MyCityCare Okotoks already off to a busy year

It's already proving to be a busy spring for MyCityCare Okotoks.

The non-profit hosted another successful Cinderella Project & Tux Shop in April.

It's one of their annual events, which lends a hand to families with teens in need of a tux or dress for prom.

They started collecting donations and taking registrations back in February to prepare for the one-day shop event.

Tanisha Stromberg from MyCityCare Okotoks explains that it culminates in a day that grads won't soon forget.

"We want it to feel like going to a dress shop. So they come in, they see all the dresses out, all the different colours, sizes, sparkles, lace, whatever they need. They can find a dress that fits them, the shoes, any beauty supplies, and then the same thing for guys as well. Tuxes, shoes, hair products, boutonnieres, cufflinks, whatever it is."

Their prep for this year's Cinderella Project was immediately following the 2024 Night to Shine in February, an annual event founded by the Tim Tebow Foundation and organized locally by MyCItyCare Okotoks.

"It's an initiative that we do every year in February. It's one of my favourite initiatives, which celebrates people who have different special needs. It's a prom-like event, they can come in and bring some of their family, we do dinner and a dance, and we just honour them. We want them to know how special they are and how valuable they are. It's a really fun event for people to come and volunteer at, it's the easiest event to volunteer at because you can just come and be part of the party," says Stromberg.

From here, they're moving right onto Stuff the Bus, their next annual initiative.

It assists families in preparing for the Back to School season, with MyCityCare Okotoks preparing customized backpacks to prepare students for the school year.

They work with local schools to acquire supply lists to ensure students are fully equipped.

Last year, they helped over 500 students through Stuff the Bus.

Stromberg explains the philosophy the organization was founded on and that continues to guide them.

"So many times, people wait until they're really desperate and in poor circumstances to reach out for help, and we wanted to make something that was easy and accessible as possible for people to not have to wait until there was no food in the pantry. We didn't want people to have to choose between paying a bill and being able to get their kids' school supplies or between replacing a furnace and putting supper on the table and getting Christmas gifts for their kids."

More information on MyCityCare Okotoks can be seen on their website and their Facebook page.