Olivia Kaplan

As a young girl growing up, I always loved playing in my mother's closet—trying on dresses and searching for the perfect bag and shoes. Now, as a student at Northern Valley Regional High School at Demarest, prom is the most anticipated event of the year. I have witnessed firsthand how the cost of prom can be a significant barrier for many students. The idea of not being able to attend this special event due to financial constraints deeply saddened me.

That's why I founded Wish Upon A Prom, a charity dedicated to collecting both gently used and new prom attire. I emailed family, friends, and people in my community, asking them to search their closets. The response was tremendous—dresses started arriving immediately. I cleaned and sorted the dresses by size and color, matching shoes and accessories to create complete outfits. When I delivered the dresses and accessories to Paterson High School in NJ, it marked the beginning of Wish Upon A Prom.

To date, we've collected over 100 dresses and accessories, and we're on track to dress hundreds of students each year! But we can't do this alone.

Please consider donating gently used or new prom dresses, men's formal wear, shoes, jewelry, and accessories. Your contribution will make a real difference in a young person's life, allowing them to feel confident, beautiful, and included.

Every dress donated brings us one step closer to making prom dreams come true for students in need.