Queens 'Prom Pop-Up' Offers Students Free Gowns, Suits

WOODSIDE, QUEENS -- Prom can be a real ball of stress.

New trends of elaborate "promposals" coupled with the traditional meltdown-inducing search for the perfect dress or suit is enough to transform any student into a bundle of nerves in the days leading up to the big night. Never mind figuring out how to afford it all.

Add in a limousine rental, tickets, flowers, food and other expenses, the average prom ends up costing each teen upwards of $900, according to a 2015 Visa study. That's why one Queens nonprofit wanted to help eliminate one of the dance's biggest expenses - formalwear.

Woodside on the Move is partnering with We Give Because We Care 365 to host a Prom Pop-Up Shop on April 21, where students can shop for their dream prom look free of charge.

The nonprofits will host their prom pop-up at Woodside Community School P.S. 361 from noon to 4 p.m., during which time students in grades 8-12 can browse a selection of free prom dresses, suits, shoes, accessories and cosmetics - and take home whatever they'd like, said Jacqueline Amaya, director of finances for Woodside on the Move.

The only requirements to shop are that students register on the event page in advance and be expected to graduate, Amaya told Patch.

Free makeup and barber services and prom-themed workshops will also be offered throughout the day at the event alongside music, food and entertainment.

It's one of several pop-ups hosted by We Give Because We Care 365, which has offered free services and prom attire to more than 500 high school students across New York City and Westchester over the last three years, according to its website.

The nonprofit did not immediately return Patch's request for comment, but states on its GoFundMe page its mission is "to provide a luxury atmosphere to teens as we groom their minds, hearts and spirits to recognize that they are the future leaders of the World."

(Lead image via Shutterstock)