Spring is in the air and that means prom season!
We are excited for our dresses to be worn and enjoyed! Just a reminder after you wear the dress, we are happy for dresses to be donated back - or for the first time - to Abby's Closet. We are already gathering donations for the 2024 Prom Dress Giveaway and need formal dresses and fancy shoes (in excellent condition only please). For more information on what, how and where to donate, visit our website. And a huge thank you to the many businesses and locations around the metro area who serve as drop off spots for our donations. They are all a vital part of our organization! If your business would like to be a drop off location, please contact us. We could especially use more drop off locations in the Vancouver area.
And be sure to watch our website and follow us on social media (@abbysclosetpdx) for the announcement of the 2024 date - Coming Soon!
Thank you and keep shining!
-Abby's Closet Board of Directors
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Join our amazing 2023-24 Student Advisory Board - Applications still being accepted!
Each year we have the privilege to work with an amazing group of young women from high schools in Oregon and Washington who are part of our Student Advisory Board. This group meets regularly to assist Abby's Closet with public relations and fundraising efforts. The SAB also brings energy and fun to our annual Prom Dress Giveaway and acts in an advisory capacity to the Abby’s Closet Board of Directors.
Know a high schooler who may be interested in joining the 2023-24 Student Advisory Board? Applications are being accepted until May 12. Details on how to apply and the application can be found on our website. For more information, contact Samantha Willis.
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Where are they now?
2018 Dreams Scholarship winner Christina Swafford
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Dreams Scholarship winner Christina Swafford graduates this month from the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo in the Master’s of Counseling Psychology program. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at Linfield University in 2021. She attended Weston McEwen High School in Athena, Oregon.
Christina has been interested in the field of mental health since she began her undergraduate degree. In her graduate program, she said she developed a passion for advocacy and supporting disadvantaged populations. Over the past year, she said she has worked on research exploring mental health in the planetary science community, including people who work at NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. In January, she was awarded the position of Emerging Leader with the Hawai‘i Counselors Association, where she also serves in a leadership role. She said she is excited to start working full-time in a clinical setting after graduation and hopes to provide clinical services to the LGBTQ+ population.
Abby's Closet has awarded 34 scholarships totaling $52,500 since 2011. For more information about the Dreams Scholarship, visit our website.
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Board of Directors looking for new members - come join our team!
Applications due Friday, June 9, 2023.
Abby's Closet is seeking dedicated individuals to serve on the Abby's Closet Board of Directors. If you support the mission of Abby's Closet and would like to take your involvement to the next level, please consider applying.
The Abby’s Closet Board of Directors is responsible for setting the vision and direction of the organization. In addition, they run the day-to-day operations. It is a fantastic group of leaders who come together to make the annual Prom Dress Giveaway happen and share their skills to build our special non-profit. We are seeking those with skills in the following areas: organization, accounting and budgets, IT, educator connections, and more. If you have any of these specialized skill sets, please consider putting them to use to help us.
Applications are due Friday, June 9, 2023. If you have questions, contact cindy@abbyscloset.org. The application and more information can be found on our website.
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Prom dress story reminds us of the power of sparkles when passing on a favorite gown |
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Aliyah Jackson (shown in the photo in her prom dress in 2010) attended her proms in 2010 and 2011 in California and after holding on to her dress and shoes through college she donated them to Abby's Closet.
"I heard about Abby’s Closet and knew that someone else should be enjoying them," Aliyah said. "After donating this hot pink dress, I actually saw it featured in one of the photo shoots and a high schooler had chosen it and was wearing it! I couldn’t believe my eyes and I was so happy to see another person as happy as I was in my special dress."
Aliyah said donating the dress took her a few years because of her emotional attachment to it. "My family and I moved a lot in high school, and I was on my third high school by my junior year. I needed to find the perfect dress on a pretty tight budget so we headed to the mall. We lived in a small town outside of Sacramento so the closest mall was about an hour away. We found the most stunning pink mermaid that I completely fell in love with at the right price. ... I loved this outfit so much that I wore the same dress and shoes for my junior and senior year," she said "Why mess with perfection?"
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Know a student attending prom and looking for a tuxedo? We can help! |
Support Abby's Closet and our partner Mr. Formal and rent a tuxedo using a coupon that donates $5 back to Abby's Closet.
Mr. Formal has three locations: Beaverton (3905 SW 117th, Beaverton, 97005), Portland (1103 SE 7th Ave, Portland, 97214), and Salem (2265 Lancaster Dr. NE, Salem, 97305).
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www.abbyscloset.org and on social @abbysclosetpdx |
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