16th Annual "Belle of the Ball" prom dress drive begins February 10th

TEWKSBURY, Mass. - Jan. 17, 2020 - PRLog -- As winter trudges on and spring approaches, high school girls throughout Massachusetts begin the search for prom dresses and prepping for this milestone event – an event that brings extra stress to those with limited financial resources. Celebrating its 16^th year, Caring Partners' Belle of the Ball prom dress drive transforms high school junior and senior girls working toward one mission: any girl who needs a prom dress will have one.

Starting February 10 and running through March 29, simply drop off gently worn prom dress to any Anton's Cleaners, Jordan's Furniture or Enterprise Bank location in MA and NH. All good quality, gently worn or new prom dresses are welcome; plus size dresses are especially appreciated. Anton's Cleaners then cleans the donated prom dresses at no charge and distributes to high school junior and senior girls who could not otherwise afford to attend their school's prom.

Tapping into a similarly dedicated network of partners for Anton's successful Coats for Kids drive, the tremendous dress collection effort is coordinated with hundreds of high schools, colleges, and corporate and community partners. Any organization interested in holding a prom dress collection drive, making an in-kind donation, or individuals looking to volunteer at the boutique can sign up online now.

Unlike other prom gown collection drives, this program culminates in a "boutique" event where deserving girls are invited for a day of personal shopping and pampering – a powerful personal experience. This year over 1000 girls will be invited – more than ever before – to enjoy Boutique Day at the Hynes Convention Center, with dresses displayed in a variety of colors, styles, and sizes. Monetary and in-kind donations are needed to pay for jewelry, makeup, and other accessories.

For sixteen years, girls have shared final prom dress photos and written to the program with transformative stories, describing the impact Belle of the Ball has had not only as a clothing drive but the positive change in the way they felt about themselves. To date, nearly 5,500 girls have been outfitted since Belle of the Ball began in 2005, with over $2.7M in dry cleaning services donated by Anton's since the program's inception. Last year, over 3,500 gowns were cleaned by Anton's and 950 girls in need were invited to Boutique Day. Caring Partners, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.

For more information about Belle of the Ball and Caring Partners, visit http://www.antons.com/belle.