“Our Mission: To turn dresses into dreams” is the slogan of a project spreading across the U.S., and it’s called Cinderella’s Closet. It began as a church organization but is now run independently in many places, including Pennridge High School. The idea is for stores to donate dresses, so the teachers can alter them and give them to students for free. Students can still ‘shop’ for the dresses, and Cinderella’s Closet tries to have a large enough, and mostly new, collection. The one in PHS is run by teacher Racheal Hoffman; it started when she and  English Teacher Julia Grimshaw took over Key Club almost six years ago. And you can ensure that your dress is in good hands, as Hoffman is the teacher of a few FCS and sewing-related classes at PHS. If any student needs a dress, they can go to room 375 after school on March 7, 9, 14, 16, 21, or 23. Students can bring their friends and family for help choosing the dress.

Hoffman says her motivation for the project comes from “being able to give a student a prom dress that could cost them $300 to $400 and giving it to them for free.” Hoffman says she knows how expensive prom is, which also inspires her for the project. She remembers a few years ago when the project was able to give out 30 dresses and loves when people can benefit from and appreciate the project. Though this project is for good, they have still faced some troubles. Sometimes they can lack donations of dresses, which was especially troublesome during and after the Covid years. 

Outside of PHS, Cinderella’s closet began in 2006. A girl in Kentucky found the “dress of her dreams” but couldn’t afford to buy it. Erin Peterson, the soon-to-be founder of the idea of Cinderella’s Closet, overheard this and asked to buy the dress for the girl. The dress turned out to be only $29.99. The girl was in foster care and was extremely grateful and surprised that a stranger could be so kind. The girl said she felt like Cinderella in the dress, and then the name of the project was born. Cinderella’s Closet has then spread to many schools, churches, and communities in the U.S. There are now 17 official companies for this project, led by Erin Peterson and Tasha Gabal. To get dresses from them, you need to be referred by your principal or counselor and have a school ID. Though in almost every high school you can find a Cinderella’s Closet willing to help. One private company called Cinderella’s Closet from Kentucky sends prom packages, which include a dress, shoes, and accessories. They have gathered a collection of over 800 dresses and have volunteers that help with the process. Though the Cinderella’s Closet at PHS does not have accessories or shoes, it does give you the chance to try on the dresses, visit in person, and bring your family and friends.

Sources 

https://cinderellasclosetnky.org/

https://www.cinderellasclosetpac.com/home/volunteers/its-time-to-register/

https://adventuremomblog.com/turning-dresses-dreams-interview-founder-cinderellas-closet/

https://www.cinderellasclosetoc.com/about

https://ie.globaldatabase.com/company/cinderella-s-closet-limited

https://www.cinderellasclosetoc.com/i-need-a-dress

https://www.fbcholliday.org/cinderellas-closet

https://spectrumnews1.com/oh/columbus/news/2022/03/22/nonprofit-organization-builds-teens-confidence-with-free-dresses