One of the year-end events for thousands of teenagers is the prom, but these events can be expensive.
And to make sure teenage girls have a chance to watch the dance, a Santa Ana City store owner will be giving away several dresses and costumes for free.
Valentín Martínez, owner of the Niños Bridal store, will make 100 dresses and 25 suits available to low-income families for students, who will graduate from high school this year.
“I want to continue supporting those young women with my grain of sand, those young men who have good grades and don’t have enough money to buy a dress or a suit for their graduation,” Martínez said.
Martínez’s idea is to contribute with his grain of sand to help parents, who at the moment inflation and the high cost of living prevent them or find it difficult to afford graduation dresses for their children.
“There has been a small resection in everything, since several Hispanic families have been affected, but above all because there are many single mothers and fathers and I want to continue supporting them,” Martínez said.
And although in 2020 Martínez’s business was affected by the pandemic and in 2022 by construction works on Calle 4, like several other businesses, his contribution to the community is due, he said, to the fact that he also received his costumes when he graduated from school.
“Four people gave me my graduation gowns, so when one person has to give, it’s only right that I come back,” Martínez said.
The dresses and costumes will be distributed in the order of arrival of the people until they are exhausted, the conditions to be able to recover the clothes free of charge are to arrive accompanied by an adult and to provide proof that they are going graduate this year.
Dresses and costumes can be picked up starting Friday, April 28 at 10:00 a.m. at the Niños Bridal store, 114 E 4th Street, Santa Ana, 92701. (The store is located on the second floor).