PROMise of Hope Sends Peoria Area Teens to Their Big Night
By: Maria Chandler WMBD/WYZZ TV
Updated: April 13, 2012
PEORIA--Prom season is sweeping through Central Illinois.
The fancy dress, the tux, the limo... it all adds up.
For some families and high school girls, prom isn't even an option.
That's where the Dream Center of Peoria is stepping in.
Raising hope and even making a few dreams come true.
Normally, shopping for the perfect dress, for one of the biggest nights in high school, can be stressful.
But this isn't your normal place.
This is Peoria's Dream Center.
"It started out, we got several dresses donated," says HOPE Store Manager Sally Renken.
Those several dresses soon grew into more than 450.
And a chance for hundreds of Peoria area girls to make their dreams of going to prom, a reality.
"I think it's amazing. They would actually help people find dresses because prom is very expensive," explains prom dress shopper Sarah Figgers.
"With prices what they are today, it woulda been impossible, with a place like this, it's a Godsend," explains Sarah's aunt, Laura Ford.
"I probably wouldn't be going to prom," adds Figgers.
Because of the PROMise of hope, Figgers and dozens of other girls, are able to get top notch dresses for free.
Each even getting the help of a personal shopper.
"I'm a helper with dresses," explains personal shopper, Letty King. "I'm on about fourth or fifth person, it takes a little while."
"What we wanted to do was first show them a lot of respect, we care, we wanna make this special for them," adds Renken.
With the look that comes with finding that perfect fit, it's pretty clear. Here...special is happening every few minutes.
"After we tried on a few dresses and figured out which one looked best, this one she actually looks just gorgeous in," adds Ford.
Figgers says, "I just thank God somebody actually did go out of their way to help people."
The PROMise of HOPE event is also happening at the Dream Center on Saturday from 10 am until noon.
This is the first year for the PROMise event.
But the hope store is already taking donations for next YEAR.
The fancy dress, the tux, the limo... it all adds up.
For some families and high school girls, prom isn't even an option.
That's where the Dream Center of Peoria is stepping in.
Raising hope and even making a few dreams come true.
Normally, shopping for the perfect dress, for one of the biggest nights in high school, can be stressful.
But this isn't your normal place.
This is Peoria's Dream Center.
"It started out, we got several dresses donated," says HOPE Store Manager Sally Renken.
Those several dresses soon grew into more than 450.
And a chance for hundreds of Peoria area girls to make their dreams of going to prom, a reality.
"I think it's amazing. They would actually help people find dresses because prom is very expensive," explains prom dress shopper Sarah Figgers.
"With prices what they are today, it woulda been impossible, with a place like this, it's a Godsend," explains Sarah's aunt, Laura Ford.
"I probably wouldn't be going to prom," adds Figgers.
Because of the PROMise of hope, Figgers and dozens of other girls, are able to get top notch dresses for free.
Each even getting the help of a personal shopper.
"I'm a helper with dresses," explains personal shopper, Letty King. "I'm on about fourth or fifth person, it takes a little while."
"What we wanted to do was first show them a lot of respect, we care, we wanna make this special for them," adds Renken.
With the look that comes with finding that perfect fit, it's pretty clear. Here...special is happening every few minutes.
"After we tried on a few dresses and figured out which one looked best, this one she actually looks just gorgeous in," adds Ford.
Figgers says, "I just thank God somebody actually did go out of their way to help people."
The PROMise of HOPE event is also happening at the Dream Center on Saturday from 10 am until noon.
This is the first year for the PROMise event.
But the hope store is already taking donations for next YEAR.
