When Abby Egland was packing her belongings, about to enter the University, she came across her pink, “princess-like” prom dress. Similar to other girls, Egland’s first impulse was to hold onto the dress and its memories, some memories she realized other girls are being deprived of because of financial reasons.
Egland, currently a senior, and her mother decided to start with Egland’s pink prom gown and create the charity Abby’s Closet, a non-profit organization that accepts and then donates used prom dresses to high school girls who can’t afford them and would have to miss the cultural milestone of prom.
“Prom, to me, was one of my best high school memories,” Egland said. “It’s something every girl should get to experience.”
In its third year, Abby’s Closet is expecting a donation of 2,000 dresses, and hopes to give out at least half of them to high school girls who attend an event at the Portland Convention Center on April 14 and 15.
“Each year we evolve and learn from process and procedure and flow and make it a better experience for the girls,” said Jen Nelson, who is in charge of advertising and publicity for the event.
Nelson said she donated seven dresses last year, and like Egland, her first impulse was to hold on to them for the memories. At the event, she found a girl who chose one of her dresses, which she said made all her efforts worthwhile, by seeing how excited the girl was to have the gown.
“It’s truly humbling because it makes you realize all you take for granted,” Nelson said.
Egland, who is the youngest child in her family and has three older brothers, said she never wore dresses and that this made her prom dress really special. She also watched girls walking around with their friends and admiring the gowns, and saw one choose one of her dresses.
“It’s so cool to see your dress go out there and continue to let those memories live on,” she said, adding that something special about the event is that almost every dress is unique, which makes the girls feel unique as well.
Michelle Payment, Egland’s roommate and a University senior, volunteered at the event two years ago by sorting and sizing dresses and working as a personal shopper by helping girls find their dream gowns.
“There’s always a lot of excitement the first day,” she said. “We’re making their prom dreams come true.”
Payment said it’s important to talk to the girls and find out what they’re looking for in a dress before helping them find one. She also said part of the job is to make them feel good about themselves and the gown they choose.
“The most exciting part of prom is getting ready and feeling exceptionally pretty, and I wanted other girls to feel the same,” Payment said.
This year the event is expanding out of the Portland area, with drop boxes for donated dresses in Eugene, Corvallis, Salem and Vancouver, in addition to some coastal cities. The organization has also grown in dress donations by 25 to 35 percent annually, Nelson said.
At the event, girls must show a high school ID card and are allotted an hour to find a dress and available accessories with the help of personal shoppers. They also receive coupons good for free alterations and men’s prom wear at Mr. Formal.
“Girls have been so thankful,” Egland said. “You can totally tell it boosts their self esteem.”
For more information on donating or volunteering at the event go to www.abbyscloset.org. Eugene drop-off locations for age-appropriate prom dresses (sizes 0 and 16+ are especially needed) include Buffalo Exchange at 131 E. 5th Ave., Chi Omega at 1461 Alder St. and Umpqua Bank at 675 Oak St.
Contact the people, culture and faith reporter at [email protected]