Dry cleaners serves as focal point for group that gives away prom dresses

Employees at Zengeler Cleaners will spend a lot of time repairing and cleaning donated formal dresses to make sure they are ready for prom night.

Some of those dresses come in brand new, with the tags still attached, said Tom Zengeler, president of the company.

"Some (donators) will go to the store to buy a dress," he said. "It's been done numerous times at different locations."

Zengeler said that shows the community's commitment to provide a beautiful dress so high school girls who can not afford one can still experience prom.

Zengeler Cleaners is once again collecting formal dresses and accessories to support the Glass Slipper Project.

The Glass Slipper Project was founded by a group of volunteers who recognized that many girls can not afford to buy a formal dress for prom. The organization distributes formal dresses and accessories free to students at Glass Slipper boutiques, where each student receives individual assistance from a volunteer personal shopper.

Donations may be dropped off at any of the seven Zengeler Cleaners stores in Lake and Cook counties. The collection continues through the end of March.

Zengeler Cleaners' stores are in Deerfield, Hubbard Woods, Northfield, Winnetka, two Libertyville stores and the company's headquarters store in Northbrook.

Zengeler Cleaners has been one of the leading supporters of the Glass Slipper Project since 2003.

"We felt customers in our market could help support people in other areas who do not have the luxury and can not afford a prom dress," Zengeler said.

The family-owned dry cleaners provides free storage for all dresses collected until Glass Slipper Project sets up the boutiques later this spring. Individuals also donate accessories including jewelry, purses and shoes.

Zengeler said they collected about 900 dresses the first year. Then, they began to receive calls from schools and organizations asking how they could help.

Area schools such as Carmel Catholic High School hold collections once or twice a year. Deerfield High School's sewing club has helped out by looking over dresses donated to repair seams and replace buttons.

Zengeler's staff inspects every dress donated to Glass Slipper Project, making repairs as needed and then professionally cleaning each dress. All services are donated at no charge.

"We want to give dresses to the Glass Slipper Project that are in like-new condition," he said.

Plant manager Fernanda Estella said all these services take a lot of time, especially as a big rush of dresses come through during March. But it is worth the effort to give the girls a nice dress.

"It is really nice to do something for someone else," Estella said.

Zengeler said this is no longer a company effort but demonstrates communities who support the project.

"Without community support, we could not be able to donate in excess of 1,600 dresses each year," he said.