Illinois Teen Uses Her Free Time To Help Others Prepare For Prom

There aren't any qualifications for being a local hero other than doing something for others out of the kindness of the heart. This week's young Hometown Hero is a perfect example.

Prom season is around the corner and for some students, their family's finances may not be the best. The last thing anyone wants to experience is missing out on a moment like prom because they don't have the proper attire because of something he or she has no control of. As a parent, it would be heartbreaking to witness.

Thankfully, there are people like Grace E. or Oregon, Illinois.

With that above thought in mind, Grace put in the time needed to plan a dress swap for the Oregon area. She put up a Facebook post in a community group and it garnered a lot of attention in a hurry. The community was more than happy to get involved.

Here's a message we received from Grace's mom.

I would like to nominate my daughter Grace, she is organizing a dress swap in our community for girls who can’t or don’t want to pay full price for a prom dress this year. She created a post on our local communities Facebook page, and it literally blew up. People from all over the county are offering to donate their dresses, and are going to be dropping them off at the Oregon high school so she can organize a date for the sale. The dresses will range from $10-$50 and all the money will be put into an account for events like prom and homecoming. At only 16 she came up with such a great idea and our community is very excited about it.

Grace's family and friends are beyond proud of her efforts and willingness to take the time to make sure prom dresses are available for the girls who need them. Way to go, Grace!

As this week's Hometown Hero, Grace will receive a $100 Amazon gift card thanks to Gustafson's Furniture & Mattress.

Do you know a Hometown Hero we need to know about? Nominate them here.