County officials are partnering for another year of the Say Yes to the Dress giveaway.
The program enables county students to pick out a free outfit for their prom from a collection of donated clothes. It is being sponsored by the county sheriff’s office, prosecutor’s office, Department of Corrections and police department.
Donations come from Jan’s Boutique in Cherry Hill and Conner Strong and Buckelew in Camden, along with private donations.
County Commissioner Jennifer Fleisher noted that Say Yes to the Dress can ease the worry students might about the expense of a prom.
“It’s more about dresses than tuxedos, but helping students feel prepared and confident for the prom season at absolutely no cost …” she explained. “I’ve talked to so many of the students and of people that have been involved before and everyone just raves about it.
“It’s such an amazing experience for the students … and it just gives them such an uplifting experience.”
If the county has outfits left over, they are kept for the next annual giveaway or donated for other events. Fleisher did note that there may not be many left this year.
“From what I understand, I don’t believe there’s a lot,” she said. “I think it’s a very popular thing that goes on. So we’re looking at giving away all of our dresses and tuxedos this year. We put out flyers in all the schools as well as make sure that (students are) informed on all the different social media platforms.”
The county has received about 1,000 items of gently-used or new formal wear in each of the program’s four years, along with bags and other accessories. That number is expected to be about the same this year. And while more females and males take advantage of the giveaway, Men’s Warehouse has helped the latter dress to look their best.
“That also is a very expensive thing, especially if you’re trying to rent a tuxedo,” Fleisher pointed out.
Students interested in the giveaway can schedule an appointment to pick out their outfits at the Camden County Boathouse from Tuesday through Thursday, March 10 to 12, between 3 and 7 p.m. They can take as much time as they need to try on the clothes.
Fleisher said that an event like the prom giveaway is good for people in the county.
“It really is Camden County at its best,” she observed. “We love working as a team, helping our residents, helping our families and really creating this special moment for these high-school students.”
