While high school students are involved in a plethora of volunteering and charity organizations, one of the most notable is Becca’s Closet. Becca’s Closet is a non-profit national organization that collects and distributes formal dresses to high school girls who are unable to afford them and would otherwise be unable to attend prom. It is completely free, and there are no eligibility requirements. In addition, the organization awards scholarships to meritorious high school students. Becca’s Closet was created in honor of the late Rebecca Kirtman, who collected and donated almost 300 prom dresses to teens in South Florida.

Last year, a Becca’s Closet chapter at Allderdice was created by junior Rebecca Brown. “A friend at Winchester told me about it and said they had tons of dresses but no girls in need. I realized Allderdice was the perfect environment for it because we have girls who have enough dresses that are able to donate, but also girls who would really benefit from the program,” said Brown. Since its inception, Becca’s Closet has distributed about 70 dresses, and is expected to give out 30 more by the end of prom season. In all, it has collected over 600 formal dresses. In the future, Brown hopes to “give dresses to as many girls as possible, hopefully at least 50 each year.”

Students volunteer in Becca's Closet

Brown has masterfully initiated and maintained Becca’s Closet. Her favorite part of the club is seeing the students getting their dresses and seeing the excitement on their faces. “It’s really fun to help them ‘shop,’” said Brown. It is truly remarkable that this organization helps those who would normally be unable to experience a milestone as significant as high school prom.  Becca’s Closet will undoubtedly continue to thrive after Brown’s legacy.