Community Action again offering free prom dresses

Prom Prep Night set for Wednesday at Main Street store

Provided photo: A local teenager tries on her chosen prom dress at the Main Street Corner Thrifts, Gifts and More store during last year’s free prom event.

ALBION – Orleans Community Action’s Main Street Corner Thrifts, Gifts and More store will once again offer free prom attire for local students.

Prom Prep Night is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the store, located at 131 South Main St. in Albion.

The store’s manager Cassie Healy came up with the idea for free prom dresses after a huge selection of gowns were donated to the store several years ago. Since then, the program has grown in popularity and support.

“This will be the fourth year of our prom event,” Healy said. “Each year we add at least one more school to our list of events, and so far have been able to help around 200 kids have free prom attire.

“This year has been financially challenging for many families as the cost of everyday necessities continues to rise,” Healy said. “Our hope with the prom event is to help ease some of that stress by ensuring teens are able to attend their prom and enjoy a memorable, stress-free night.”

Through the prom events at local schools, more than 400 dresses are made available to students free of charge. In addition, the in-house prom event at Main Street corner Thrifts, Gifts and More offers dresses, shoes, makeup, hair care supplies and other accessories, along with a limited number of suits, all completely free of charge.

Prom events this year began April 23 at the New York State School for the Blind and continued through the spring at Orleans/Niagara Learning Center, Holley High School and Lyndonville High School, concluding with Medina High School on May 12, the Main Street Store event May 13 and Albion High School on May 21.

The free program is open to any student in Orleans Genesee and surrounding counties.

Anyone interested in donating to the event can call or text (585) 640-1320, call the store at (585) 589-1430 or send a message on Facebook.