The Fairy Godmother of Mukilteo

The Fairy Godmother of Mukilteo

Laura Meyers of Mukilteo, Wash., (pop. 18,019) doesn’t transform mice into horses or pumpkins into golden coaches, but she has made more than 700 girls’ prom night dreams come true—all without waving a magic wand.

Four years ago, when she read about a Washington, D.C., prom dress giveaway program for teens from low-income families, bells started going off in her head, Meyers says—and she knew she was meant to help girls in her own community who couldn’t afford a prom dress.

Initially, she was a little afraid that people might think her idea was frivolous. She wasn’t talking about a food bank or a homeless shelter, after all. But she knew that, to teenagers, having the right clothes for a school function is about as important as food.

“For those who don’t get to go to the prom,” she says, “there’s a little prom-sized hole in their hearts.”

So, with the help of 40 women from her church, Meyers started “The Fairy Godmothers.” It only took the women a month to collect 150 dresses and all manner of shoes, gloves, evening purses, and wraps, which Meyers decided they should lend instead of give away, so they could continue to help as many girls as possible.

The Fairy Godmothers soon opened their doors in a beautifully decorated Sunday school room at the United Methodist Church in the nearby town of Edmonds, but Meyers found that getting the word out to girls in need of their help wasn’t easy. She called one high school administrator to tell about the program, for example, and the response was, “We don’t have those kinds of problems in our school.” That might have caused Meyers to ask herself if she was really on the right track, but she says it only strengthened her resolve.

“I’ve learned that every school has ‘those problems,’” she says. “There’s an apartment complex where some dad’s been laid off, or some family is managing to keep a roof over their head and food in their mouth, but there’s not $200 left over at the end of the paycheck for a dress that’s only going to get worn once.”

Some schools have several formal events throughout the year, and girls feel they are expected to have a new outfit for each one, even though that will seriously impact the family finances.

“Proms are like a coronation for some people,” Meyers says. “Families will spend as much as a thousand dollars to send a child to the prom.” She hopes school administrators will consider reducing the number of events that require formal attire so students from lower income families will not be under so much pressure.

Meyers says girls from middle or upper-middle class often slink into The Fairy Godmothers, afraid they’re going to see someone who knows them. But girls from schools with a greater percentage of students from lower-income families talk openly about needing the help of The Fairy Godmothers. They are so ecstatic to be able to borrow formal wear that they bring their friends along on their next visit. Sometimes as many as eight will pile into a car and drive two hours to get there.

Fifteen-year-old Lynsai Lutz of Skykomish, Wash., says, “I thought The Fairy Godmothers were wonderful! It was almost like shopping with my friends, and we had a blast. We all found everything we needed. There are so many girls who can’t afford the dresses. I’m so glad that Laura’s doing this. It’s awesome!”

The Fairy Godmothers now have 350 very stylish dresses to lend, plus everything else girls need for formal occasions.

After all, a prom ought to be nothing but fun.

Laurel Holliday, a frequent contributor to American Profile, writes books and articles in Seattle.

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