Hope Closet Provides FREE Prom Gowns To High School Girls In Need

ROYAL OAK (WWJ) - A local non-profit organization is helping young girls who can't afford to buy a prom dress.

The average cost of a prom dress and everything that goes along with it can cost well over $1,000 these days. But that's where Hope Closet steps in.

President Whitney Drake said Hope Closet provide young women with the opportunity to attend their special high school event with a dress of their choice, regardless of financial constraints or limitations.

"We have over 3,000 dresses to choose from, we are in the lower level of a church and we like to say that we have more dresses than most of the retail stores in the Detroit market," Drake told WWJ's Chrystal Knight. "We give away about 1,000 dresses a year."

Drake said the girls must currently be enrolled in high school and provide a valid school ID card or other proof of enrollment -- letters from home school teachers are also accepted. The girls first must call to set up an appointment before they can come to the boutique to browse for a gown.

"They get a personal shopper and they go pick out a prom dress and one accessory, like a wrap or shoes or a purse," Drake said.

The Prom Boutique is open by appointment only, April 26 through May 2, at Royal Oak First United Methodist Church at 320 West 7th Street in downtown Royal Oak.

To schedule an appointment, call 248-347-1309 between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.

For more information, visit www.hopecloset.com.