Monroe organization hosts 10th annual Cinderella Project

MONROE, La. (KNOE) - For many, prom is a special time. On Saturday, a local organization made it even more magical. It’s called the Cinderella Project, and it helps transform the self-esteem of local teens. This event donates dream dresses each year, and the mission remains the same even during the pandemic.

Girls in our community were welcomed by the Junior League of Monroe to handpick a prom dress free of charge and have their own special Cinderella moment.

Clothing racks of beautiful dresses and high school girls filled the room for the 10th annual Cinderella Project. The Junior League of Monroe hosts this event to help girls feel like the belle of the ball.

“Our focus is women and children at risk, so this gives our members time to volunteer while reaching out to teenage girls in the community so they can come be a part of prom and just feel comfortable and confident,” Junior League of Monroe president Lauren Voorhies said.

All of the dresses are donated locally from the community and help high school girls find the perfect dress for prom.

“Since I’m a senior, my Adopt a Senior person sent me the link to me. She was like you should go check this out, and I said okay I will,” Cinderella Project participant Jazzmin Bryant said.

The goal is for girls to feel beautiful inside and out, so the volunteers work with the girls to say yes to the dress.

“I had a very great experience,” Bryant said. “Everyone around here is friendly, and I really love that.”

Junior League members say they’re thrilled to still have their event, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. They want every girl to feel confident and think everyone deserves that chance.

“These girls are leaving with the biggest smiles on their faces and tears in their eyes because they found that special prom dress. We’re so excited that we actually still got to hold our event because now that we’re in Phase 3 we are seeing a lot more schools offering prom again. We’re so excited that we can make this a special time for the high school juniors and seniors,” Cinderella Project committee chair Allison Davis said.

When a girl chooses a dress, they say it truly feels like a fairytale moment.

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