Pretty in Pink seeking homecoming and festival dresses

Pretty in Pink will be hosting a Drive-Thru Dress Drive once again. The event takes place on Saturday, Nov. 4, at Bucks Crossing on South Mena Street, across from McMillan Park.

“With Homecoming over for both Mena and Cossatot, this is the perfect time to think about donating dresses,” Pretty in Pink Director Mysti Gates said. “It’s rare that girls wear their dresses more than once, and even rarer that they can recoup what they spent when trying to resell them. Why not put them to good use?”

The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Donors will simply drive through the covered awning, drop off their dresses, and collect their charitable donation receipts, which can be used on their 2023 tax returns. Individuals determine the value of the items donated, not Pretty in Pink.

“This month, we served students from all three schools in the county — for Harvest Festival and Homecoming — and doubled what we loaned out for prom last spring. The need is evident,” Gates said. “I don’t see that changing. If anything, I see it growing. As word gets out, more and more teen girls will seek our services.”

“Because we are a nonprofit organization, our inventory is entirely dependent on donations. We accept and need long and short dresses of all sizes, but we have a greater need for dresses in the 0-4 range, as well as the 18-4X range,” Gates shared.

Donations should be free of rips, stains, and any other damage, and already dry cleaned, if possible.