WORTHINGTON, Ohio — Finding the right dress for high school prom isn’t easy. You have to find the right color, the right size, the one that makes you stand out.

There are a lot of things to consider.

“We literally tried on so many,” senior Ellie Rehl said. “It was great, and it came down to two, and I found one that I just feel like is perfect.”

One thing these students won’t have to consider is the cost.

“The mission of Fairy Goodmothers is to break down barriers of cost for high school students by offering prom dresses and accessories free of charge to anyone in need,” said Katie Persico, the Fairy Goodmothers president who has been with the organization as a volunteer since 2015. 

Each year the organization opens up the Cinderella’s Closet Boutique. They buy some of the dresses for harder-to-find sizes, but most are donations.

“We get people cleaning out their closets, or they’ll have a daughter like, oh, she went to prom a couple years ago,” Persico said. “I want to get some space in my closet. Let me give you my stuff. So we’re happy to take any dresses gently used and new off people’s hands.”

The organization is run by volunteers who want to help each student find the right dress for them, making it one less thing for the student and their family to worry about.

“I love to see the looks on people’s faces,” Persico said.  “Both, you know, the caregiver and the student when they find the dress... they feel good, they look good, it fits. They start strutting around. I want people to feel good when they leave here.”

The Cinderella’s Closet Boutique continues for two more weekends from March 2-3 and March 9-10.

You can register for a time slot and find more information here.