Dream Dresses: Giving New Life to Tradition

How a teen-led Nonprofit is transforming closets into confidence

By Like Media Team

Avani Bansal's nonprofit, Dream Dresses, connects underprivileged children in India with traditional Indian clothing that remains unused. A personal insight discovered in 2021 developed into a youth-run project covering 14 states across the United States. The group acquires second-hand Indian clothing from U.S. and U.K. households to provide disadvantaged Indian children with traditional festival outfits they couldn't otherwise afford.

Avani was inspired while cleaning her closet, discovering beautiful but unworn Indian dresses that had outgrown their use. “Goodwill has no use for this kind of ethnic clothing,” she explained. That’s when she got the idea of Dream Dresses. The mission is to repurpose these outfits, instilling confidence in kids while preserving cultural identity. Since its inception, Dream Dresses has donated over 10,000 traditional outfits, an achievement rooted in the dedication of donors, volunteers, and local communities.

For Avani, who grew up in Washington after moving from India as a child, visiting her home country shed light on the realities of poverty. This perspective, combined with Washington’s thriving Indian population, became the foundation for the nonprofit. Collaborating with a supportive network of volunteers and donors, Dream Dresses has grown through grassroots efforts and creative initiatives.

One of the organization’s significant challenges has been shipping costs. To address this, Dream Dresses launched its “Carry a Bag” initiative, encouraging travelers to India to check in a bag filled with donations. “It’s not a big time commitment, and the change we make feels very tangible when we see pictures of children receiving our donations,” shared Amuktha Nayudu, Washington State Lead.

Behind the scenes, Dream Dresses operates with a structure divided into teams, including marketing, social media, fundraising, and human resources. Volunteers and interns are vital to its operations, gaining exposure to fields like finance and marketing while contributing to a meaningful cause. “Each team member plays a specific role,” Avani noted. “This has helped streamline what we do and allows us to grow.”

The impact of Dream Dresses is best reflected in heartfelt moments shared by the team. Avani recalls a six-year-old girl, Ishita, who cried joy upon receiving her outfit, saying, “Seeing all the kids’ happiness receiving the dresses reminded me of what all our efforts in Dream Dresses are going towards and made everything worth it.” Similarly, New York State Lead Maria Samuel shared, “I remember the first time I received a donation of dresses at the NY collection center. It was a donation of 60 beautiful outfits collected at an annual clothes drive conducted by a high school student. It was wonderful to see how different areas of our community could connect to serve this cause together!” Both stories highlight Dream Dresses' impact on children and the communities that come together to support them.

Dream Dresses also values its partnerships, particularly in Washington. Collaborations with organizations like the Vedic Cultural Center and ExpressionArts have helped raise awareness, recruit volunteers, and fundraise.

Looking ahead, Dream Dresses aims to expand internationally, supporting refugees from countries like Iran, Iraq, and Sudan through partner organizations. Avani envisions a growing team of volunteers of all ages joining the mission.

Businesses and individuals can donate clothing, volunteer, or contribute funds through their GoFundMe.com/f/giving-needy-kids-their-dream-dresses page to support Dream Dresses. For more information, visit DreamDresses.org and follow them on Instagram.com/DreamDressesNonProfit and Facebook.com/people/Dream-Dresses/100079723268058.

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