Chicago charity giving away 1,000 free prom dresses on Saturday on West Side

It's almost prom season for high schoolers across Chicago, and on Saturday morning, hundreds of girls will get to take home a dress free of charge.

"I want to do all of this with dignity," said Carolyn Boyd, the woman behind it all.

Boyd wants every middle and high school girl to feel a sense of dignity when they walk into the 10th (Ogden) Police District station in the North Lawndale neighborhood, where any girl in need from Chicago or even surrounding states can get a prom or graduation dress for free.

"As long as they can show proof that they are graduating 8th grade or high school, that's all they need to come in," Boyd said.

Her organization, Humble Hearts, has held this free dress event the last 14 years.

"Last time, I had girls standing outside, sitting outside at 7 o'clock in the morning," she said.

Each year, hundreds of girls line up, get a personal shopper, and pick any of the 1,000 donated dresses.

It's an opportunity Boyd said she would have wanted back in high school.

"I could not financially afford it. My parents could not financially afford it. I come from a very low-income background," she said.

Boyd said she dropped out of high school, joined a gang, and got hooked on drugs. She had a daughter when she was only a teenager, and eventually graduated high school years later.

"I wouldn't did not make my high school graduation or prom if it wasn't for the support of a teacher," she said.

It's that inspiration Boyd hopes to pass on to other young women no matter their background, shape, or size.

Not only are there prom dress sizes in small, medium, and large, but Boyd wanted to make sure there was a rack of extra-large or plus-size dresses so everyone can feel included.

"I hustle extra for my plus-size young ladies, because I know it's hard to come across a dress," she said.

Each dress has given a girl a sense of confidence, purpose, and beauty. That's what Boyd wants to continue to do, free of charge.

"If I can alleviate any financial burdens, that's what I want to do. That's my mission, and that's why I have the dress event," she said.