Sister-to-Sister prom shop opens its doors

NEWTON — Teen girls in need of a prom dress need look no farther than Project Self-Sufficiency, thanks to the fifth annual Sister-to-Sister Prom Shop which will be open from mid-March through mid-April. In addition to dresses of all lengths and sizes, the Prom Shop will feature accessories like shoes, wraps, hand bags, and jewelry so that patrons can create the perfect ensemble. The Sister-to-Sister Prom Shop will be held at Project Self-Sufficiency on Thursdays, March 15 to April 5, from 12 to 8 p.m. The shop will also be open from Tuesday through Friday, April 10 to 13, from 12 to 8 p.m., and on Saturday, April 14, from 9 a.m. –to1 p.m. Gowns and accessories will be offered to any teen girl in need. Project Self-Sufficiency is located at 127 Mill St. in Newton. Teenage Project Self-Sufficiency supporter Sophie Ilaria conceived the idea for the Sister-to-Sister Prom Shop along with her sister Isabella five years ago. “The stories we heard from some of the participants here were so inspiring that we wanted to help in any way we could,” noted Sophie recently. The prom shop at Project Self-Sufficiency routinely distributes more than 200 dresses to teen girls each year, making it the largest distributor of gently-used formal wear in northwestern New Jersey. “Given the current economic situation, we are anticipating that the need will continue to be great for many young women in our area,” commented Deborah Berry-Toon, Executive Director of Project Self-Sufficiency. “Attending the prom is a once in a lifetime event, and we are thankful that the Sussex County community continues to help these young women to have a memorable evening by donating formal wear to our Prom Shop.” Dresses and other types of formal wear are currently being accepted for display in the “Sister-to-Sister” Prom Shop. For information about donating dresses to the Sister-to-Sister Prom Shop or to find out more about any of the programs at Project Self-Sufficiency, call 973-940-3500.