Rags to Riches: Cinnaminson Alum Hosting Prom Dress Collection Drive

For the fourth year in a row, Jinhee Lee, a 2012 Cinnaminson High School graduate, is helping those facing financial hardships look good for the prom.

Lee is collecting gently used prom dresses from now through Feb. 27 as part of her Our Fairy Godmother dress drive.

After collecting dresses, she will host an event to sell collected dresses to girls who are financially unstable.

“I have contacted over 30 schools, organizations, sororities, and fraternities to collect prom dresses,” Lee said. “As an incentive, the school or organization that collects the most dresses receive all profit made at the day of the dress sale event. In the case a sorority or organization collects the most number of dresses, they receive all profits, but must donate it to charity.”

She started the event in 2012, and was named the Huffington Post’s Greatest Person of the Day for organizing the drive.

The idea was inspired by her own experience junior year, when the unaffordable price tag of a dress nearly stood between her and Prom Night. She was able to borrow a dress the night before and go to the prom, but the experience stuck with her and resulted in the launch of the drive.

Last year, Lee, now a senior at Rutgers University, collected 582 dresses and raised $1,300.

Phi Delta Chi of Rutgers University collected 142 dresses, and donated $1,300 to the Embrace Kids Foundation.

“I am willing to come pick up any dresses and my dress sale event is open to anyone and everyone,” Lee said.

Lee can be reached by email at lee.jinhee2@gmail.com

As of Thursday, the drive had brought in 86 dresses.

The attached images were provided by Jinhee Lee.