High school students get dresses, tuxedos at Suffolk police LGBTQ Society's Prom Impact giveaway

Stephanie Ventura of Brentwood wasn’t totally sold on attending her senior prom.

The 17-year-old knows the event is a chance to celebrate with friends before parting ways for college, a milestone that is both exciting — and expensive.

“I’m on the fence about it, because going into college, oh my God. All these prices,” she said Saturday.

Fortunately, price tags weren’t an issue as Ventura and her mom combed through overflowing racks at the Suffolk County Police Academy in Brentwood, where the department’s LGBTQ Society hosted its annual prom dress drive to provide students with formal wear for free.

By late morning, the question for Ventura wasn’t whether to go, it was which dress to wear as she had several options draped over her arm.

“All of these dresses are so beautiful,” she said. “That [the police department] can give back is so amazing. I love that they think about people in the community.”

It’s the eighth year the department is hosting the giveaway, dubbed Prom Impact, to make the rite of passage more accessible to students. Thousands of sparkly gowns and sharp tuxedos were up for grabs, along with all the accoutrements to complete the look for the big night, from high heels and earrings to ties and press-on nails. By 3:30 p.m. Saturday, more than 110 dresses and tuxedos had been given away.

Prom Impact will continue from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the academy on Suffolk County Community College's Brentwood campus.

“It’s for the community,” said Tamika Mays, a SCPD detective sergeant and president of the LGBTQ Society. “We don’t want a kid not to go because they can’t afford it.”

For teenagers and their parents, prom costs tally up quickly.

Ventura said tickets to her school’s event are $130, and she is considering other ways to cut costs, like opting for a regular manicure over a set of acrylics.

Dresses and suit rentals can average between $250 and $2,000, and transportation, tickets and after parties also run up the bill, Newsday reported last year.

“It’s a big stress,” said Denise Navarro of Lindenhurst, who was searching for dresses for her 17-year-old twin daughters. “College, getting deposits in. Everything is just hitting all at once.”

While some students came with a specific vision, others surprised themselves.

Ismalay Tejada Santos, 17, of Bay Shore, gravitates to darker colors, but left with a satin, Cinderella blue A-line gown.

“The dress I’m taking is kind of showing a different side,” she said.

Santos said she was nervous about prom season with college expenses looming.

“It’s really expensive, and I only work during the summer, so I don’t really have enough money to get the big dress I was hoping for.”

Organizers said they were touched by the volume of donations that poured in from residents as well as dress and tuxedo boutiques. All agreed the best part of the afternoon was seeing students walk down the red carpet to show off their new threads.

“They feel really good about themselves,” said Dana Deshler, a retired SCPD officer who helps run the drive. “You can see it in their smiles, you can see it in the way they walk, they have a swagger.”

Chris Lojano, 17, from North Babylon, beamed as he walked down the runway in a new tuxedo while his mom smiled and snapped photos at the end.

“It’s very useful, because I didn’t have a suit,” Lojano said. 

Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina and Chief of Department Robert Waring walked students down the runway after they made their selections.

Catalina said the event gets better every year as costs continue to rise.

“There are always going to be kids that can’t afford to go to prom,” he said. “This certainly makes that possible for everybody.”