100 Dresses

An email for you to cut and paste and send to your friends!:

Dear [friend],

My friend, Dariana, teaches at the International High School at Prospect Heights, a program serving new immigrant youth in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. For many of the kids there, prom is a new experience all together and (predictably) an economic hardship that can makes the big night an implausibility for some of the kids. Last year, IHSPH recieved dress donations from "Operation Fairy Dust" an organization committed to making prom the magical night every teen dreams of, in spite of his or her economic situation. The charity has partnered with another school this year but prom must go on.... IHSPHs' class of 2009 needs our help! Friends and I have decided to take on this project under the name/ goal of "DCL: 100 Dresses". I'm writing to let you all know we'll be harvesting formal wear in all sizes, shapes and colors for the next month or so. I hope you will consider assisting us in the goal of outfitting 30 young women with a fabulous dress and all the trimmings.

If you have a dress taking up closet space in good-as-new condition that you think the girls might like, please contact me so that we can arrange a pick up at your convenience. Friends of mine are pooling dry cleaning costs, so unless you're inclined to have it laundered (YAY!), we'll take it your pieces in "as in" condition. Formal wear accessories (shoes, gloves, wraps, jewlery, headpieces, handbags, new cosmetics and hair products, etc.) are also appreciated. I'll need donations by April 24. We promise you a personalized thank you card and positive karma in return. If the dress goes un-reused, it will be donated to a local charity thrift shop (Brooklyn Women's Exchange, Housing Works or Angel's Thrift Shop) where it's value will go to yet another good cause .

If you need further inspiration, the New York Times did a story on IHSPH and their prom last spring. You can read it and view a video of the students' opinions at: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/22/nyregion/thecity/22prom.html?pagewanted=1

Feel free to forward this email to any of your friends or contacts that you think might be able to help. Keep your eyes out for follow-up emails regarding a fundraising and/or clothing swap event to help make our goal of 100 Dresses a reality!

Thank you for your consideration,
[your name here]

**To arrange for pickup of your donation contact:

Rebekah Borucki
rebekah@justinborucki.com
917-355-4496