Gowns for Girls and Suits for Youth find success

By Aly Beach/The Oshawa Express

There will be many more sharp suits and gorgeous gowns during this year’s prom season thanks to a pair of local initiatives.

The Gowns for Girls and Suits for Youth events, organized by community partners alongside the Durham Regional Police Services (DRPS), provide youth a chance to find the perfect outfit for prom, without paying a cent. Both events ran this past week with many teens taking advantages of the opportunity.

“This has been probably one of the most rewarding things as a police officer…It’s probably one of the most rewarding events where we can interact with our youth,” said DRPS Const. and youth officer Joylene MacNeil, organizer of the Gowns for Girls event.

Girls from all over Durham flocked to Gowns for Girls to celebrate its fifth anniversary, which had a record number of donations and attendance. With hundreds of dresses, shoes and purses to choose from, there was something for every girl who walked through the door.  Dresses of all sizes, shapes, fabrics and colours were available, along with free alterations.

Gowns for Girls assisted more than 350 girls find dresses, with the help of more than 50 volunteers.

Aurora, a 13-year-old student from Vincent Massey Public School found herself a dress for a prom event in Bowmanville. She tried on several dresses until she found a dress she fell in love with.

“I think it’s really cool how girls get to choose their own dresses and everything without having to pay, like, a lot of money,” she said.

MacNeil says interacting with the youth and watching the girls transform after they have found their prom dress is amazing, but what is even more satisfying to her is the transformation of how the girls interact with the officers.

“Honestly, it’s immeasurable. But just for the young girls to see female officers… just to see the transformation of the youth and interact with the youth and get them to see we’re just normal people,” said MacNeil.

The inaugural Suits for Youth took place at the same time, but at the Oshawa Centre. Around 57 youth showed up to the event and approximately 250 suits were donated, not including dress shirts and ties.

“We had two very successful days, in the context of it being the first year,” said City of Oshawa Councillor Rick Kerr, an organizer for the event.

Kerr estimates there were at least 20 volunteers at Suits for Youth, including DRPS officers who came in on their day off.

In addition to helping students find a suit for prom, the Suits for Youth event looks to take things a step further by allowing the teens to keep the suits for future job interviews or other professional events. Youth were also given a chance to have their suit dry cleaned. Suits for Youth is also gender-neutral so any student can find a suit, regardless of gender.

“It was really wonderful to see the transition…Everyone left with a smile,” said Kerr.

“It really helps give these youths a leg up on life.”