TLC’s SAY YES TO THE PROM Will Make Prom Dreams Come True and Empower Deserving High School Students Nationwide
In partnership with Macy’s, the 2019 SAY YES TO THE PROM Tour Kicks Off in Silver Spring, MD, with Stops in Knoxville, TN, Los Angeles, CA, Denver, CO, and New York, NY
TLC’s SAY YES TO THE PROM initiative is back for the eighth consecutive year and kicking off the 2019 prom season alongside returning retail partner Macy’s to help 1,000 underserved and deserving students across the country find the perfect prom look. Travelling to five different cities, SAY YES TO THE PROM will create the ultimate prom “shopping” experience, complete with one-on-one style sessions with Monte Durham of TLC’s SAY YES TO THE DRESS: ATLANTA to help the students find the perfect dress, tuxedo and accessories.
Each of these 1,000 deserving students will be treated to a full shopping day alongside Durham. Young ladies will receive the prom dress of their choice, as well as shoes from Nina, Blue by Betsey Johnson, Jewel Badgley Mischka and Adrianna Papell, all provided by Macy’s. To complete their prom ensembles, they will be able to frost themselves with Kendra Scott earrings, necklaces and bracelets. Young menwill be furnished with a complete tuxedo rental from Men’s Wearhouse. Stylists from Paul Mitchell Schools will help participants cultivate their personal prom style by providing hair and makeup consultations.
The SAY YES TO THE PROM tour will begin in February in Silver Spring, MD, and continue in March with stops in Knoxville, TN, Los Angeles, CA, Denver, CO, and ending in New York, NY. Each stop along the tour will feature an all-day “shopping” event to outfit participating students with the perfect head-to-toe prom ensemble. Beyond these local events, the specially designed line of SAY YES TO THE PROM dresses and accessories are currently available for purchase in Macy’s stores nationwide and online for the fourth consecutive year.
“What initially started as a prom dress donation drive and outreach event aimed at outfitting high school students with prom attire back in 2011, TLC’s SAY YES TO THE PROM has since evolved into a nationwide initiative. Entering its eighth consecutive year, this program stands by its mission – to give students across the country an unforgettable prom experience, along with educational and career-building opportunities beyond the prom that help prepare students for their futures,” said Adria Alpert Romm, Chief Human Resources and Global Diversity Officer, Discovery, Inc., and creator of SAY YES TO THE PROM.
“Macy’s is thrilled to partner with SAY YES TO THE PROM and help bring the magic of prom to these deserving students,” said Durand Guion, group vice president, Macy’s Fashion Office. “We know what a special moment this is, and we are incredibly thankful to our colleagues and customers for making these incredibly deserving prom wishes come true.”
Designed to go beyond the dress and tuxedo to prepare students for college and careers, this year’s SAY YES TO THE PROM will feature scholarship, internship and mentorship opportunities as part of educational and youth workforce partnerships with The Will and Jada Smith Family Foundation’s Careers in Entertainment initiative and The Emma Bowen Foundation. Students at each event also will meet and be paired with professional mentors from the fashion and media industries. These mentor-mentee relationships will extend beyond the event and offer students an ongoing connection to the professional world.
This year’s SAY YES TO THE PROM tour welcomes both new and returning national partners. In addition to a glittering selection of over 2,500 donated dresses from Macy’s, SAY YES TO THE PROM will be more impactful than ever before as a result of contributions from premier partners including Men’s Wearhouse, Kendra Scott, Nina, Blue by Betsey Johnson, Jewel Badgley Mischka, Adrianna Papelland Paul Mitchell Schools. AT&T® employee volunteers and members of Women in Cable Telecommunications (WICT) will serve as mentors and style guides for this year’s initiative. The Cable Center will return as a SAY YES TO THE PROM partner to host this year’s Denver event.
“Say Yes to the Prom holds a very special place in my heart,” said Jana Henthorn, president and CEO of The Cable Center, which first hosted the event in the spring of 2016. “It was at this event where we first met our brilliant intern, Monserrat “Monsi” Vasquez, who was a high school senior and her class valedictorian. Monsi was my mentee and after the event, she began working as an intern at The Cable Center. Monsi still works with us in our office and has been a stellar addition to our team. We are delighted to be working with Discovery again to host this truly fun celebration and one-of-a-kind opportunity for our local Denver student community!”
“Having Monte and the Say Yes to the Prom team back at The Cable Center is such an honor. Seeing Monte work with these young women and men is heartwarming,” said Diane Christman, SVP of development at The Cable Center. “At the Denver event, Monte knew every single one of the students by name, and we watched them all gain confidence under his expert tutelage. We can’t wait for Say Yes to the Dress to be back at The Cable Center and to be part of this fantastic community event.”
Dates and locations for the 2019 SAY YES TO THE PROM tour include:
- February 26 in Silver Spring, MD
- March 5 in Knoxville, TN
- March 14 in Los Angeles, CA
- March 19 in Denver, CO
- March 28 in New York, NY
Also, as part of Macy’s partnership with Becca’s Closet, for each prom dress purchased on Saturday, March 30th, Macy’s will donate one, up to 5,300 dresses, to a girl in need. Please visit our website to learn more about this year’s SAY YES TO THE PROM initiative and Becca’s Closet and follow #SYTTP on Twitter and Instagram.
About Discovery:
Discovery, Inc. (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is a global leader in real life entertainment, serving a passionate audience of superfans around the world with content that inspires, informs and entertains. Discovery delivers over 8,000 hours of original programming each year and has category leadership across deeply loved content genres around the world. Available in 220 countries and territories and nearly 50 languages, Discovery is a platform innovator, reaching viewers on all screens, including TV Everywhere products such as the GO portfolio of apps; direct-to-consumer streaming services such as Eurosport Player and MotorTrend OnDemand; digital-first and social content from Group Nine Media and a strategic alliance with PGA TOUR to create the international home of golf. Discovery’s portfolio of premium brands includes Discovery Channel, HGTV, Food Network, TLC, Investigation Discovery, Travel Channel, MotorTrend, Animal Planet, and Science Channel, as well as OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network in the U.S., Discovery Kids in Latin America, and Eurosport, the leading provider of locally relevant, premium sports and Home of the Olympic Games across Europe. For more information, please visit our website and follow @DiscoveryIncTV across social platforms.
About TLC
Offering remarkable real-life stories without judgment, TLC shares everyday heart, humor, hope, and human connection with programming genres that include fascinating families, heartwarming transformations, and life’s milestone moments. TLC is a top 10 network across key female demos. TLC is a global brand available in more than 86 million homes in the US and 279 million households around the world. Viewers can enjoy their favorite shows anytime, anywhere through TLC GO – the network’s TVE offering featuring live and on demand access to complete seasons. A destination online, TLC.com offers in-depth fan sites and exclusive original video content. Fans can also interact with TLC on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and Pinterest. TLC is part of Discovery (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), reaching 3 billion cumulative viewers in more than 220 countries and territories to satisfy curiosity and captivate superfans with a portfolio of premium nonfiction, lifestyle, sports and kids content brands.
About Macy’s
Macy’s, the largest retail brand of Macy’s, Inc. (NYSE:M), delivers fashion and affordable luxury to customers at approximately 650 locations in 44 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam, as well as to customers in the U.S. and more than 100 international destinations through its leading online store. Via its stores, e-commerce site, mobile and social platforms, Macy’s offers distinctive assortments including the most desired family of exclusive and fashion brands for him, her and home. Macy’s is known for such epic events as Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks® and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®, as well as spectacular fashion shows, culinary events, flower shows and celebrity appearances. Macy’s flagship stores — including Herald Square in New York City, Union Squarein San Francisco, State Street in Chicago, Dadeland in Miami and South Coast Plaza in southern California — are known internationally and are leading destinations for visitors. Building on a more than 150-year tradition, and with the collective support of customers and employees, Macy’s helps strengthen communities by supporting local and national charities giving more than $52 million each year, plus 153,000 hours of volunteer service, to help make a difference in the lives of our customers. For Macy’s media materials, including images and contacts, please visit our online pressroom.
About Men’s Wearhouse
Founded in 1973 and a subsidiary of Tailored Brands, Inc. (NYSE:TLRD), Men’s Wearhouse is the largest specialty retailer of men’s apparel and rental product in the U.S. with over 750 stores, including Men’s Wearhouse and Tux, nationwide. Men’s Wearhouse carries a full selection of suits, sport coats, slacks, formalwear, sportswear, outerwear, dress shirts, footwear and accessories in non-exclusive and exclusive merchandise brands such as Joseph Abboud, AWEARNESS Kenneth Cole, BLACK by Vera Wang, among others. Tuxedo and suit rentals are available at both Men’s Wearhouse and Tux stores, which also offers a limited selection of retail merchandise, and Men’s Wearhouse stores nationwide. For additional information on Men’s Wearhouse, please visit our website.
About Becca’s Closet
Becca’s Closet is a nonprofit organization that donates free formal dresses to high school girls who are unable to afford to purchase them for homecoming, military ball and prom. Becca’s Closet also awards scholarships to high school seniors who demonstrate dedication to serving their communities. Visit our website for more information.
About the Emma Bowen Foundation (EBF)
EBF connects the media, entertainment, and technology industries with a pipeline of talent and emerging leaders, and advocate for best practices in diverse hiring, retention and advancement. Founded in 1989, EBF has provided internships for over 1,300 students of color. Over 60% of alumni pursue careers in the media, entrainment, technology fields in roles ranging from account executives to engineers and on-air reporters, and include Emmy and Peabody award winners.
About The Cable Center
The Cable Center is an educational nonprofit organization serving the media and telecommunications industry. We tell the story of the cable industry, highlighting for the global community the significant contributions made to technology, society, and culture. We connect people and ideas to advance innovation. Based in Denver, Colorado, The Cable Center is the home of the Cable Hall of Fame, recognizing individuals for their outstanding contributions to the industry; the Barco Library, the world’s largest collection of cable-related information and resources; as well as the Community of Innovators with a focus on entrepreneurship. For more information visit us at our website, Twitter, and Facebook.
