Beyond the Glass Slipper
Co- founder of the Cinderella Project says they’ve mentored 3,000 grads over their 15- year history
Q What is the Cinderella Project? A It’s a federally registered charity which began in 1999 in Vancouver with the goal to assist youth, who were at risk, by encouraging them to stay in school despite the overwhelming odds they face. The great reward at the end is the ability to participate in the graduation festivities with their peers where otherwise it would be impossible. We ( mentor and outfit) about 170 youths every year.
Q As the deadline nears for this year’s boutique day, what are the needs for the Cinderella Project? A We really need people to look in their closet for what is current and exciting for either a young woman or young man to be able to wear to their graduation. We outfit them in everything from dresses to the gloves, the wrap, the purses, hair accessories, jewelry and shoes. For boys, we’re looking at suits, dinner jackets that might be hip and interesting and even the swagger bits for them — cool hats, boy jewelry and shoes. All
those things should be in good order as though they were new — something that a 17- year- old can get excited about. Q Do you accept financial donations? AYes,
money matters for us because many of the youth that we help do have special needs and we work hard to meet all of those needs. So for one of the youths who has a mobility challenge, we will need to get him special shoes. The other thing about money is that we offer achievement awards. It’s a very exciting thing that helps them with the ‘ what’s next’ aspect of their lives. Donations go directly to support those awards and what’s important about those is that they’re not marks driven. If you’re a youth who’s at risk, homeless or raising a bunch of siblings and working several jobs to make ends meet, the likelihood that you’re a straight- A student is very slim. There are certainly some but these are not kids whose parents work for a corporation that offers scholarships. They tend to fall through the cracks for those opportunities. One hundred per cent of the money
we get goes to help the kids. We are all volunteers. QWhat
about people donating services? A Donating
services is awesome. Hair and makeup is always fantastic. And in that vein, we’re looking to collect new hair and grooming products and makeup. QDo
you need volunteers? AWe
have a database of about 400 volunteers with a waiting list for those who want to help. Those who help get as much from the experience as the youths do. It is such a fill youup kind of day. To make a donation, the West Vancouver United Church ( 2062 Esquimalt Ave., West Vancouver) drop- off location will stay open for one more week. ( The others have now closed.) The contact is Madelyn; 604- 922- 9171. To make a financial contribution, go to thecinderellaproject.com.