Movie set gowns given to Enchanted Closet

Couple helps make prom dress dreams a reality with designer attire.

Georgia’s booming film industry helped make prom dreams come true for dozens of metro Atlanta girls last year.

Rich and Lori Rappaport of RJR Props came upon a collection of designer gowns when purchasing items from a movie set.

“Gorgeous wedding gowns and quinceanera dresses — I mean really crazy stuff. High-end stuff,” with price tags still attached, said Rich.

The Rappaports provide assorted stage props for television and motion pictures, and producers often ask if they want to buy up set items once filming ends.

The dresses were part of a makeshift bridal store and had never been worn. The Rappaports don’t usually keep clothing for their business, but instead of selling the gowns, they were determined to give them away.

“It just seemed like it would be a terrible waste if they didn’t go to somebody who could use them,” Rich said.

Lori searched around and found Enchanted Closet, an all-volunteer Atlanta-based nonprofit offering year-round mentoring and an annual prom dress giveaway for middle and high school girls.

Founder and CEO Bonita Johnson cried when she was offered the dresses, then again when she picked them up. The gift couldn’t have come at a better time, she said. Dress inventory was low, and donations have been hit hard by COVID-19 and inflation.

“It was such a blessing — and it came just out of the blue,” Johnson said. “They donated those dresses, and we were able to make some girls really, really happy.”

Johnson said that one of the dresses went to a girl who had never worn a dress before. She estimated the value of the 41-dress collection at around $35,000.

Enchanted Closet started in 2003 as a small community service project collaborating with Macy’s to give prom dresses to a few high school girls who could not afford to pay retail prices. It quickly grew into a sizable service-learning program and now reaches more than 500 girls annually throughout the metro area. In addition, about 134 women volunteer to help with the prom event and Girls Program.

The nonprofit gives away donated prom dresses each spring, and gowns for other special occasions, such as graduations, church events, weddings and quinceaneras, are given upon request. The dresses and accessories are free and are theirs to keep.

The organization likes to keep about 2,000 gowns in the latest fashions and of various styles, sizes and colors so every girl can find one that suits her.

“We don’t believe that girls should miss out on any enchanted moments in life,” Johnson said. “We want them to be able to experience all the joys in life.”

The prom dress giveaway is a oneday affair where girls can shop from a pop-up boutique. Volunteers help each girl gather everything she will need for that special evening — including undergarments and shoes. In addition, makeup artists and hair stylists are on hand to give tips and samples.

This year’s giveaway will be on March 25, but details are still in the works on the location. Johnson said the group hopes to be back at Georgia State University, which has been an ardent supporter of the charity since its beginning.

Enchanted Closet doesn’t just give away prom dresses but takes extra steps to ensure the occasion is a memorable night for each girl.

Prom Prep classes help to reduce anxiety before the formal event. Models show girls how to walk in high heels, and makeup artists and hair stylists provide services and instruction. Even a social graces and etiquette class prepares them for a classy evening.

“For one day, they are made to feel like princesses, and hopefully, it helps bolster their self-worth,” said Lori Rappaport.

The mentoring and life skills programs also help boost morale.

Johnson said the service-model Girls Program operates year-round, focusing on developing each girl’s self-awareness, self-esteem and self-sufficiency.

Girls can join groups anytime, and there is no waiting list.

Program offerings range from building communication skills and preparing for college to learning about human trafficking and how to spot predators. Johnson often brings in speakers who have risen above their life circumstances to show girls what is possible.

“Our mission has always been to physically, mentally and emotionally outfit girls,” Johnson said. “We’re not just focused on prom night but the rest of their lives.”

The Enchanted Closet program has a 100% high school graduation rate and no unwed pregnancies. The goal is for each girl to continue their education, and last year, all graduating seniors received some college scholarship, Johnson said.

Johnson said she didn’t have a support team like this when she was a teenager and often felt alone. While in college, she made it her goal to one day help other girls.

“It took me a while to come into my own, and I missed out on a lot of opportunities because I didn’t have that confidence,” Johnson said. “I wanted to help people so they could do better than me.”

Johnson said she’s most proud of girls who have overcome obstacles like complicated family lives. She gets special joy from seeing the transformation of girls in foster homes.

“I’ve seen so many of them open up and blossom,” she said.

COURTESY OF THE ENCHANTED CLOSET Enchanted Closet will hold its annual prom dress giveaway on March 25. Founder Bonita Johnson cried when she was offered the 41 dresses, saying inventory was low and donations had been hit hard by COVID-19 and inflation.