West New York students hoping to make it to prom this year but struggling to come up with the cash recently got a visit from an unlikely “fairy godmother.”
A New Jersey branch of Pitney Bowes, a mail stream technology company based in Connecticut, brought more than 400 gowns and suits – not to mention dozens of shoes, shirts, and ties – for the seniors to try on in their school gymnasium and, if they wished, take home. The company also raffled two tuxedos and about 30 jewelry sets.
“This company is like their fairy godmother. They came through when we least expected it.” – Elly Kashub
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“This company is like their fairy godmother,” said senior class advisor and visual arts teacher Elly Kashub. “They came through when we least expected it, and believe me, we are really happy. We are all ecstatic.”
She added that many students had told her that they were having trouble affording prom and the usual assortment of senior mementos like the class ring and yearbook.
“It is expensive to be a senior,” said Kashub. Knowing this, she said, she had already started making calls to organizations that actively collect prom dresses and suits for donation to schools. Her search had not been going well, so when a representative from Pitney Bowes contacted her to ask if her students needed help, Kashub thought it was a joke.
“I was a little confused,” said Kashub, “and when she said, ‘Well, we could have prom dresses for everybody,’ that’s when I asked, ‘Is this a joke?’ I didn’t believe it when it first happened.”
One volunteer from Pitney Bowes, Tracie Montenero, the company’s manager of customer service operations, said that several employees had gotten together to brainstorm for a new outreach program.
“Everybody was thinking of stuff geared toward little kids,” she said, “and then we thought, everybody forgets the older kids, so we thought, what better than the prom. Most people can’t afford to go to their prom, and they don’t end up going. I think they should be able to go.”
Pitney Bowes employees started collecting their own old dresses and suits and reaching out to their friends and even other businesses.
“There was actually one bridal shop we called and they gave us bags of 40 or 50 dresses, brand new with tags and everything,” she said. “Some of them we actually had to fix; it was just like a zipper or just a little hole or something.”
Her colleague, Vittoria Grambone, a logistics specialist, stepped in as a seamstress and touched up all the dresses that needed it the weekend before the event at Memorial High School.
Memorial and a high school in Paterson, N.J. had been selected for the outreach program at random. Local students said they were glad to be picked.
“I am really grateful that this company came,” said senior Cesar Aguirre. “Some people don’t have money to afford a blazer or something.”
He said that though all the suits in his size were gone by the time he got there, he was happy with the two new shirts he managed to snatch up. “It was definitely a big help – whether it was a shirt, tie, shoes, or belt,” he said.
Young women were happy too, especially after spending weeks searching stores for a dress.
“I actually didn’t think I was going to find one,” said senior Irene Munoz. “Then, I just saw it there, right on the side.” She also took home a pair of shoes that match her gown.
Senior Geraldyn Fernandez said she had not been as lucky in collecting prom gear, but she was grateful for what the company had done.
“It was good that we got picked from all the schools, and we had a chance to see all the dresses and everything,” she said. She added that her hunt for a dress would have to continue, as she is determined to go to prom.
Amanda Staab can be reached at astaab@hudsonreporter.com.