Say Yes to the Prom Dress: April 1 event provides free gowns for high schoolers

Say yes to the prom dress! High school students will have an opportunity to take home a free prom dress in Raleigh during a first-of-its-kind celebration on April 1.

Say Yes to the Prom Dress will be held on April 1 between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m at St. John's MMC Church at 4 North Blount St. There will be DJ music, a caricature artist, drinks, snacks and prom-related raffle prizes, like an in-home photo session and coupons for spray tans, waxing and corsages.

More than 300 prom dresses will be on display for participants to try with help from their very own personal shoppers from North Carolina State University sororities. The event needs community sponsors, like businesses willing to dry clean the dresses or provide raffle prizes and nibbles.

There's also an Amazon wishlist for needed items, like clothing racks. You can donate gently used prom dresses and other items using the contact form.

The event is organized by the I Am Worth It Foundation, a scholarship fund founded in April 2022 by Jennifer Payne, a working mom of two.

"Our goal is to make this a full event to make the participants feel incredibly special from beginning to end," Payne said.

The event isn't simply a place to find a prom dress -- it's a celebration.

"We wanted to do a huge event for their big event -- prom," Payne said. "From the moment they come in they will be assigned to someone who will walk them through the process from beginning to end ... to help them find the perfect dress, be their hype person and help them take pictures."

A 360-degree photo booth and balloon arch will be the backdrop for photos once participants find their perfect dress, and everyone will leave with an emergency prom kit filled with items like bobby pins and hairspray.

The entire event is free and open to anyone in the area who would benefit from a free prom dress. RSVPs are encouraged just so organizers can make sure there are enough dresses and refreshments for everyone.

Amanda Mount, the event's organizer, said this fundraiser is coming at a paramount time.

"COVID-19 has hit a lot of families really hard, and prom is something that the last three years of high schoolers haven't had," she said. "It's a really big year for prom, and we want every girl to feel loved, to feel beautiful, and to feel worthy of being able to go to prom."

Mount and Payne have been calling high schools and posting on NextDoor and Facebook to spread the word, collecting dresses and sponsors along the way. There is still a need for dresses and donations in the weeks leading up to the event.

"We'd love to have as many dresses as we can, because everyone comes in different shapes and sizes, color preferences ... we want to have many options available for everyone," Payne said.

Community support needed

People can support Say Yes to the Prom Dress by visiting the event's Amazon wishlist or donating new and gently used prom dresses.

The event is also in need of volunteers, clothing racks and garment hangers and garment bags and donations for the emergency prom kits. Volunteers and sponsors are also needed to provide snacks, including handheld desserts.

There are also opportunities to loan items for the event, and Payne is looking for businesses willing to sponsor free prom tickets for event participants.

This is Raleigh's first-ever Say Yes to the Prom Dress Event, but organizers hope the event will grow each year.

"Prom is something we want everyone to be able to attend, to be a part of the event and not feel so self conscious," Mount said. "I hope these girls walk away knowing how worthy and how worth it they are."