Practicality and extravagance go hand-in-hand thanks to Winnipeg's Gowns for Grads.

Graduation is a monumental time in a young person's life, but can also prove to be an incredibly expensive one. Gowns for Grads aims to alleviate some of the financial stress of graduation from the shoulders of grads by providing them with a dress and the real experience of dolling up for their big day.

"We repurpose graduation gowns from people who have already worn them to their own [graduations], who wanted to [donate] them in order to be redistributed to those who may not be able to afford such a beautiful gown," explained Laura Wittig from the organization.

The organization primarily seeks to provide graduates with dresses for their big day but also welcomes donations of shoes, jewelry, purses, and wraps to really give grads a sense of the full graduation experience.

"They really feel beautiful and I think it's just such a special gift to be able to give them." -Laura Wittig

Whittig, who has seen the program in action herself says the transformation that comes over the graduates who receive a dress from them is nothing short of extraordinary.

"It's super cool because some of these young women aren't putting on such extravagant gowns all the time," she explained. "For some of them, it's maybe the first or second time they even tried on such a dress, and it's just really... the word that comes to mind is 'confidence.'

"They really feel beautiful and I think it's just such a special gift to be able to give them."

In 2018, Gowns for Grads outfitted just over 520 graduates and served over 70 schools in Manitoba.

"It's so important because I think that it's just such a huge accomplishment," Wittig shared, noting that many of the grads they work with are the first in their family to experience graduation. "What these young women have done is absolutely huge. I think that  they just deserve to celebrate and enjoy that entire experience start to finish as any of their peers would."

Currently, the organization is searching for donations of plus-size dresses. Gowns for Grads accepts donations of dresses and grad accessories year-round at various drop-off locations.