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, Stephanie@antons.com or
978-851-3721 x15
To view the original version on PR Newswire,
visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/eleventh-annual-belle-of-the-ball-prom-dress-collection-drive-runs-through-april-5-2015-300043104.html
SOURCE Caring Partners