Teens say ‘yes’ to prom with free gown fittings at Cade Chapel
By Tiara Leflore
Click here for updates on this story
JACKSON, Mississippi (WAPT) — As prom season approaches, more than 200 high school juniors and seniors from across Jackson lined up Saturday outside Cade Chapel Missionary Baptist Church for the annual Her Prom Closet gown fitting.
The event, sponsored by Memphis-based Couture Cares, let students try on and take home formal gowns at no cost.
“They will come and be able to try dresses on at no cost, take it home, wear to the prom and say yes to the dress,” organizers said.
Davina Jones of Couture Cares said the program aims to ease financial burdens on families so parents can focus on other priorities like college and graduation.
“We’re just trying to take the burden off these parents at this expensive cost and in these times that we’re in,” she said.
Senior pastor Reginald Buckley, who has hosted the fitting at Cade Chapel for eight years, framed the event as more than a wardrobe giveaway.
“As they say yes to the dress, they’re also saying yes to something much deeper — saying yes to themselves, saying yes to the image of who they want to be, who they are attempting to become, and who God has already ordained them to be,” Buckley said.
Buckley added that the goal is to build confidence and integrity in the students.
“A sense of beauty that goes beyond the exterior of the dress and the exterior of the face — it really begins with who they believe they are at their core,” Buckley said.
In addition to gowns, teens had the chance to compete for scholarships and receive dorm supplies to help with the transition to college.
Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.