TAZEWELL, VA (WOAY) – Communities in Schools is a non-profit organization designed to help students stay in school and graduate, and one of their regional initiatives in the Tazewell area has been to provide free prom dresses to any student in need.
Regional Program Director with Communities in Schools Amy Queen says the program will help students with financial need find the perfect prom dress.
“We just want everybody to have an opportunity to go to prom,” Queen said.” We just feel all girls want to feel beautiful and have that chance.”
They’ve set up the operation in Flowers on Main, a local business in Tazewell. Any student of a local area high school only needs to call Flowers on Main or speak to their school’s site coordinator if they want to come pick out a dress.
Flowers on Main reached out as a spot to host the program because they’ve had extra empty space since the pandemic began.
One of the owners, Kathy Mitchell, says they just wanted to help the students however they could.
“It’s good for everyone to feel like they’re pretty,” Mitchell said. “I think it helps their self esteem. And I think this is something that is extremely important.”
They have dozens of dresses in every size to choose from, including name brand selections. All the dresses were donated, and they have jewelry and shoes to pick from as well.
The dresses are free to keep, or they can be re-donated later to give another student a chance to wear it next year.
Last year, Communities in Schools gave out roughly 75 dresses to students in the Tazewell area.
