More than 20 years later, a girl's dream lives on with 'Becca's Closet'
MIAMI - A 16-year-old girl, and the legacy she has left behind is making Miami Proud.
During her freshman year at Nova High School in Davie, Rebecca Kirtman, fondly nicknamed 'Becca,' launched a drive to provide prom dresses and accessories to girls who could not afford them.
The next year, Becca did it again, collecting more than 250 dresses.
"She wanted to make a little difference, and she started writing letters to dress manufacturers around the country, asking them to donate dresses," said Becca's father, Jay Kirtman. "And she went to local stores in the mall, asking them to donate dresses."
Becca also put up signs around her school, asking her classmates to donate recently used dresses.
From this, 'Becca's Closet' was born.
Tragically, Becca died in a crash in 2003. But more than 20 years later, her dream is still alive.
"We've given away tens of thousands of dresses to girls to continue Rebecca's legacy," said Pam Kirtman, Becca's mother. "It feels really, really good to see the looks on people's face when you relieve the burden from them when you make a little bit of a difference in their lives and show them that you care about what they care about."
This homecoming season, hundreds of girls will be dressed to impress, thanks to Becca's Closet.
To help with the cause, a student from St. Thomas Aquinas' Women of Tomorrow club held a dress drive and delivered 200 dresses.
Becca's Closet's vision has grown over the past couple of decades. The organization now also raises funds to provide college scholarships for young women and men nationwide who demonstrate Becca's spirit of generosity in their own communities.
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