With this event growing and serving more and more Allen ISD and Lovejoy students,  ACO 's Princess Project  again welcomes students from McKinney, Princeton, Farmersville and beyond to take advantage of a great program.

Allen Community Outreach, a social services agency, provides basic human service needs- such as financial assistance for rent and utilities, clothing and food and other family services.  One such service is the "Princess Project" hosted by The ACO Resale Shops in Allen and Farmersville.

"Each year we see more and more girls needing assistance. It only seems right to continue serving students in McKinney ISD along with those in the Allen, Lovejoy, Princeton and Farmersville school districts.  We feel we are serving all our local students the best way we can." Director of Resale Shops Del Herrod said.

"Along with the ACO Client Services team, we partner with the counselors at all the high schools of  Allen, Lovejoy, McKinney, Princeton and Farmersville ISDs to identify any girl or boy that might need help during prom season and they are given Princess Project  gift cards to use at the event and at the Allen Resale Shop afterwards.  At the same time we ask our communities to donate gently used prom gowns, bridesmaid dresses, shoes, handbags and accessories to The Resale Shop.  We also ask individuals and businesses to join our efforts and donate products, gift cards to salons, accessories retailers, restaurants and florists to be used as gift baskets for needy girls and raffle items during the event," Herrod added.

Suncreek United Methodist Church at 1517 W. McDermott in Allen will be transformed on March 27 from 6-9 p.m. for a fabulous Pre-Prom Party of their own, full of dresses, accessories and shoes.  Not only will the students identified by their counselors be there to shop with their gift cards, the event is open to the public.  All dresses will be sold from $10-$30 with all proceeds going to benefit this program.  Miss Allen 2014, Carissa Peterson and Miss Fairview 2014, Jessica Barrera will be on hand to sign autographs and assist the girls select their perfect gown.  Local makeup artists and hairstylist will help the girls piece their look together with hair and makeup tips.

The Princess Project will then pack up and head east to the Farmersville Resale Shop for an event to benefit the rural communities of Northeast Collin County.  It will be held on Saturday March 29 from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. at the Farmersville Resale Shop located at 604 Hwy 78 N in Farmersville.

Watters Creek at Montgomery Farms, and Allen Economic Development Corp, have joined along ACO and Suncreek in accepting gently loved dresses for this cause.  Donations are being collected until March 26.

Allen Community Outreach is the sole local provider of free human services for Allen, Lucas and Fairview.  Now in its 26th year of operation, ACO has grown from strictly information and referral services to a wide array of service provisions which include information and referral, rent and utility assistance, job bank counseling and referral, clothing from the ACO Resale Shops, the Allen Food Pantry, confidential counseling, Meals-On-Wheels & More, school supplies, Thanksgiving food boxes, and Christmas adopt a child, teen or senior.  For more information, please visit the website.

Information provided by City of Allen.