Save the Date: Operation Deploy Your Dress

Operation Deploy Your Dress – DC Pop Up

Date: April 25, 2020 (1-day dress distribution event)

Location: AUSA Headquarters 2425 Wilson Blvd. Arlington VA

This event is open to ALL ranks and ALL branches of service

Volunteer opportunities: Donate formal and semi formal attire and accessories (shoes,
shawls, purses and jewelry), Volunteer to be on the planning committee, be a drop off location or dress/donation collector, Volunteer for event day activities (dressing room attendant, help recipients choose dresses, re-rack and keep racks stocked, sit at the sign in or sign out table, there’s something for everyone). Contact Melissa Pederson at (703)350-5549 or Robin Powers at (317)432-8885 for more information on how to get involved.

Mission Statement: It is the mission of Operation Deploy Your Dress to provide free formalwear, donated by the American public, to military ID card holders in an effort to boost the attendance at military balls and build camaraderie in military communities.

Vision: Grow ODYD to connect as many military families on as many installations as we can. We see our program having a 3-pronged impact on a military community.
1. Deploying America’s patriotism (bridging the military/civilian gap)
2. Fostering community through volunteerism
3. Upholding military tradition and encouraging camaraderie

Goal: Collect and distribute gently used and new formal attire to help offset the cost of military balls and other formal events all while building a community around military spouses helping military spouses.

History: In late December of 2015, five military spouses at Fort Bliss teamed up to host an event that would assist their unit spouses with finding affordable formal wear to help ease some of the financial burden that accompanies going to a Military Ball. What began as a casual conversation among friends, quickly gathered momentum and received national media attention. Consequently, thousands of gowns, shoes, and other formal accessories arrived from all over the country.

Fast forward 4 years and we are now operating shops on 7 military installations around the country with weekly openings. Through the overwhelming generosity of the American public, ODYD has given away over 11,000 FREE formal gowns, thousands of accessories and shoes.

ODYD has saved military service members and families more than $1,000,000 on a conservative estimate.