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Giving The Glam Gave Back Big To Special Needs Students

Giving The Glam had completed one of its most fulfilling seasons to date. The widely celebrated and beloved non-profit charity started by mother-daughter team Maristela and Alexis Rapo has been providing extraordinary prom experiences for underserved teens for six years.

When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down proms nationwide though, Giving The Glam had to shelve most of its plans for the nearly 200 students in line to receive help.

But for one special-needs senior named Faith Chandler, the disappointment of losing the prom-experience would have been far too much to bear. So, Giving The Glam instead shifted focus, providing Faith all the attention she deserved, while also engaging the community to help celebrate the special girl.

"Helping kids like Faith feel wonderful is exactly what we're all about. Because they are wonderful," said Maristela Rapo. "I grew up poor in Brazil, have been working since I was 12, and lived in Denmark before moving to the U.S. when I was 28. Life was hard for us, growing up in Brazil. So I know exactly what it is like to struggle every single day in life, and be forced to skip important things in life just because you can't afford to go. The heartbreak of that can last a lifetime. And with all the challenges that these brave kids face every single day – homelessness, poverty, special needs, broken homes – they need to be rewarded for all of their hard work on these rough paths. That's why we give deserving kids the complete prom experience, free of charge: makeup, hair, accessories, shoes, and brand-new suits and gowns. Fashion gives self-esteem, and it represents something sparkling and new – to help them graduate and move out into the world into their sparkling and new futures."

Currently based in the Boston area, Giving The Glam is currently branching out, with the ultimate goal of establishing similar programs in low income, underserved, and needy communities all across America. Follow Giving The Glam and their empowering stories of love via social media: FacebookInstagramYouTube.

Founded by Maristela and Alexis Rapo, Giving The Glam is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that provides an incredible prom experience for underserved urban and suburban high school seniors. Giving The Glam covers all the costs of attire and accessories for students who might not otherwise be able to afford it. Students receive free makeup and hair styling, new garments, and get to keep their prom attire after the event. Staffed by volunteers, Giving The Glam makes a large impact on self-esteem and confidence, brings communities together, and enables students to build beautiful memories that last a lifetime.

To learn more about how Giving The Glam is expanding, visit them at: www.GivingTheGlam.org.

To help the mission continue by offering a charitable, tax-exempt donation, visit: https://www.givingtheglam.org/donation/.

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