Thea Cline, a 16–year-old junior at Tri-City High School, and her mother Kathryn Cline, value the time they spend together volunteering for Catholic Charities Priceless Prom Project (PPP). This mother-daughter duo has been volunteering with the program for the last three years and the contributions they make have proven invaluable to the organization.
Volunteers Make Prom a Reality for Teens
Krystal Koons, Catholic Charities health education supervisor, recruited Thea to begin volunteering for the program.
“Thea is very passionate about our program. We are so thankful to not only have Thea that works so hard for us, but also her mother,” said Koons. Kathryn joined the volunteer efforts when she saw the amount of help that was needed for the program.
The Priceless Prom Project provides prom attire and accessories for free to students who cannot afford to buy a new outfit. Prom is known to come with a hefty price tag, but is also a rite of passage for today’s teens. “Volunteers like Thea and Kathryn are the reason that this project has been such a huge success. The work can be hard and tedious, but they never complain,” states Koons.
"Thea and Kathryn are the kind of volunteers that go the extra mile for our program. An example of this is one time when Thea and Kathryn were out shopping and saw mannequins at a thrift store. They knew that the program has been in need of mannequins, so I was called, but could not drive over to purchase them. Not only did Kathryn and Thea buy the mannequins, they also delivered them to us at the program,” said Koons.
Volunteers Provide Valuable Experience
As a volunteer, Kathryn has been an integral part of anticipating the needs of the program as well as completing the more practical work of steaming and repairing clothing. She works hand-in-hand with her daughter who spends time sorting through hundreds of outfits and setting up the clothes for teens to try on and choose to wear to prom.
Thea hopes that her volunteering experience “helps to make someone’s life better, even if that means we simply put a smile on their face.” Thea and Kathryn plan to continue volunteering for PPP and helping teens have access to a more affordable prom experience.
For more information or to become involved, please contact Krystal Koons at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. You can also learn about other volunteer opportunities, our cause areas or how to give to your favorite cause.
