Every year, Colvin Cleaners hosts a Gowns for Prom event, where young ladies can pick up a free dress, donated by someone in the WNY community. Likewise, a relatively similar program has been launched for young men, by Dewitt Lee III, owner of St. Brian Clothiers – a fine men’s wear clothing resource that offers free suits 365 days a year to men in need.
The “I PROMise Program” was initially launched after the shooting at Tops Friendly Markets supermarket on May 14, 2022. Dewitt set out to provide free suits to for young men to attend the funerals. As happenstance would have it, the date of the shooting coincided with prom season. Therefore, it didn’t take long before local schools were reaching out to Dewitt to notify him that their students were in need of suits for their “big day.”
Realizing that there was an opportunity at hand, to affect some very real and positive change in his community, Dewitt set out to create a program that would do even more for students, especially school Jr. and Sr. student-athletes. Along with setting them up with free suits, the program helps to coach the young men on how to safely attend a prom, by encouraging them to make the best decisions possible. Fom deterring speeding in cars to understanding the repercussions of non consensual sexual situations, the curriculum for the I PROMise Program helps the young men to make the best decisions when confronted with ill-gotten opportunities.
“The goal is to help ‘coach’ these young men on how to have a safe prom experience by teaching them how to handle difficult situations and make good decisions.” – Dewitt Lee III
In 2024, the I PROMise Program is getting additional help from the CIty of Buffalo and the Buffalo Sabres (learn more).
From May 13th – May 23rd – The Buffalo Sabres are collecting dress clothing donations at KeyBank Center from 10am – 5pm. The items needed are Shoes – Size 7 – Size 13 | Shirts – Size 13 – Size 17 | Suits – Size 34 – Size 44 | Ties | Dress socks | Handkerchiefs | Belts | Dress shirts
On May 25th 11am- 3pm – Over 70 student-athletes from Buffalo Public Schools will be welcomed to KeyBank Center (lower foyer), where the student-athletes will be styled with their suits for this year’s prom.
Additionally, two student-athletes will receive NIL sponsorships and become Ambassadors for the iPROMise Pledge. These students will be spokespersons in an advertising campaign to encourage high school students to have a safe prom night. There will be stipends to pay for dinner and prom night travel arrangements as well.
Get connected: www.facebook.com/stbrianclothiers
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