Prom season arrives in Westchester County with a partnership between the county and Operation Prom, ensuring high school seniors have access to formal wear for their special night. The Operation Prom Formal Wear Giveaway is scheduled from May 1 to May 4 at the Westchester County Center.
The event provides stylish dresses, tuxedos, shoes, and accessories to high school seniors presenting a school ID or report card on May 1, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and on May 2, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. On May 4, dresses but not tuxedos will be available from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., followed by a public dress sale until 2 p.m. Students can use free Bee-Line bus fare to reach the County Center by showing their high school IDs.
County Executive Ken Jenkins highlighted the initiative’s importance, stating: “Prom night is super exciting, but it’s a little stressful too. You’re worried about who you’re going to go with, how you’re going to look, are you going to have a good time. But we don’t want students, or their families, to be worried about whether or not a young person can go at all because they can’t afford a nice dress or tux. That’s why I’m so pleased that we’re partnering, for the 21st year, with Noel D’Allacco and Operation Prom to make sure that the ability to afford a prom outfit doesn’t stand in the way of a child’s dream.”
Commissioner Leonard Townes of the Department of Social Services expressed the event’s significance: “Operation Prom is one of the most exciting weekends on the DSS calendar. It’s fun, but it’s serious business too. For myself and the DSS volunteers working the event, seeing the joy on the faces of the young people, and witnessing the boost in self-confidence and self-esteem that comes with it is profoundly gratifying. I want to think Noel and Operation Prom for giving that gift to a generation of young people in Westchester.”
Noel D’Allacco, founder of Operation Prom National Network, Inc., acknowledged the enduring partnership, saying: “Westchester County has been there as a partner since we founded Operation Prom 21 years ago. I’m so grateful for the decades of support, and for County Executive Jenkins continuing commitment not just to Operation Prom but to supporting young people and working families.”
