Prom Closet doors open again to Johnson County students

Yearbooks, graduation robes, class rings, letterman jackets and college applications are just a few of the expenses high school students face during their last year of high school.

And then there’s prom, which comes with a hefty price tag or two of its own.

Christy Hailey of Cleburne reached out to the community last year, asking for donations of gently used backless formal dresses to give to low-income students so they’d have the chance to attend prom.

“There’s such a need in this community for families who are barely scraping by,” Hailey said. “Everybody has a dress that they’ve worn once and then stuffed in the back of the closet where it is forgotten. Why not pay it forward and give it to someone who can’t afford a dress?”

An overwhelming response to Hailey’s call-to-action yielded numerous donations of black formal dresses, suits, makeup kits, jewelry, shoes, hair styles and photo sessions.

“The first day we were taking donations only a few people dropped dresses off and it kind of made me feel like I wasn’t doing something right,” Hailey said. “The donation drop-off site is at Christi’s at the Nolan River Mall and the next morning Christi Schmidt, the store owner, called me and said, ‘You will not believe how many dresses came in overnight.’ There were so many.”

And the dresses and accessories kept coming in.

“We had so many dresses last year that we ran out of storage room,” Hailey said. “This year we are still accepting donations at Christi’s, but we are also accepting them on the night of try-ons at First Christian Church of Cleburne.”

Hailey said those who would like to try on a dress can visit the church, 200 S. Nolan River Road, from 6-8 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays until May 31, excluding the second Thursday of each month. Students must present their school ID and be accompanied by an adult.

Zonta Club of Johnson County President Kasey Rachel said she believes the Prom Closet is meeting a need for many young women in Johnson County, which aligns with the organization’s mission to empower women.

“High school events can leave such lasting impressions on young women and who they eventually grow to become that everyone should have the opportunity to participate in,” Rachel said. “The Prom Closet is one of a few organizations in our area trying to meet that needs for those who might not otherwise get to participate in because of a lack of funds. I especially love that the Prom Closet has beautiful gowns for all shapes and sizes, so that every young girl that comes will leave with a dress that makes her feel good about herself.”

Karri McCoy, who is helping with the Prom Closet, said it has been fulfilling.

“[Christy] had a great idea when she thought of this,” McCoy said. “I am so proud to be a part of it.”

Stephanie Martin of Joshua agrees with McCoy.

“I love doing this,” Martin said. “Thank you, Christy Hailey, for allowing me to help out.”

Gently used or new prom or bridesmaid dresses sizes 0-30, hand bags, formal shoes in good condition, unused make-up, shawls, and hair accessories can be dropped off at Christi’s in the Nolan River Mall anytime the store is open. The Prom Closet is also looking for volunteers to help with try-ons and beauty salon owners who would like to donate an hour or two of their time to style hair the night of the prom.