As prom season approaches, find out how one South Jersey project is helping teens find perfect outfits
Project Prom helps teens in one South Jersey district find the perfect outfit
The Cherry Hill Library may be in the business of lending out books, but it is doing something extra special for area teens with prom rapidly approaching.
CHERRY HILL, N.J. - The Cherry Hill Library may be in the business of lending out books, but it is doing something extra special for area teens with prom rapidly approaching.
It’s called Project Prom.
What we know:
Talk about taking the stress out of finding the perfect prom outfit. Project Prom helps teens save money and also look absolutely fabulous.
17-year-old Jayla Peratta says this is such an important time for her, "With Senior Prom, you definitely want a specific dress. You want it to be perfect for you."
What they're saying:
Peratta says she was wowed by all the options at the event put on by the Cherry Hill Library, featuring gently used formal wear for free.
"I tried on five different dresses and I did narrow it down between two," Peratta stated. "But, I got to see what fits best. What colors look nice on my skin."
Jayla eventually decided to go with a lovely lavender dress. Her mom is super happy they found such a gorgeous gown and she is a bit relieved.
"It does get a little pricey with prom, senior yearbook and everything that comes with graduating. It does add up, so this is a lot of help," Jennifer Lopez said.
Dig deeper:
Teen librarian Jasmine Riel and a co-worker came up with an original idea, saying, "We thought it would be really cool to do something just for teenagers, especially with prom season coming up."
They launched a donation drive back in December and the response was one for the record books.
Jasmine explained, "I even had one patron, who brought a pile of dresses, say to me, ‘I’ve been waiting for this moment to finally donate these somewhere where we know they would be going to a good cause.’"
The other side:
And it’s not just for the gals. There are plenty of suits, shirts and ties for the guys, as well.
Annya Olearchyk picked up something for her son and said, "I think this is great. They get a little bit of choice and stuff. Shopping is so hard these days."
Her daughter, Romanna, also found exactly what she was looking for. Rommana said, "There’s a lot of beautiful dresses here people can get."
"Did you have a hard time choosing?" FOX 29’s Dawn Timmeney asked.
"Yes, I did," Romanna answered.
What's next:
Project Prom continues Wednesday and then again on Saturday and Sunday. More information on hours can be found on the Cherry Hill Library website, here.