Tikkun Olam’s 2022 Project Prom received a generous “Thank You” from Foster Pride in their newsletter this week.
In the weeks leading up we went shopping for dresses and found two spectacular outfits at Temple Emanu-El’s The Prom Project, where underserved young women from across the city choose from hundreds of gorgeous gowns, new shoes, bags, and accessories, all free! Hours before the Gala we went to Sephora for makeup (the most fun ever!) and the gala—wow! The six young women and one guy in our group (who already had a beautiful suit that he’d worn to a wedding), were over the moon—they LOVED the ballet, seeing celebs like Rosie Perez and Al Roker, and the dinner—to be with all these glittery people! Dressed to the nines they felt comfortable and self-assured, and it really was a life lesson—they were asking what fork to use for the appetizer, and why there were so many glasses on the table. Eric Adams and Chuck Schumer were two of the speakers and Massama videotaped their speeches because “My poli sci professor will never believe that I was here and got to see them in person!” One of the makeup artists at Sephora took me aside privately. “I used to be in foster care,” she confided. “I wish someone had done this for me.”
Creating brighter futures since 1993, Foster Pride empowers children and teens in foster care to develop their talents, build self-esteem and reach their potential through mentoring relationships and the arts. Foster Pride offers programs every year to 400 children and teens in foster care throughout New York City, continuing their mentoring, financial literacy, job-preparedness, and internship programs in order to provide foster teens with the resources they need to successfully transition to adulthood. Tikkun Olam is proud to have helped make a difference by supporting their incredible mission.
