Local woman gathers donated prom dresses for girls in foster care

TACOMA, Wash. — Alison Joseph posted on her Facebook page last November, asking for used dresses to donate to girls in foster care.

Her post marked the humble beginnings of Ali's Prom Project, which collects donated dresses for prom. On average, says Joseph, prom costs over $900.

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“I started this thinking that I would have about 20 dresses in the closet of my extra bedroom,” Joseph said, laughing.

By that first evening after posting to Facebook, the request had been shared over 500 times; Joseph had received messages from across the country.

Now, over 700 dresses have been donated.

Salons, makeup artists and even a local florist have offered their time and services as well.

Alison Joseph and her husband are foster parents themselves, to a 1 ½ and 3-year-old.

“Through making friends with people and being involved in the community of foster care, we realized that teenagers often times get left out,” said Joseph. “When school supplies are donated or, you know, the pajama drives and things like that, it’s a lot of times for the smaller kids. We just really wanted to be able to do something to help impact teenagers as well.”

Ali’s Prom Project was hosted inside the Tacoma Police Dept. headquarters at 3701 South Pine Street in Tacoma, from 10 a.m. through 4 p.m. Sunday.

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Joseph says she plans to host another free prom dress shopping day in Tacoma in the future, tentatively for a fall dance.

<strong>List of drop-off sites, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/alispromproject/timeline" target="_blank">from the Ali's Prom Project Facebook page</a>:</strong>

• Harlequin Hair Designs, Tue, Wed, Fri 11-6 (please call ahead 253-426-1426); 708 Ct A, Tacoma, WA
• Loren W. McCollom PhD & Associates, Mon-Thurs 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.; 610 112th St. E, Tacoma, WA 98445
• Revisioned ~ an urban boutique, Tues-Sun 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.; 741 St. Helens Ave Tacoma, WA 98402
• Studio Six The Salon Ste. 200 (across from the garden room next to Silver Soleil), Mon-Sat 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.; 4779 Point Fosdick Dr NW, Gig Harbor, WA 98335
• Wilson High School Main Office, (contacts are Bernadette Ray or Margi Beardempl), Mon-Fri 7:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.; 1202 N. Orchard St.Tacoma, WA 98406

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Cox Media Group