‘Grateful Grads’ event in Sudbury provides free prom attire, photo ops

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Dozens of Sudbury grads get free prom outfits

Raw interview with Closet Share founder Melissa Porter

Closet Share Graduation Event: Sights & Sounds

MPP Jamie West talks about Sudbury's Closet Share at Queen's Park

Group helps to keep Sudbury clothed

Dozens of Grade 8 and Grade 12 students in Greater Sudbury left Closet Share‘s warehouse on Saturday beaming in free graduation attire, thanks to the nonprofit’s first-ever Graduation Event. The occasion, designed to remove financial barriers for students, provided full outfits – from suits and dresses to shoes and accessories – all at no cost.

Held at Closet Share’s McKenzie Street location, the boutique-style event featured fitting rooms, on-site seamstresses for alterations, a corsage and boutonnière station, and a themed photo booth where graduates could snap ‘I said Yes to the Dress/Suit’ pictures. Cupcakes and refreshments added to the festive atmosphere.

“Graduation is a huge milestone, and every student deserves to look and feel amazing on their big day,” said Sudbury MPP Jamie West in a social media post ahead of the event. He praised the initiative for both supporting youth and diverting clothing from landfills.

A grassroots solution with big impact

Founded in 2022 by Melissa Porter, Closet Share began as a small effort to help a family who lost their home in a fire. What started in Porter’s garage has since grown into a thriving nonprofit, distributing over 10,000 clothing items to organizations and individuals in need.

“Just to see the joy on the man’s face and how appreciated we were – that day was the day we launched Closet Share,” Porter said, speaking to CTV News at the event.

“It was just supposed to be a hobby, but it quickly grew into this amazing nonprofit.”

Now operating from a dedicated warehouse, the organization has fulfilled 2,000 orders since January alone. Porter emphasized that their goal is to become a central hub for free and affordable clothing, partnering with local groups like the Sudbury Women’s Centre, which contributed leftover prom attire to Saturday’s event.

Personal connections drive this mission

For Porter, the graduation event held deep personal significance. During a speech at Queen’s Park earlier this week, West shared her story:

“I was once in the system and didn’t have the opportunity to graduate,” Porter had told him.

“Providing students with a dignified, joyful, and stress-free graduation experience means everything to me.”

That sentiment resonated with volunteers like Amanda Goudreau, who is actually the non-profit’s volunteer coordinator. She joined the organization six months ago while struggling with depression.

“I decided to do something and try to help my community,” Goudreau said.

“The most rewarding parts are helping people who are in need – whether it’s after a fire, a flood, or just needing clothes. I’ve also met amazing volunteers from all over the world here.”

Community leaders applaud initiative

Greater Sudbury Mayor Paul Lefebvre called the event a “fantastic” community effort.

“Melissa and the team at Closet Share are hosting a graduation party today … they have a huge selection of free graduation clothes available for Grade 8 and 12 students. What an excellent community initiative,” he said.

Closet Share’s model also addresses environmental concerns by recycling and repurposing textiles that might otherwise end up in landfills. Porter noted that even worn-out donations are recycled, and the organization relies on second-hand washing machines – a constant need due to heavy use.

What’s next for Closet Share?

With Saturday’s success, Porter said the boutique setup will remain available for students who missed the event, and another grad session may be planned soon.

The organization hopes to continue adding to its network of community partners to expand its reach.

Porter said they are hoping to work with the community in order to have industrial washing machines on site to speed up preparing new inventory for their website and shop.

Many helped already

Volunteers will share final numbers on how many students were outfitted with CTV News over the coming weeks.

For now, the focus remains on celebrating Sudbury’s graduates – one free outfit at a time.

“We’re here to celebrate their success,” Goudreau said.

“And to make sure everyone has the chance to shine.”