MONETT, Mo. (KY3) - For many teens, prom is a fun evening to dress up and dance the night away. But some can’t afford to attend.
A group of women in Monett have been helping girls who might not otherwise be able to attend prom due to costs.
They formed a nonprofit called “FOCUS on Prom,” which started gathering used dresses nearly 10 years ago. The nonprofit has been loaning out dresses since 2011.
“One of the original ladies that was in our group was a high school teacher or counselor, and she knew of some young ladies that were in need. They lived at the J&T Hotel and couldn’t afford to have prom,” said founding member Kelly Carr.
FOCUS stands for Focusing On Community, Unity, and Sisterhood.
Volunteers say the dresses have made a big difference.
“After contacting multiple school counselors and informing them of what we’re doing through FOCUS, I was told over and over again repeatedly that there is so much need. We have many girls at our school who have been asked to prom, but not going to prom because they can’t afford a dress,” said volunteer Amanda Reece.
”The dresses have meant a lot to me personally. Whenever I had first come here, we were in a really rough situation, and the dresses really helped me feel beautiful and feel me,” said student Jullian Kuschel.
FOCUS on prom is more than just a few ladies loaning out dresses. Several businesses in the community have donated services to help make prom magical.
“We get it dry-cleaned. The dry cleaners in our town does that for free for this group,” said Carr.
A salon and seamstress donate their services to the group. A local business also donates the space to store the dresses and pays utilities.
”We’re really focused on making every girl feel special, and every girl feel worthy, and I see that happening. I think it’s awesome to not have any girls feel left out,” said Reece.
Dresses are the most popular item that FOCUS loans out, but the group also has shoes and jewelry to borrow as well.
FOCUS on Prom will help anyone in need. There are no income or geographical restrictions. If you would like to donate or need to borrow a dress, you can contact the group through their Facebook page.
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Monett nonprofit loans dresses to help girls attend prom - KY3
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