LEESBURG, Fla. – With spring break ending, many high schoolers across Central Florida are now turning their focus to prom.
But for some, spending hundreds on a dress may not be in the cards or they simply don’t want to spend that much on a dress they may only wear once.
The Opportunity Shop, a thrift store sponsored by Morrison United Methodist Church in Leesburg, is currently giving away prom dresses — for free!
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Abigail Edwards, a senior at Leesburg High School, made a last-minute decision to go to her prom because of her friend.
“I told her I would go with her since she wanted me to go,” Edwards said. “She doesn’t know anyone else at the school, so I told her I would go with her.”
Edwards picked out her dress, a simple champagne colored A-line dress with a slight shimmer detail around the neckline, at the Opportunity Shop.
“I like how this is plain,” Edwards said. “Not a lot of sparkles on it, not really fluffed out. It’s pretty good and it looks good on me.”
The Opportunity Shop said it received hundreds of dresses in different sizes, colors and styles all from one donor.
Brenda Jones, the manager of the Opportunity Shop, said this year has received more prom dress donations than ever before.
“I was shocked when I saw,” Jones said. “She called me on the phone (and) I said, ‘Sure we’ll be glad to take those.' I had no idea (there) would be 200 and something.”
Despite the large inventory, Jones said more are on the way.
Jones said it brings tears to her eyes when she’s able to help someone find their dream dress.
“It makes you very, very happy,” Jones said. “To be able to help them — and they’re just so excited, just so excited, and it’s really heartwarming.”
The Opportunity Shop is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Anyone interested in donating prom dresses can drop them off at the store, which is located at 222 South Ninth Street in Leesburg.
