Franklin Dean
Donating your wedding dress to the Angel Gowns project is a beautiful way to help grieving families. The project accepts wedding dress donations, which are transformed by volunteer seamstresses into burial gowns for infants. These angel gowns are then provided free of charge to bereaved families and hospitals. The Angel Gowns project welcomes dresses in good condition, with minimal staining and no strong odours. There is no age limit on the dresses, and both colourful and traditional gowns are accepted. Those interested in donating can explore organisations such as NICU Helping Hands, Kennedy's Angel Gowns, and The Angel Gowns Project, each with its own guidelines and processes for donation and distribution.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Wedding dress age | No age limit, but must be in good condition with minimal staining and no strong odours |
| Dress colour | White and ivory wedding dresses are preferred, but colourful dresses are also accepted for embellishments |
| Other accepted garments | Pale pink, pale blue and lavender bridesmaid gowns |
| Shipping | Cost covered by the donor, but can be reduced by removing tulle from the dress |
| Donation limit | One dress per person for the USA program, multiple dresses accepted for the International Program |
| Donation cost | Minimum donation of $100 for the USA and International Programs |
| Tax | Donations are tax-deductible, and a tax acknowledgement letter will be provided |
| Keepsake | Donors should remove any portion of the dress they wish to keep before sending |
| Confirmation | Due to the high volume of donations, receipt of the dress cannot be confirmed |
| Photos | Photos of the finished Angel Gowns cannot be guaranteed |
| Returns | Dresses can be returned to the donor or donated to a location in need |
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What You'll Learn
Where to donate wedding dresses for angel gowns
There are several organizations that accept wedding dress donations for angel gowns. Here are some options:
NICU Helping Hands:
NICU Helping Hands is a non-profit organization that accepts wedding gown donations for their Angel Gown Program. They only accept wedding gowns that are clean and in good condition. They also accept bridesmaid gowns in pale pink, pale blue, and lavender. The organization provides Angel Gowns to bereaved families and hospitals free of charge. Due to the high volume of donations, they are unable to provide confirmation of receipt for each donor. NICU Helping Hands has an online donation process, and gown donations are currently on a waitlist.
The Angel Gowns Project:
The Angel Gowns Project is another organization that accepts wedding dress donations for angel gowns. They do not have an age limit on wedding dresses and welcome dresses in good condition with minimal staining and no strong odors. They request a minimum donation of $100 for their USA and International Programs. Donors can choose to have their angel gowns sewn by a volunteer and then donated to a location in need or returned to the donor for personal donation. The Angel Gowns Project accepts wedding gowns from all over the world and uses them to create garments for grieving families.
Kennedy's Angel Gowns:
Kennedy's Angel Gowns accepts wedding gown donations to create burial garments for bereaved families facing pregnancy or infant loss. They accept wedding gowns that have been dry-cleaned and are in good condition, with a preference for gowns with more satin fabric. Kennedy's Angel Gowns is a non-profit organization, and donations are tax-deductible. They currently only accept in-person donations at their monthly Angel Box Sew-In Team events in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and the surrounding areas.
The Emma and Evan Foundation:
The Emma and Evan Foundation is another organization that transforms donated wedding dresses into angel gowns, also known as infant burial gowns. These gowns are offered free of charge to hospitals, birthing centers, funeral homes, and directly to grieving families. The foundation has a dedicated team of volunteers from across the United States who work to provide comfort to families experiencing the loss of a baby.
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How to package and ship wedding dresses
To package and ship your wedding dress for donation to Angel Gowns, there are several steps you can follow. Firstly, it is recommended to hang the dress up for at least three days to air out before packaging and shipping it. This will help to ensure that the dress is fresh and odour-free when it arrives.
Next, prepare the dress for shipping by removing any tulle or crinoline from the underskirt, as this can reduce shipping costs. You can also remove the dress from its preservation box if it is in one, as these boxes are often large and costly to ship. Instead, fold the dress neatly and place it in the smallest box possible. This will help to keep shipping costs low. Ensure the dress is clean and in good condition, with minimal staining and no strong odours, such as smoke.
Once you have packaged the dress securely, you can ship it to the relevant organisation or individual. Some organisations, such as Kennedy's Angel Gowns, accept in-person donations at specific events, so you may not need to ship the dress if you live nearby. Otherwise, you may be contacted directly by a seamstress with shipping information, which can reduce shipping costs for both parties.
If you are shipping the dress internationally, it may take longer for your donation to reach its destination, and you may need to include a donation to cover the costs of shipping. It is important to note that you are generally responsible for the shipping costs of your wedding gown donation.
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Requirements for wedding dress donations
If you are considering donating your wedding dress to be transformed into an angel gown, there are a few requirements and guidelines to keep in mind. Firstly, it is important to ensure that your wedding dress is in good condition. This means that the dress should have minimal staining and should not have any strong odours, such as the smell of smoke. While there is usually no age limit on the wedding dresses that can be donated, it is still important to ensure that the dress is in a usable state.
In terms of the donation process, different organisations may have specific requirements. Some organisations, such as NICU Helping Hands, have an online donation process for inventory control and tax-related purposes. They do not accept gowns collected through any other means besides their online process. It is always recommended to check with the specific organisation you plan to donate to for their unique requirements.
Additionally, some organisations may request a minimum donation along with your wedding dress. For example, The Angel Gowns Project has a waitlist where donors can contribute $100 to have their wedding dress transformed into angel gowns by their team of volunteers. This donation helps sustain the organisation's mission to support grieving families.
It is also important to note that some organisations have specific preferences for the types of gowns they accept. For instance, NICU Helping Hands accepts wedding gowns and bridesmaid gowns in specific colours, such as pale pink, pale blue, and lavender. They do not accept any other colours or types of formal gowns at this time.
Lastly, some organisations may have requirements regarding the shipping or delivery of the wedding dress. In some cases, the donor may be responsible for the shipping cost of their wedding gown. It is always a good idea to carefully package and ship the dress to ensure its safe arrival at the organisation. However, some organisations, like Kennedy's Angel Gowns, may also offer in-person donation options at specific events or locations.
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The process of transforming wedding dresses into angel gowns
Organisations such as The Angel Gowns Project, NICU Helping Hands, and Little Angel Gowns Charity transform wedding dresses into angel gowns. The process typically involves the following steps:
Firstly, donors pack and ship their wedding dresses to the organisation or directly to one of their seamstresses. Donors are usually responsible for the shipping costs, but they may remove parts of the dress, such as the tulle or underskirts, to reduce these costs.
Upon receiving the wedding dress, the organisation or seamstress cleans it and begins deconstructing and altering it to create an angel gown. This process can be complex, often combining several wedding gowns to create a unique angel gown.
Once the angel gown is complete, it undergoes a quality control check. The organisation then packages and ships the angel gown to hospitals, birthing centres, funeral homes, or directly to grieving families. This final shipping process is typically free of charge for the recipient.
Some organisations, like The Angel Gowns Project, allow donors to request that their wedding dresses be returned to them as angel gowns. This option may involve additional costs and longer waiting times.
Overall, the process of transforming wedding dresses into angel gowns involves donor preparation, shipping, cleaning, deconstruction and alteration, quality control, and final packaging and shipping to the recipients. Each organisation may have specific guidelines and variations in their processes.
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Benefits of donating wedding dresses for angel gowns
Wedding dresses are often only worn once, so rather than letting the dress sit in storage, donating it to be made into an angel gown can give it a new purpose. Angel gowns are burial garments for infants who have passed away, and they are provided free of charge to grieving families.
One wedding dress can be transformed into several angel gowns, wraps, or garments, so donors can help multiple families in their darkest hour. The angel gowns are distributed to hospitals, birthing centers, funeral homes, and directly to families. With 1 in 4 pregnancies ending in loss, there is a constant need for angel gowns, and donations are always appreciated.
Donating a wedding dress for angel gowns is also environmentally friendly, as it gives new life to a used dress rather than having it go to waste. The donor can also request to have their angel gowns returned to them, so they can personally deliver the gowns to a location in need. This option allows the donor to see the direct impact of their donation and connect with the families they are helping.
Donating a wedding dress for angel gowns is also tax-deductible in some cases, as many angel gown organizations are non-profit and registered as 501(c)(3) organizations. Additionally, some organizations allow donors to send in their dresses without any preparation, keeping the process simple and convenient.
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Frequently asked questions
The wedding dress should be in good condition with minimal staining and no strong odours.
The donor is responsible for the shipping cost of their wedding gown. Some organisations, like NICU Helping Hands, request a minimum donation of $100.
Wedding gowns are transformed into infant burial gowns, also known as Angel Gowns, which are distributed to bereaved families free of charge.
Only wedding gowns in pale colours such as white, ivory, pale pink, pale blue, and lavender are accepted.
