Kings Mountain ministry hosts prom dress giveaway

Prom season is just around the corner, and one local ministry is making sure all girls have the chance to get the dress of their dreams.

Saturday, a prom dress giveaway was held at a Kings Mountain church with a second event planned for this weekend.

Tiana Roberts, founder of Girl Talk Ministry, said last year, a woman reached out to her and offered to donate her 20 prom dresses because she was moving and didn’t know what to do with the dresses.

Roberts initially planned to give them away to each of the local high schools, but when she called Shelby High, the counselor suggested hosting an event.

And the Girl Talk Ministry prom dress giveaway was born.

“We plan to keep growing and giving,” Roberts said.

Over 250 dresses sparkled on hangers like fairytale ball gowns at the Bynum Family Life Center on Ellis Street..

The gowns range in size from zero to 24 and come in a rainbow of colors, shapes and sizes.

Cleveland Early College High School student Jessica Trejo came in to browse the options.

She said she’s not much of a dress person but wanted to find something for this year’s prom. Trejo is a senior, and she said she missed last year’s prom.

She said she wanted to try to find something that was her style, not too long and not too short.

Roberts said this year, they were given additional dress donations by Parents Against Bullying and four local dry cleaners and then partnered with Book Me Boo Events and Rental to host the giveaway at the church to create a real prom dress shopping experience where girls could browse, try on gowns, walk a runway and take photos.

“They sign in and flow through and look at the dresses and see what they like and what fits their personalities,” Roberts said.

Kyrea McCluney, with Book Me Boo, said they created a fun lounge and photo area.

Originally, McCluney said they had planned to host their own giveaway, but when they heard about Roberts’ plans they teamed up.

“We brought the vision,” she said. “We like to make dreams a reality.”

Roberts said she wants to spread the love of God  and make the girls feel seen, acknowledged and loved.

“Above all, we want them to feel beautiful,” she said.

Roberts said Girl Talk Ministry was created out of her development of a relationship with God and her work in therapy to deal with her past.

She found purpose in working with girls and helping them through their own trauma and challenges.

She hosts online groups for middle and high school girls, and they talk about different topics, including mental health. They also do a Bible study.

Roberts said it is all done via Zoom which means they can reach more girls all over the country. She said she’s had some log in from as far away as North Dakota and Connecticut.

Girl Talk Ministry can be found on Facebook, and people can sign up for this week’s dress giveaway on March 25 by going to the Facebook page and clicking on the linktree for the signup. The giveaway will be held from noon to 4 p.m., and people can sign up for a 30-minute time slot with seven slots open for each time. It will be held at the New Bynum Chapel Zion Church’s family life center on Ellis Street in Kings Mountain.

Reporter Rebecca Sitzes can be reached at rsitzes@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on The Shelby Star: Kings Mountain ministry hosts prom dress giveaway