Pictured, from left, are Danielle Cederquist, Jessica McKeever, Kaylie Lindstrom, and Jill Smeraldo. Submitted photo

Collaborative Children’s Solutions and Arise Chautauqua are working together to host a prom dress collection for young female students in the community.

Patrick Smeraldo, owner of Collaborative Children’s Solutions, explained that the prom dress collection is currently running and will last until April. Over the next couple months, community members will have the opportunity to take part in the prom dress collection by donating prom dresses that will be used by young students for this year’s prom.

Currently, there are five drop box locations for the prom dresses. Those interested in donating prom dresses to Collaborative Children’s Solutions and Arise Chautauqua can drop them off at any of the Northwest Bank locations in Jamestown, Lakewood and Falconer, as well as at the Northwest Arena.

“We have drop boxes in the banks and in the arena,” Smeraldo said. “It’s kind of like Toys for Tots, and they just put the dresses in there and when they get full, we go get them. we get them cleaned and we’re off to the races.”

The prom dress collection is something that has been hosted in the community by different people over the years. This year, Smeraldo and his wife decided to help lead the effort to provide teenage girls in the community with prom dresses.

“My wife and I are both school teachers in Jamestown. All of our projects that we do for Collaborative Children’s Solutions benefit kids,” Smeraldo said. “We are aware of the need. Everybody should go to their prom. Nobody should miss their prom because they either come from a broken home and nobody can help them get a dress together or whatever.”

Based on his experience working with every school district in Chautauqua County, Smeraldo said the county is “poor.” By collaborating with Arise Chautauqua and receiving support from the local community, Smeraldo is confident that the prom dress collection will make an impact on young students this year.

“Hopefully this is a dignified way, it’s not a handout, it’s a community coming together to benefit the kids,” he said. “That’s what our organization is. My whole stance on this is that kids don’t have enough opportunities in this community. Kids don’t have enough opportunities anymore in our community, so that’s what we try to do; we try to create opportunity.”

Smeraldo told The Post-Journal that Arise Chautauqua is a new nonprofit in Jamestown located on the corner of Sixth St. and Washington St. He described the organization as a group that helps mentor teenage girls and provides various services to girls that are “struggling” with various circumstances.

According to the organization’s Facebook page, Arise Chautauqua is a “home base” for girls ages 11-18 in Chautauqua county. Arise Chautauqua’s goal is to help girls be “encouraged, equipped, empowered, celebrated and loved,” while also working to prevent abuse, exploitation and human trafficking.

While Smeraldo said his wife has not announced the date for when young girls will be able to come to the arena to pick up prom dresses and accessories, he indicated that the collection process has already been successful.

“Everybody’s very generous,” he said. “My wife has already had calls, I’ve had calls, ‘Hey, I have four daughters, and I have six prom dresses for you.'”

After the prom dress collection’s April 1 deadline, Collaborative Children’s Solutions will have the dresses dry cleaned and will organize various donated accessories, such as jewelry, purses and shoes. “Prom girls will be able to come to the arena, and they will be on racks and they can just take them,” Smeraldo said. “They can pick up a prom dress with some accessories.”

Smeraldo explained that Arise Chautauqua already has identified a group of young girls in need. As part of the prom dress collection effort, Arise Chautauqua will be able to help “spread the word” about free prom dresses for young girls in the community. By working together, Smeraldo hopes to make a difference in the community through this effort.

“As Collaborative Children’s Solutions, we want to collaborate with people,” he said.

Smeraldo said that his nonprofit organization is in a “great situation” because Collaborative Children’s Solutions does not have salaried employees, office space or any extra expenses.

“Nobody’s an employee, we just do stuff for kids,” he said. “All the money and all the projects we do, we’re able to dump right back into the community.”

In addition to the prom dress collection, Smeraldo said Collaborative Children’s Solutions is hosting the second annual Ladies Red Carpet Gala March 25. The ladies-only event will take place from 7-11 p.m. at the Northwest Arena.

All of the proceeds from the event will benefit Arise Chautauqua. Additionally, the event will provide local residents with an additional opportunity to donate prom dresses and accessories for the prom dress collection.

“This type of a project that specifically helps young girls, I’m all about that,” Smeraldo said. “This organization, it’s right up my alley. They’re trying to empower young girls that have been in trauma or they’ve come from a broken situation, they’re trying to empower young women to be their best.”

Smeraldo said that while people are often attentive to mentoring young “guy athletes,” he emphasized the importance of organizations like Arise Chautauqua that help mentor and support young girls.

Those interested in supporting the work of Collaborative Children’s Solutions and Arise Chautauqua’s prom dress collection can drop off donations at one of the drop box locations, email Smeraldo at ccsolutions716@gmail.com, or visit Collaborative Children’s Solutions Facebook page.

Smeraldo added that if people have donations but are not able to get to one of the drop box locations, someone will “come and get it” for them.