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Date June 2, 2026
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Dresses, formal wear from Brown community members help propel ‘Prom for All’ in Providence

To help local teens enjoy one of high school’s milestone events, Brown faculty, staff and students joined the Providence Public School District’s collection drive: “Sometimes being supportive is much simpler.”

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — This spring, dozens of Brown University faculty, staff and students joined the Providence Public School District’s “Prom for All” donation drive, contributing dresses, suits, shoes and accessories to support local teens as they prepare for prom season.

Now in its second year, the initiative — led by PPSD’s Office of Family and Community Engagement — collects new and gently used formal wear for Providence high schoolers ahead of the district’s proms, which run from mid-May through early June.

Jael Lopes, director of strategic community partnerships for the district, said the drive builds on the office’s broader mission to connect students and families with resources that support success both inside and outside the classroom.  

Providence School administrators stand to welcome high schoolers to a Prom for All event where they can select from donations.
Members of PPSD’s Office of Family and Community Engagement organized the collection drive for the second year in a row. Courtesy Providence Public School District.

“Families are facing financial challenges right now,” Lopes said. “If this is one way we can support our students — by giving them access to a dress, an accessory or something that helps them feel confident and ready for prom — then that’s absolutely something we want to be part of. Every student deserves to feel good about how they show up on such a special night.”

What began as a modest effort to help a small group of students at a single school has since grown into a district-wide, community-supported initiative, said Milou Rodrigues, a parent engagement specialist for the district. After one school reached out seeking dresses for students, Rodrigues and her colleagues spread the word through district networks and community partners. The response surpassed expectations: in the program’s first year alone, nearly 100 dresses were donated — enough to support students at two schools.

To build on that momentum, the office formalized the effort this year by creating a planning committee and expanding outreach to additional community partners, including Brown. The larger network helped boost donations and awareness. Some Providence businesses including dry cleaners, a limousine company and hair and nail salons, have also offered free or discounted services.

Brown staff member collects garment bags of dresses from trunk of car.
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Some members of the Brown community donated directly to the district, while others contributed through campus collection bins.

Brown staff members carry dresses and bags of donations into the front entrance of the Providence Public School District.
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Brown staff members Wendy Wallace, Joi-Danelle Whitehead and others delivered donations to the Providence Public School District’s administrative office.

PPSD administrators smile and chat with Brown staff members in between donation drops.
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Jael Lopes, the district’s director of strategic community partnerships, said the effort was formalized this year with a planning committee and expanded outreach to partners, including Brown.

Sparkly shoes are shown when a shoe box is opened on the table where other prom donations are laid.
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The drive brought in more than 200 donations, including dresses, shoes and accessories.

Racks of colorful dresses are hung on a garment rack in a supply closet room where donations are kept.
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Lopes hopes to build on that momentum in the years ahead. “This is a great example of how the local community can come together.”

Brown staff talk with PPSD staff in a hallway after dropping prom for all donations
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“We often think about partnership through major projects that require significant infrastructure — like our summer programming or high-impact tutoring. Yet, sometimes being supportive is much simpler; it can start with looking in our closets," said Joi-Danelle Whitehead, assistant dean for equity initiatives and university K-12 engagement.

“We’re really happy with how people are receiving this initiative,” Rodrigues said. “This is all community-driven; we’ve had so many people step up and say, ‘I’ll call friends whose kids just graduated,’ or ‘I’ll ask others if they have dresses or suits to donate. We’re incredibly grateful for how willing people have been to support our students and show up for them in such a meaningful way.”

At Brown, multiple departments and offices coordinated collection efforts across campus, placing donation boxes in buildings throughout campus. Many staff members combed through closets and dusted off garment bags, donating dresses, shoes and accessories.

families shop among racks of prom dresses
Prom for All organizers hosted an event where students could browse and select donated prom attire and accessories. Courtesy Providence Public School District.

After sharing the Prom for All initiative across campus, Joi-Danelle Whitehead, assistant dean for equity initiatives and university K-12 engagement, said she heard from many Brown community members eager to contribute, whether by donating directly to the district or dropping items into campus collection bins.

"A key part of our partnership with the district is being responsive to their priorities and initiatives, while working collaboratively across the University,” Whitehead said. “We often think about partnership through major projects that require significant infrastructure — like our summer programming or high-impact tutoring. Yet, sometimes being supportive is much simpler; it can start with looking in our closets and making it easier for our community members to participate in efforts like Prom for All. To me, this reflects how intentional coordination within the University, and with our K-12 partners, allows us to be more impactful in supporting local youth."

This year, the drive collected more than 200 donations, and Lopes said she hopes to continue building on that momentum in the years ahead.

“This is a great example of how the local community can come together,” Lopes said. “We’re incredibly thankful for what we’ve received from the Brown community, and we’re excited to keep growing this effort year after year so more of our students can benefit and participate.”

Tags
Brown and Providence Faculty and Staff

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