 Organization Outfits A Fairytale Prom Night—By Kristin Butler Published: March, 2007  High school girls pick out dresses for the big night. It was a simple idea. Collect neglected frocks from closets around the Bay Area and donate them to girls who can't afford a dress for the prom. But what started as a simple idea has grown to become a successful nonprofit — The Princess Project — an organization that empowers both girls and women by helping them develop self-confidence, practice leadership, and embrace their own individual beauty. "We try to empower both women and girls," says Wanda Cole-Frieman, a board member who has been with The Princess Project since its inception in 2002. "We want people to feel good about themselves." Organizers with the nonprofit plan to outfit 2,700 underserved girls with gowns and accessories for prom at two free dress-giveaway events in San Francisco this month, March 17 and 24, and at "boutique nights" in San Francisco and the South Bay from March 19-22. They are looking for more than 300 volunteers to help create a memorable day for girls that will include makeovers, pictures with friends, and a walk down the red carpet to show off that perfect dress. They are also looking for donations of money, dresses, and accessories. The Princess Project was first inspired by a casual conversation between the founders, Kristen Smith Knutson and Laney Whitcanack, and a high school girl they worked with in a Coro youth program. When the girl said she wasn't going to her prom because she couldn't afford a dress, the two women immediately thought about all those dresses from weddings and parties they knew hung unused in their friends' closets, says Cole-Frieman. "I'm one of those friends who got that first, infamous email saying 'Do you have any dresses in your closet?'" Cole-Frieman says. "There was such an overwhelming response that within eight weeks we held our first event to give away dresses." The all-volunteer-led nonprofit has held events every year since and has donated dresses to more than 5,000 girls from 235 high schools, 192 zip codes, and 80 cities throughout California. Most girls come from the East Bay and San Francisco, and so far 31 percent are African American, 30 percent are Latina, and 30 percent are Asian. Celebrating diversity of all kinds is one of the core values of The Princess Project. "We want every girl — irrespective of what size they are — to feel great," Cole-Frieman says. "Everyone has baggage about their body, but we want the girls to feel welcome and at home." | ||
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