Thursday, October 1, 2026
You’re Our Unity — a nonprofit that focuses on empowering youth and providing resources for self-love and growth within the community — hosted its fifth annual prom giveaway at Sewanhaka High School, offering students free formalwear, styling support and the full prom experience without the financial pressure.
The event started as a small community effort in 2022 and has grown into an annual giveaway that draws high school students from across New York for the ultimate prom experience.
LeShawn Walker, founder of You’re Our Unity based in Valley Stream, said the goal has always been to make sure students feel supported and celebrated during an important milestone.
“It’s all about giving back,” Walker said. “It’s about serving. It’s about filling a void. It’s about outreach.”
Walker said the first event came together with help from her daughter, Jay Ellis, who works in fashion and now plays a central role in styling and organizing the giveaway.
Ellis said she’s been involved for about four or five years and sees it as something deeply personal, not just organizational work.
“I have just been her support system, in helping her build out the whole entire process of everything,” Ellis said.
That support includes collecting donated dresses, suits and accessories from friends, family and local supporters. Ellis said one of her priorities now is making sure boys are included just as much as girls.
“We are focusing more on also getting more male items in,” she said, adding that prom should feel like a complete experience for everyone, not just one group.
During the event, Ellis works directly with students to build full looks, from outfits to shoes and accessories. She said the process is hands-on and collaborative, with volunteers working together to help each student find something that feels right.
Even when certain items aren’t available, she said the goal is to guide students so they can still complete their look afterward.
“We try our hardest to mirror that experience,” Ellis said, adding that the team is intentional about how the event feels, not wanting it to come across as charity.
“We want you to feel seen. We want you to feel respected and honored in that moment,” she said.
Four years ago, You’re Our Unity invited another nonprofit to join forces for the event. Meera Empowerment of Elmont, founded by 13-year-old Selene Ferdinand, is another organization committed to spreading kindness and positivity when contributing to the community. Selene said that the initiative really helps the students, “especially the ones who might not be able to afford a prom dress or prom shoes.” Meera collaborates with various organizations and organizes events throughout the year, including toy drives and volunteer initiatives, aimed at encouraging children and teenagers to engage in similar acts of service.
Walker said that mindset has helped the event grow year after year, especially as partnerships with groups like Meera Empowerment have expanded its reach. Students now travel from across the region — including Brooklyn, the Bronx, Westchester and beyond — to attend.
Ellis said what makes the experience meaningful is the way everyone involved works together, from volunteers to families.
“It’s all a teamwork type of event,” she said, describing how staff and volunteers bounce ideas off one another to help style students.
She also said a big part of the experience is recreating the feeling of going prom shopping with someone who is truly invested in helping.
“We don’t want the families and the kids to come in thinking that it’s kind of like a charity type of case,” Ellis said.
For Ellis, the work is also tied to her background in fashion merchandising and business, as well as growing up around family members who valued style and creativity. She said that influence shaped both her career and her desire to give back.
Walker said that same sense of connection is what keeps the initiative going. For her, You’re Our Unity is about more than prom — it’s about creating moments where young people feel supported, valued and included.
