Once upon a time, in a nearby kingdom, there lived a fair young maiden who couldn’t wait for the ball. Or, in this case, the prom.

But she had a big problem: She hadn’t a stitch to wear. It would be convenient – literary, even – to blame the injustice on her evil stepmother and her two selfish stepsisters. But since this is a modern-day fairy tale, it probably had something to do with the economy, the price of heating oil and the fact that a prom dress can cost as much as $500 these days. Yes, you read that right, $500.

But her Fairy Godmother has arrived, thanks to the students in Belfast Area High School’s Jobs for Maine Graduates program. They’ve spent the last several months organizing The Cinderella Project, which provides free gowns – some new, some gently used – to any girl who needs one.

The giveaway, which includes nearly 400 dresses for girls of all shapes and sizes, will take place from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Belfast Area High School. Girls from all over Maine are welcome.

“I think it’s going to be fun to see people try them on and to help people get a dress,” said Hannah Stimpson, 17, a junior in the JMG program.

Stimpson already bought her dress – for $20 – but she can’t wait to give away her favorite gown. It’s new, dark purple, floor-length, with a tulle skirt and gold embroidery, and it’s a size 14, which is close to her size.

“It’s personally hard for me to find a dress and I know how expensive it is,” Stimpson said, noting the gown’s $380 original price tag. “One of the things that is so exciting to me is promoting a positive body image, helping girls feel beautiful in a dress.”

Local businesswoman Jessica Jones started the project three years ago, and this year, students in JMG have taken it on as part of their community service requirement. The program, established by the Maine Legislature in 1993, serves 2,500 students in more than 50 school-based sites statewide. JMG’s mission is “to identify students who face barriers to education, and to guide each one on to a successful path toward continued education, a meaningful career and productive adulthood.”

Amanda Sawyer, JMG specialist at Belfast Area High School, said her students took their charge to heart, “big-time.” And it shows. In its first year, The Cinderella Project offered 30 dresses. Last year, it grew to 50. This year, donations from local merchants and residents, along with a gift of 200 dresses from a woman who used to organize a similar giveaway in Cherryfield, pushed the number close to 400.

With so many dresses to choose from, every girl will feel like the belle of the ball. Shoes and accessories will also be available, and door prizes will include transportation, corsages and dinner.

“They’re totally free,” said Sawyer. “The idea is that the kids who take a dress do something nice for someone else to pay it forward.”

As a reminder, each girl gets a magic wand along with her dress. And while it might not turn a pumpkin into a chariot, it could mean the difference between sitting at home by the fire and dancing the night away.

Now that’s a happy ending.

Belfast Area High School is located at 98 Waldo Ave. in Belfast. For more information on the JMG program, visit www.jmg.org/.

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