This is the 6th year of Operation Prom Dress organized by the office of Vice Mayor Madison Nguyen and Comerica Bank. This is an amazing opportunity for high school students to make their prom dreams come true, even if they can’t afford a dress, because this program will give them a dress to wear at their prom for FREE.
At this event there will be more than 3000’s of beautiful dresses to choose from. There will also be raffle prizes, shoes, snacks and dry cleaning, of course all for FREE. Students only need to come with their valid high school ID and come early because the line form as early as three hours before the doors open.
View pictures from last year’s Operation Prom Dress 2013
Event: Operation Prom Dress 2014
Cost: FREE for High School students. Bring a valid High School ID.
Date: Sunday, March 09, 2014
Time: 9AM-1PM, some girls line up as early as 7AM
Address: Seven Trees Community Center, 3590 Cas Drive, San Jose, CA 95111
Volunteers needed! If you have a dress laying around or know anyone who would love to donate a dress, please donate to the cause! This is also an opportunity for anyone whom can take some time out of their busy schedule to help sort all the donated dresses. Volunteer slots are open this coming Wednesday March 5th and Thursday March 6th, 2014. If you’re interested in volunteering, donating a dress, or attending the Operation Prom Dress event, please message [email protected] or call 408-535-4959 for more info!
Welcome to the 6th Annual Operation Prom Dress 2014! Door opened at 9am, but some lined up as early at 7am!
While the girls wait, they were given a chance to win free raffle prizes, which were all donated by various businesses.
All these FREE prizes will be given away.
Bottled water and light snacks were provided free of charge!
Ngoc Thuy from Vietoday interviews Madison Nguyen, San Jose Vice mayor and head organizer of this wonderful event.
Vietbay interviews Madison Nguyen
NBC News
ABC News
More than 3000 dresses were donate for this year’s Operation Prom Dress drive.
The dresses were sorted by color and size. Upon arrival, the girls were instructed on where to find their size. That way, it would save them time since they were only allowed 10-15 minutes to select 3 dresses, and another 10-15 minutes to try them on. In the end, they got to keep 1 dress. If they wanted more, they were given an opportunity to come back at 1pm, when there was no limit on the amount of dresses that they could keep. Unfortunately, it’s costly to store these left over dresses, so the girls were encouraged to take everything. Anything that was left over would be donated to another good cause (e.g. Goodwill or the Salvation Army).
To watch the video of this event click on the VIDEO tab above to start viewing.
This is our featured blog image. This dress, like many other, at this year’s Operation Prom Dress, is brand new! If the dress doesnt’t have a tag, dry cleaning vouchers will also be provided, free of charge.
The perfect dress to Tango!
It’s no surprise that all the dresses that were individually featured in this gallery were all selected and will probably be someone’s prom dress for this year.
Free shoes too! Most of these are brand new!
Most of these shoes were donated by a bridal store, hence the white satin color.
Brand new peacock inspired blue shoes.
Madison posing with some girls who have just picked out their prom dresses.
Head operations volunteer, Quyen Ngo, chatting up with one of the girls mother.
Still giving away free raffle prizes.
These are Madison’s people. In lieu of Madison’s absence (she had to leave early to attend fundraising event happening at the same time) these ladies ran the whole operation from keeping thing orderly to managing the staff/volunteers.
At 1pm all of the attendees were cleared from the dress room, where they awaited outside. Once the partition walls opened up, they were free to take as many dresses as they want because there was no limit. As matter of fact, it was encouraged that they take everything.
Unfortunately it’s costly to store the left over dresses for next year’s drive, so for now everything must go. The unwanted dresses will be packed up and donated to another great cause (e.g. the Goodwill or the Salvation Army).
At 1pm, the girls were welcomed back and encouraged to take as many dresses as they want because there is no limit. Everything must go or else it will be donated to Goodwill or Salvation Army.
At 2pm all was left were the volunteers and the unwanted dresses, which will be packed up and donated to Goodwill or the Salvation Army.
Over 3000 dresses were donated for this year’s drive. Unfortunately these are the dresses that didn’t get picked so they will be boxed up and given to another charity.
Outside of the library, the girls sorted their dresses and waited for their ride home.
Events like these are made possible by the effort, sacrifice, and love of these volunteers, dedicated to bettering the community year after year.
Video by VietBay TV
Video by Nhi Duong