Today we’d like to introduce you to Diane Dionne.
Diane, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
We collect wedding and formal dresses to create angel gowns for angel babies. Very often these are the smallest of our babies, way too tiny for traditional baby clothes. As my daughter and I discovered through the horrible experience of trying to find something, there was nothing. We almost ended up using doll clothes. It was a devastating disappointment and the fact that it took hours to find during such grieving just seemed so wrong.
After experiencing this first hand I heard about the Angel Gowns and I have made it my mission to help as many parents during this horrible time.
Our volunteer base has reached 300 and we are in numerous states besides TX. We deliver the gowns to all the Houston area hospitals and funeral homes as well as to other hospitals all over the US. Since starting with our first delivery August 5, 2015 we have helped close to 16,000 families. We became a 501(c)3 nonprofit in March of 2016. We currently do not have an office due to the cost. We survive off donations that are made to our nonprofit and this money is used to overnight gowns to families out of state and to pay for the storage units that are climate controlled that house the dresses until they are transformed into Angel Gowns.
Has it been a smooth road?
No it has not been an easy road! Funding is one of our biggest challenges. We survive off the generosity of others and at times the coffers are almost empty, and it comes out of my personal finances if a family is in need. To overnight an angel gown is extremely expensive (anywhere from $30 to over $100 depending on where it is being sent to). We never charge a family for ANYTHING, but this method of shipping is a necessity since the gown if for their baby’s funeral. Not having an office is another huge bump in the road. Our nonprofit is growing so quickly that we are to the point that we need an office but cannot afford the cost. The biggest challenge for me right now is I am running the nonprofit from HAWAII with amazing admins who are keeping it going and growing in the Houston area. Also finding people who know how to sew who would like to volunteer is an upwards battle too.
So, let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Angel Gowns Foundation story. Tell us more about the business.
My nonprofit takes donated wedding and formal dresses and creates Angel Gowns for the babies who are either born sleeping, or pass away shortly after birth, or a born prematurely and gain their wings. There are not outfits available in stores for these littlest babies. We work closely with other nonprofits who help parents in their darkest hour and what sets us apart is some of our volunteers are dedicated to helping a family who finds out months before that their baby will not survive at birth and work to create an angel gown that is made with love for their baby, sometimes out of the mom’s wedding dress. We get an email or a Facebook message even in the middle of the night and we try to answer immediately to get a gown to the family asap. I am most proud of how much the nonprofit has grown in not even 3 years. To know that thousands and thousands of families had something made from love from a dress that had nothing, but happy memories attached, to dress their baby for the one and only time they were able to makes me so proud. We are on a steady rise even as I am typing this. We are hearing from more and more hospitals and funeral homes who are all over who have heard about our nonprofit. and to know that we serve all the Houston hospitals including Ben Taub and LB Johnson, the charity hospitals is extra special.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?. I LOVE how Houston stays strong. I love going to Minute Made Park to watch our Astros. Even when they were at their absolute worst. The fact that Houston embraced Angel Gowns makes my heart happy. I DISLIKE all the crime that happens. The drive bys, just…..ALL the crime. Just makes my heart sad.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.angelgownsbydiane.org
- Email: angelgownsbydiane@gmail.com
- Facebook: Angel Gowns by Diane
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
