DETROIT – With high school prom right around the corner, many parents are stressing about the costs that come with sending their child to the big event.
Thankfully, one woman has been helping to ease the burden of those expenses for local families for the last 15 years.
A number of teens took to the Belle of the Ball event at the Boys and Girls Club in Detroit, where prom dresses are free -- and most of them brand new -- for any young lady who is heading to the dance soon.
Whether it’s pink, purple, blue, sparkles, strappy, bedazzled, the event has it all. And once the trying on the dresses begins, the options are endless for the young girls looking forward to that once in a lifetime high school experience.
All of the dresses at the event are donated from various shops and people. The Belle of the Ball has been providing dresses to local girls since 2007, and was started by Alisha Bell, who stores all of these dresses in her dad’s attic all year round.
“(If) we could give them the dress, and the shoes, and jewelry, they can then worry about hair and makeup and limos,” said Bell, a Wayne County Commission chair. “We want to at least help them with the dress part of it.”
Reggie Williams, a father of five, brought his daughter to the event after over spending on his first daughter. He was overwhelmed to see his second daughter wearing a beautiful pink dress that will cost him nothing.
“There’s just so many things you have to spend money for. And this is one thing that I don’t have to worry about because Miss Belle has cared enough to take those those things for us,” Williams said. “I’m so happy.”
The girls are also able to pick out shoes and accessories, which will further allow their families to spend their hard earned money on other things.
“Especially in these hard times, when inflation is hitting, gas prices are astronomical, food prices are astronomical -- we will provide a relief for parents and families,” Bell said.
If you have a daughter who will be attending prom next year, be sure to keep the Belle of the Ball in mind, so you can help her find that prom dress she’s always wanted.
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