On a recent Saturday morning, Taylor Independent School District’s 18-Plus Program student Sarai Curiel was trying on different gowns for prom at Cinderella’s Closet, with her mom and younger brother in tow.
“I like this one,” Curiel announced as she emerged from the dressing room, wearing a rhinestone-embellished sleeveless dress with a twirly, knee-length tulle skirt and a radiant smile to match.
“You look like a pixie,” said Kim Black, a “fairy godmother” volunteer for the nonprofit organization, who had plucked a small stack of dresses from the more than 1,300 donated gowns for Curiel to try on. “It fits, and you look really good.”
Part of the mission of Cinderella’s Closet is not only to remove financial barriers for the perfect outfit for prom, including gowns, accessories and tuxedo rentals, but also to make sure every guest knows that he or she is “cherished,” and experiences an environment of “grace, love, and respect.”
And on this morning, for the soon-to-be graduating Curiel, it was no exception.
“It has been such a blessing,” said Marta Garcia, Curiel’s mother. “She looks forward to it. It has been God-sent. I’m just so grateful all the volunteers.”
Patrice Dempsey, a retired postal worker from Taylor who founded the nonprofit organization in 2015, said this free service is available to students from all walks of life.
“We provide prom dresses for all socioeconomic levels,” said Dempsey, who now lives in Florida but still volunteers for the organization. “We do not discriminate between people that don’t have enough or people who have plenty. If you do not have the money, we are more than happy to help any way we can, but if you do have plenty of money, we would rather you take that $500 to $600 bucks that you would spend on buying a dress and put it in the college fund.”
Volunteers said they do everything from setting up fundraising events to hand-sewing individual sequins back onto a gown, to bringing dresses to the drycleaners to even hair and makeup assistance the day of prom.
But these fairy godmothers say the reward is all theirs.
“You will find that each of them will tell you that although we provide dresses to kids in the area, we feel like the blessing is ours because it’s so much fun,” Dempsey said. “It’s just outstanding,” Laura Hix, who has volunteered at Cinderella’s Closet for more than six years, said she first found out about the opportunity through a Facebook post and couldn’t stop thinking about it.
“It stuck with me,” said Hix, who didn’t get the opportunity to go to her own prom. “It wouldn’t go away. When Patrice first started advertising, it took me a little bit to apply, but I knew this was my place.”
Hix said the best part about volunteering is watching the girls’ faces light up when they find the perfect gown.
“Their face glows,” Hix said. “They know the dress that fits them. And it makes me happy.”
Cinderella’s Closet is open during prom season from 4:30 to 7 p.m.
Tuesdays and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturdays from March to May in Room 214 of Old Taylor High, 410 W. Seventh St. Dresses are available to borrow free of charge for students who live within a 50-mile radius of the city. Participants should bring a student ID or a recent report card to prove their enrollment status, and they must come accompanied by a parent or guardian who has a valid ID. Adults may also borrow gowns for a $30 donation. For more information, go to cinderellascloset-taylor.com or contact Patrice@cinderellasclosettaylor. com.
Debbie Connors, a volunteer with Cinderella’s Closet, chats with fellow fairy godmothers March 25.
A mannequin models a formal evening gown with a long train at Cinderella’s Closet.
