As prom season approaches, the Reston Community Center is collecting lightly used formal wear to donate for students who might not be able to afford it themselves.

The Diva Central Dress Drive invites people from around the area to bring lightly used dresses, shoes, jewelry, handbags, scarves and shawls to either RCC Lake Anne ( 1609 N. Washington Plaza) or RCC Hunters Woods (2310 Colts Neck Road) during specific times throughout the entire month of February.

Hours of operation for the collection will run Monday-Saturday from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. and Sundays from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m., according to the website.

The program began 18 years ago, and RCC Outreach and Collaboration Director LaTanja Jones said the program helps to ease the financial burden of kids attending school dances.

“From an environmental perspective, it’s a great chance to recycle clothing that is seldom worn more than a handful of times,”  Jones said.

Donations are tax-deductible, according to the event page.

Event organizers ask that the dresses be in good condition, no more than five years old and dry cleaned before donation.

Anyone with followup questions can contact LaTanja Jones for more information.

Image via Reston Community Center/Facebook

Mark your calendar if you want to get a free prom outfit.

Reston-area high school and middle school students can each get a free dress, shoes, jewelry and other accessories at the Reston Community Center’s 17th annual dress giveaway next Saturday (March 30).

The free shopping event will offer dresses in a range of sizes. Volunteers will help teens pick out shoes, jewelry, handbags and other items to help complete their looks.

“The beauty of this event is revealed in the countless special evenings enjoyed by the teens who acquire their dance attire here at no cost and thus are able to thoroughly enjoy this rite of passage,” RCC’s Executive Director Leila Gordon said in a press release.

Back in February, RCC held an accessories drive — the community center already had enough dresses stockpiled away — that collected hundreds of items, according to RCC.

The event takes place from 11 a.m.-3:00 p.m. at RCC Lake Anne (1609-A Washington Plaza).

Photo courtesy Reston Community Center 

As teens start picking out their dresses as prom season approaches, they’ll need to start thinking about accessories too.

Instead of asking for dress donations, the Reston Community Center wants people to drop off accessories for the “Diva Central Accessory Drive.”

The annual drive has amassed so many dresses in recent years that RCC says it doesn’t need to collect them for this upcoming Diva Central event.

Starting Friday (Feb. 1), locals can make tax-deductible donations by dropping off items at RCC Hunters Woods or RCC Lake Anne from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. from Mondays to Saturdays or from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays.

Shoes, jewelry, handbags, shawls, scarves and other accessories are all desired for RCC’s prom and middle school formal dress giveaway.

The drive runs until Feb. 28.

Photo via Reston Community Center

Teens can save money this prom season by attending the Annual Diva Central Prom Dress Giveaway at the Reston Community Center Lake Anne.

The event will be held on March 24 (Saturday) from noon until 6 p.m. The free event is open to all middle and high school students who are in need of a prom or spring formal dress and accessories. There is a limit of one dress per person.

RCC opened up donations for dresses and accessories in February and received hundreds of dresses. Volunteers will be available to help teens select their perfect prom or formal look, and a makeup artist will also be available from 4 to 6 p.m.

“School dances are becoming increasingly expensive experiences for middle and high school students. We hope to lessen that financial burden by giving local teens the opportunity to create their entire prom or dance look for free,” said LaTanja Jones, RCC’s collaboration and outreach director, in a press release.

Photo via Reston Community Center

Cleaning out your closets? Reston Community Center may be the place for your old formal wear.

RCC kicked off its 12th annual Diva Central prom dress drive last week. The organization is collecting dresses, shoes, jewelry, handbags, shawls and other accessories for students in Reston and nearby.

Since 2003, Diva Central’s mission has been to promote confidence and self-esteem by providing free prom dresses to area high school girls, RCC says. RCC collects gently-used and dry-cleaned dresses and local sponsors donate gift certificates and other prom-related services to help the students create a truly memorable night.

“Prom is an event that many teens look forward to all year, but it is also an event that can burden families with expenses for formal wear, accessories, a meal, transportation and more,” said RCC Teen Program Director Kenny Burrowes. “Through Diva Central, RCC helps teens look forward to the prom night of their dreams, complete with the perfect dress and accessories, but without those costs.”

Donations are tax deductible and may be dropped off daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at at the Reston Community Center Hunters Woods facility through Friday, Feb. 7. All donations are appreciated but should be in good condition, no older than five-years-old (circa 2009), and should be dry cleaned before donation.

If dry cleaning is not possible, please indicate at the time of drop-off. Dress donations will benefit students in Fairfax County and other surrounding areas.

This year’s prom dress giveaway will take place on Saturday, March 8, from noon to 6:00 p.m. at RCC Lake Anne, 1609-A Washington Plaza in Reston.

Photo of Diva Central shopper courtesy of Reston Community Center