Earlier this month, Emily's Closet had more than 400 prom dresses ready to offer to Baldwin County girls who couldn't afford them.

But all the dresses were destroyed recently after the storage unit where they were kept was accidentally emptied because of a clerical error, said Emily's Closet director Melanie Sikes.

And members of the Heritage Junior Women's Club, the nonprofit organization that organizes the program, is scrambling to find more dresses before the March 9 event.

“We're in desperate need of trying to restock our supplies,” Sikes said. “We will take any formal prom dress —new or used, it doesn't matter.”

Emily's Closet was founded in 2005 as a service project of the Heritage Junior Women's Club. Its name honors Sikes' sister, Emily Rose Parker, who was killed in a car accident in 2003 at age 16.

Since it began, Emily's Closet has given away more than 350 prom dresses, Sikes said. The project was originally only at Baldwin County High School, where Parker went to school, but it has since extended its reach to any student in Baldwin County.

“Before I was even in the (Heritage Junior Women's Club), they came up with the idea,” Sikes said. “It's a real big honor for our family to see a project that's helped so many girls that is named in honor of my sister.”

Sikes said Parker was a social butterfly in high school, especially during prom season.

“Right around prom time, our little house was like prom central,” she said. “We always had girls at our house trying on her old prom dresses, and she would always let anyone borrow them if they needed them. She was very kind hearted. So it's special to see other girls getting to enjoy the events of high school that Emily may have missed out on. And they may not have gotten the opportunity to do that if this project wasn't available.”

Every year before prom season begins, Emily's Closet sets up a boutique location, and girls who would otherwise not be able to afford a dress come to the location and are able to look through and try on hundreds of dresses.

This year, the location is the Alabama Farmers Federation (Alfa) building on Alabama 59 in Robertsdale.

“We have racks and racks of dresses, and they can try on as many dresses as they like,” Sikes said. “Sometimes, they come in and they're a little apprehensive, but once they see the amount and the quality of the dresses, then you can see they're like, 'Wow, I'll have a good prom with this. I'm not going to a yard sale picking up granny's dress.' These are really good, nice quality dresses. They leave very appreciative. I've had so many moms leave with tears in their eyes.”

Most of the guidance counselors at high schools in the county are familiar with the program, and some have even sent buses of girls to get dresses in the past, Sikes said.

Donations can be dropped off at any local high school, the North Baldwin Chamber of Commerce or even at the Alfa building on the day of the event, Sikes said.

For more information, contact the North Baldwin Chamber of Commerce at 251-937-5665.

EVENT: Emily's Closet

CAUSE: Provides girls with free prom dresses

DATE: March 9 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

LOCATION: Alabama Farmers Federation (Alfa) building, 21332 Alabama 59 in Robertsdale.

WHERE TO DONATE: Any local high school, the North Baldwin Chamber of Commerce or the Alfa building during the event. Donations are accepted all year.