The YMCA of Selma and Dallas County is teaming up with the Edmundite Missions to help local high school girls find the prom dress of their dreams without breaking the bank. In fact, the dresses won’t cost them anything.

“In any community, there’s always a great need for support and this is just one of those areas that we’re learning that not all individuals have that opportunity to go out and find that fabulous dress that they want to wear,” said Grover Henry, chief programs officer for the missions. “We know how important it is for every individual to go to the prom. We’re just happy to be part of that and be part of the conversation to meet that need for them in this time.”

The YMCA has been doing a prom dress drive for three years now, and the missions decided this year that they wanted to have a drive. Once the two found out about the other, they decided to join forces for the greater good by helping even more ladies in the community.

“Prom dresses can be $200-300 and there are not many youth in our community that can afford a dress like that. So we decided that that was an important service for us to provide and the Edmundite Missions folks thought the same thing,” said Ann Murray, CEO of the YMCA.

“It’s great for us to join with them.”

Murray and Henry said they are hoping to get the community involved by asking them to donate their gently used prom dresses.

“Anybody that would like to clean out their closets, now is the time,” Murray said. “From now for the rest of March we’re collecting prom dresses at the Y.”

Dresses can be dropped off at the YMCA or at the missions.

“We’re starting to receive a lot of dresses now and we’re sharing those with the YMCA and so it’s going to be a great time for them to come and go through the dresses and find the one that they like and be prepared and get ready,” Henry said. “We’re excited and we’re hoping to continue this partnership as well as be part of the community in this way and provide this to them.”

Murray said the Leadership Club will be there the day of the event to help the girls pick out and try on dresses, and dressing rooms will be provided.

The event will take place April 1 from 9 a.m. until noon at the YMCA and dresses can be dropped off though the end of March.

The Missions will provide a ride from the BOSCO Center to the YMCA on the day of the drive, for the ladies that do not have transportation.

Henry said anyone needing more information can call him at the center at (334) 287-2359.