On April 13-15, The Woman’s Club of Evanston will host their annual Dreams Delivered event, where students can pick out a dress for prom at no charge.

At the event, students choose from a large collection of dresses, jewelry and shoes to complete their prom outfit.

“Students leave with what they need for prom from head to toe,” said Katherine Dong, Co-Chair of Dreams Delivered.

Dong is eagerly anticipating the event, especially because Dreams Delivered is prepared to outfit more students this year than ever before.

“We used to serve 30 students per night, and now, we can serve 40 students per night. We think we can handle more,” said Dong.

Students can choose between different time slots when registering for their boutique appointments. At the event, students have access to personal shoppers who can help them find a dress and seamstresses who can make alterations on the spot. Dong emphasized that Kenny the Kleener, a dry cleaner in Evanston, will dry clean Dreams Delivered dresses at no charge for students. There are also several volunteers from The Woman’s Club of Evanston who contribute their time.

“We have people constructing dressing rooms, taking dresses out of the basement and making everything look beautiful. We even set up a balloon arch for people to take pictures in front of once they find their dresses,” said Dong.

Dong and her team organize dress drives during the spring before the event to collect donations. Afterward, they sort through the dresses, identifying any gaps in the collection. They also find new homes for dresses that may not be suitable for students or are too worn or outdated. Sometimes, the range of dress sizes is not ideal.

“We’re working on expanding our collection of dresses and shoes in very small and very large sizes because most of what we get tends to be in the middle,” said Dong. “We want every student to have as many options as possible so that they can find the dress of their dreams.”

Outreach is a priority for Dreams Delivered this year. At ETHS, flyers showcase students, like senior Rachael Rubin, in the dresses.

“Students from ETHS tried on the dresses and took photos that were used to advertise the event,” said Rubin.

Dreams Delivered also provided dresses to ETHS students who participated in a fashion show at the Senior Assembly to further promote the event.

While around one-third of students attending Dreams Delivered come from ETHS, about two-thirds make the trip from other parts of Illinois. Dong recalls meeting a girl living near the Indiana border who showed up at Dreams Delivered after her grandmother heard about the opportunity. When volunteers asked for her size, she said that she did not know.

Dong thought it was likely that the girl had never worn a dress before, or at least not since she was a child, which is why she was unaware of her size.

Dong remembers the girl expressing her uncertainty about attending prom, but once she found the dress from Dreams Delivered, she knew she would go to prom.

These moments make all the effort worthwhile for Dong.

While Dong recognizes that many students turn to Dreams Delivered because of financial challenges, she knows that it is not the only reason they seek support.

“A lot of people who come are not interested in buying a dress that they’ll only wear once,” said Dong.

Rubin is one of them. She believes that students should not pass up prom simply because they do not have a dress or cannot afford one. In her view, Dreams Delivered offers the perfect solution.

“Everyone is very welcoming and friendly and there to help the people who sign up find a dress that’s right for them, so people shouldn’t be afraid to sign up,” she said.

Teenagers have been attending prom, a rite of passage, since the late 19th century in the United States.

Senior Alba Vickers-Machado already picked out her dress. She is counting down the days until prom.

“I’m looking forward to dressing up and hanging out with my friends after [prom],” said Vickers-Machado.

Rubin agrees with Vickers-Machado that there is anticipation surrounding prom.

“A lot of students don’t go out and dress up often, so it’s a chance for them to have fun and look their best,” she said.

In Dong’s eyes, Dreams Delivered allows students to create memories at prom, while also providing an opportunity to repurpose clothing that may not be worn again.

“These dresses are getting second, third lives,” said Dong.

Rubin has no doubts that this year’s event will be a hit. She recommends Dreams Delivered to anyone who is on the hunt for an affordable dress.

“If you’re looking for a prom dress and you don’t feel like spending a ton of money, Dreams Delivered is perfect for you,” said Rubin.