Erie County Legislator Lynne Dixon and Urban Valet Dry Cleaners teamed up to make the prom dreams of many a reality. This is the sixth year that the Prom Dress Drive has been collecting the unwanted dresses, cleaning them (free of charge), and getting them into the hands of those who are seeking them.
“It is hard to believe that we are kicking off our sixth annual Prom Dress Drive to help hundreds of local teens find the perfect dress for prom or big event. We are once again asking the community to donate new or used gowns to the cause. There is truly a need for this program in our community and thanks to our sponsors and donors we are able to ensure all local teens have an amazing dress for their prom,” said Legislator Dixon. “Thank you to everyone who supports the Prom Dress Drive.”
From now until Friday, March 27 the prom dress team will be hard at work at the following collection locations:
Blasdell Village Hall, 121 Miriam Ave., Blasdell
Boston Free Library, 9475 Boston State Road, Boston
Dudley Branch Library, 2010 South Park Ave., Buffalo
Eden Boys & Girls Club, 8284 North Main St., Eden
Erie County Legislature, 92 Franklin St., Fourth Floor, Buffalo
Hamburg Village Hall, 100 Main St., Hamburg
Lackawanna Public Library, 560 Ridge Road, Lackawanna
Lake Shore Branch Library, S. 4857 Lake Shore Road, Hamburg
Urban Valet Cleaners- 3 locations
106 Evans St., Hamburg
4081 North Buffalo Road, Orchard Park
620 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo
“Each year we think this can’t get any better, and every year the community gives more than the year before,” added Jackie O’Malley, an Urban Valet Representative. “We continue to be thankful to our community for supporting this great initiative. Urban Valet is proud to be involved in the cleaning of all the dresses and participate in the free shopping days. Thank you to Legislator Dixon and her team for their leadership the past six years, and also to the other businesses that have helped us make this a successful event!”
Once all of the dresses are collected and cleaned (by Urban Valet), girls all over Greater Buffalo will be invited to attend a Free Shopping Day* where they will be allowed to browse through the dresses in search of their optimal picks.
In a day and age, when we all talk a good game about recycling, it’s not just the cost saving measures that we should praise here, it is also the green measure that should be considered a success.
“Prom dresses can often cost hundreds of dollars, and that can place a burden on the girls or their families. The Prom Dress Drive is great because we receive hundreds of beautiful dresses, often times from well-known designers, and we create a fun shopping experience for the girls to search for a dress they truly love. All dresses are provided to the girls for free thanks to our donors,” Legislator Dixon added.
*Times, dates and location will be announced soon – stay tuned to Urban Valet Facebook page for details