Although the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increased demand for nonprofits’ services, it has made it nearly impossible for many of them to operate as normal. So, they’ve had to innovate. 

Take the San Diego-based nonprofit organization Cinderella’s Attic as an example. For the first time in nearly 15 years, Cinderella’s Attic, which has traditionally provided free formal wear and accessories to high school girls from low-income families, was unable to hold its annual Prom Boutique event. In its place, the nonprofit is launching a scholarship program to help young women further their education. 

“With the pandemic, we haven’t been able to help the hundreds of girls that we normally reach each year,” said Kerry Spark, founder and president of Cinderella’s Attic. “So, we are having to reinvent ourselves. Now we are launching a scholarship program to help these same girls not only see the various opportunities available to them but to help them access those opportunities.”

For the foreseeable future, all donations to Cinderella’s Attic will go directly into its scholarship fund. Every $1,000 raised will help the organization provide another girl with a scholarship. 

Spark came up with the idea for Cinderella’s Attic while she was a student in Boston studying to be an educator. There, she became hyper-aware of the financial struggles that so many young women faced during senior year of high school. 

“I saw that this was affecting them mentally and emotionally as well,” Spark said. “Many of the students who I personally worked with as an educator at that time didn’t have the ability to attend their senior proms, which, in my eyes, wasn’t an event that should be missed. They couldn’t afford a dress or shoes. Some hadn’t even worn a dress before.”

When Spark relocated to the West Coast, she saw a similar situation. With a desire to help these girls build confidence and feel comfortable in their own skin, she decided to start Cinderella’s Attic.

For 14 years, the nonprofit held an annual Prom Boutique. It transformed a local venue to look like a chic boutique with dresses, shoes, purses, jewelry and other accessories, which girls could pick up for free. Girls were also provided with free makeup and hair trials to get some ideas for prom night. In its first year, the nonprofit helped about 20 girls. In 2019, however, the organization helped more than 160 girls. 

“These simple acts of kindness —  just by letting these girls know that we care and are willing to help — make a lasting difference on their confidence and character at an impressionable age,” said Spark. 

This year’s Prom Boutique, which was scheduled to happen in April, was canceled due to the pandemic. For the time being, Cinderella’s Attic will put its effort and energy towards building its scholarship program. Scholarships will be awarded to underserved young women in the San Diego area, who otherwise would have benefited from the annual Prom Boutique. 

“We are really excited to launch the scholarship program and believe that it is the natural evolution of our program at Cinderella’s Attic,” said Spark. 

TUN’s full interview with Spark is available here.