Once upon a time, there were thousands of Arizona high school girls who could not afford to go to prom. Then one day in 2002, two mothers – one with the Tempe Community Council, the other with the East Valley Women’s League – granted their wishes.

They started the Cinderella Affair, collecting gently used dresses from the community and giving them away for free to high school juniors and seniors during a two-day sale.

The first few years, they helped around 300 girls. But last year, because of the cruel step-economy, they gave away close to 1,200 dresses.

“We had girls come from as far away as Flagstaff, Payson and Prescott because it was that important to get a free dress,” says co-chair Amy Grossklaus. “We think we’ll have an even bigger turnout this year, and we want to be able to accommodate all those girls.”

Women can donate dresses, shoes, purses and accessories at numerous locations Valleywide (visit cinderellaaffair.com for information) during this year’s dress drive, February 8-21. Volunteers can also help sort dresses before the sale, which will take place at the Pyle Adult Recreation Center in Tempe on March 26 for Tempe High School District students only and March 27 for students statewide. A valid school ID is required for each student who needs a dress.

A group called the Tempe Needle Wielders will be at the event to repair dresses and do complimentary alterations. Organizers also give information about local dry cleaners that will clean the dresses for free. The only thing missing is Prince Charming.