Find Sweet Deals on Prom Dresses at the Salvation Army

Yessiel Hernandez has a date, but no dress for her senior prom.

The Leto High School student has been too busy hitting the books to worry about searching sale racks for a dress that also fits her finances...

“I’m in a nursing program. So it’s going to clinicals and busy, busy, busy,” she said..

On Thursday, the honor student finally got a break: first dibs on picking through the fabrics of dozens of brand-new prom gowns. The tags are still on most of the dresses, but these aren’t from any boutique…they’re from the Salvation Army..

“We’ve been collecting prom dresses and bridal dresses and formal wear,” said Salvation Army Family Store manager Chris Pluchino..

More than 300 floor-length gowns were donated to the Salvation Army from bridal shops. They’re on sale to the anyone on the prom dress hunt, starting Friday..

“They’re extremely expensive, but we’re offering them at at least a 75 percent discount,” Pluchino said Thursday..

Yessiel got hers first, and for free. She was pampered from head to toe in prom-glitz as a reward for all her hard work..

“At first I was a little nervous. Everything was handed free to me, and I really don’t get that on a daily basis,” she smiled..

The Salvation Army hopes to have several more Cinderella stories when their sale officially starts Friday morning, offering the detailing of a dream dress at a fraction of the price..

“It’s hugely important. You only get to go to prom one time in your life. It would be a shame for someone to have to look back and say, ‘I couldn’t go because I didn’t have a dress.’ So for us to be able to offer that is fantastic,” Pluchino said..

The Salvation Army’s Prom & Bridal dress sale starts Friday morning at 8:30 am at their store located at 13910 N. Nebraska Avenue in Tampa..

Read more: http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/story/21647526/2013/03/14/brand-new-prom-dresses-on-sale#ixzz2NtqmOKi8