Volunteer Laura Wittig displays some of the grad dresses at Gowns for Grads in Winnipeg, Man. Monday May 02, 2016. Brian Donogh/Winnipeg Sun/Postmedia Network

Every time Laura Wittig sees the expression on a young woman's face as she tries on a grad dress for the first time, it reinforces why she volunteers her time with Gowns for Grads.

"Every year it's such an amazing experience," Wittig said Monday.

"With so many of these girls you could tell it was the first time they ever put on an evening gown. The reactions you see from the girls, it's a pretty cool experience."

Gowns for Grads was launched in Winnipeg by St. John's High School in 2009 when it was realized some young women weren't attending their graduation because they didn't have a dress to wear.

The program is offered at high schools across the city. In the months leading up to grad, girls can sign up with either a teacher or guidance counsellor who acts as a co-ordinator at their school. Gowns for Grads has supplied evening gowns for about 400 girls each year. It appears about 450 will participate this spring.

"This year we had record attendance, so we only anticipate those numbers will keep going up in the future," said Wittig, the program's spokeswoman.

"We are 100% volunteer (driven) and we don't get any funding from any organization, so it's really difficult to find 450 gowns."

In previous years, the girls would get fitted for their gowns at a temporary set up at the RBC Convention Centre.

"We would drag these gowns back and forth, then set up for the what was usually the last two weeks of April when we would do the shopping event," Wittig said.

The program received a major boost this year by obtaining a donated semi-permanent location on Albert Street in the Exchange District.

"Everyone on our committee is so talented and creative, and they've transformed it with change rooms and mirrors, they've painted it all and it just looks great," Wittig said. "The whole idea is that we don't want the girls to feel like they're getting a handout or a hand-me-down dress.

"It's like their own boutique shopping experience. It's just like being at a salon, trying on their grad dress."

Wednesday is the final day for girls to select their dresses, but the program continues to collect donated gowns all year. Donations of shoes, jewelry and evening purses are also gratefully accepted.

"The big push at this moment is we have trouble finding the plus-sized gowns and some of the smaller sizes as well," Wittig said, noting they are looking for donations of newer, quality gowns, not those that are long outdated.

A grad dress can generally cost $300 to $500, she said.

"(The expense) is pretty crazy," Wittig said. "They're worn once then so many girls just put them in the back of their closet and they're never looked at again.

"So it's the best way to repurpose that gown. There's not many other occasions you could wear that to, which is why it's such a great cause."Read more at:http://www.marieaustralia.com/evening-dresses