Eleventh Annual "Belle of the Ball" Prom Dress Collection Drive Runs Through April 5, 2015
TEWSKBURY, Mass., Feb. 28, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Award season and red carpet fashion coverage can be a painful reminder that prom season is just a fantasy for families with limited financial resources. For the 11th year, Caring Partners' "Belle of the Ball" prom dress drive is back to help high school junior and senior girls who must choose not to attend this major life event due to financial constraints by collecting, cleaning and distributing prom dresses at no charge. To date, more than 2,300 girls have been outfitted since Belle of the Ball began in 2005.
The public is invited to help by donating good quality, gently worn or new prom dresses and like-new special occasion purses. These items can be dropped off at any of Anton's Cleaners 42 locations or Jordan's Furniture stores through April 5, 2015 (see antons.com and jordans.com for store locations). Monetary and in-kind donations are also welcome to cover jewelry, makeup and prom-related items and services.
All dresses are cleaned by Anton's free of charge as a community service as a program of Caring Partners, Inc., a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.
The program culminates in an event at Simmons College where deserving girls are invited for a day of personal shopping and pampering. Last year, over 400 girls participated in the invitation-only Boutique Day. Since attendance is by "invitation only," students must be pre-qualified by guidance counselors, teachers and social service agency personnel.
"No one should have to skip their prom, a momentous day, because they cannot afford a dress," said Arthur Anton Jr., COO, Anton's Cleaners and a founder of Belle of the Ball. "Belle of the Ball allows girls to dream big and look beautiful with the dress, purse, shoes and makeup to feel like a princess the night of the ball."
Last year, Anton's Cleaners collected 6,244 dresses as well as thousands of shoes, purses and makeup items from more than 1,000 individuals from local corporations, nonprofits, retailers, media partners and volunteers. Anton's Cleaners collected and cleaned the donated dresses, with cleaning services exceeding $231,965 in value, bringing the total donated to $1,473,824.
Promotional partners on board this year including Jordan's Furniture, FOX25, The Bull 101.7, Kiss 108 FM, JAM'N 94.5, and Wicked Local.
For details, visit antons.com/belle.
Public Contact: Stephanie Littlefield, Anton's Cleaners, [email protected] or 978-851-3721 x15
SOURCE Caring Partners
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