26-04-2025
Two Erie Co. organizations offering free prom clothes for students
In the coming weeks, local high school students will be attending prom. It's a highly anticipated event that can also be a financial burden.
Friday, we learned about two programs that provide donated formal wear to local students, one in Erie and the other in Albion.
Picking out a prom dress can be a magical moment. But for families that are struggling financially, this rite of passage can be out of reach.
Enter Project Prom, providing free donated second-hand formal wear for Erie teens.
'We had a whole room full of dresses and the kids came in and they picked out whatever they wanted,' said Jennifer Aquillano, owner of Aquillbella Boutique.
Aquabella Boutique hosted a weekend event for Project Prom in March, providing a sustainable alternative for dozens of Erie families.
'So being a mom of five, I know the cost of proms and homecomings and really anything can be costly so it was nice to see a relief for the parents as well as the students so they could just pick whatever they wanted and they didn't have to worry about it,' Aquillano continued.
Over in Albion, the owner of Beauty by Brit Salon recognized the same need. Brittany Johnson organized the Glam and Go prom dress event and donations came pouring in.
'We got more than 300 dresses and a ton of men's wear. We've been able to give over 80 dresses and 12 men's wear to students in need,' she recalled.
Johnson partnered with the Northwestern Community Center to host several events throughout April.
'It's just been awesome to see their faces light up when they put on outfits,' Johnson explained. 'There's things probably they never thought they'd be able to have, and they just felt likea princess, and it was incredible.'
Even though the formal distributions are over, Brit said she's still getting dresses like these and she's still willing to give them out to whoever needs them.
'We don't want anybody to go without,' Johnson went on to say.
If you'd like to donate or still need a dress or suit, visit the Project Prom Facebook page.
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