Salvation Army and Pasadena Unified Hosts 8th Annual Prom Dress Giveaway

The Salvation Army and Pasadena Unified School District’s Families in Transition program are hosting the 8th Annual Prom Dress Giveaway on Saturday, March 12, 2016, for young girls who may be worrying about what to wear for the prom.

The girls only need to register until Friday, March 4, to avail of the giveaways during the event at the Salvation Army Pasadena Tabernacle office.

Jhoana Hirasuna, Director of Social Services for the Pasadena Salvation Army, said the girls can choose from over 500 dresses during the giveaway. The program will be open not only for PUSD students but also those from other school districts near Pasadena.

“The goal basically is to make prom a little bit more affordable for the girls in these schools,” Hirasuna said. “It’s such an expense for the girls especially because of the dress and the accessories and the shoes and so forth. So we just let them come and select from the large number of dresses that we have. I think a good number is at least probably 500 dresses to choose from. And they get to come and have the whole experience where they get to try them on and pick the dress they would like and take the dresses with them.”

The girls may also avail of free cleaning and pressing vouchers, although most of the dresses would come brand new and still wrapped in their initial packaging, Hirasuna said. The Salvation Army has also partnered with local salons who could provide free hair and makeup services on the day of the prom. A raffle draw for the makeup and cleaning vouchers may be held during the giveaway.

“Bryan’s Cleaners has been very kind to us in partnering with us and providing that service free of charge for the girls if the dresses need to be cleaned and pressed,” Hirasuna continues. “And then we also asked local salons to support in fact providing donations of hair and makeup services also to be used in their prom day. So far we do have the Factory Salon here in Pasadena who is supporting us with that.”

Hirasuna says the program has attracted an average of 100 to 110 girls every year and they expect the same number this year, so there would be plenty of choices with over 500 dresses to choose from.

To register for the prom dress giveaway, parents or the girls themselves need to register by calling Socorro or Martha at the Salvation Army, (626) 396-3698, or Jhoana Hirasuna at (626) 529-0603.

Registration forms are due by Friday, March 4, 2016.

The giveaway itself will be held at the Salvation Army office at 960 E. Walnut Avenue in Pasadena, from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.