The mission of Angel Gowns Foundation Corporation, also known as Angel Gowns By Diane is to provide burial gowns for families who have suffered the loss of a child before, during or shortly after birth at no cost. To do this we seek out donation of wedding dresses, bridesmaid dresses and other formal wear in suitable and clean condition to be disassembled and the material used to create Angel Gowns.
Wedding Dresses to Angel Gowns
Turning something from someone’s brightest day to help another on their darkest.
Having lost two granddaughters, this is close to my heart. Watching my daughter suffer the unimaginable loss of two precious babies was devastating, both as a mother and a grandmother. The task of finding an outfit for Jordynn, her first baby girl who lived only a day, was both heartbreaking and frustrating.
Very often these are the smallest of our babies, way too tiny for traditional baby clothing. 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 in the midst of 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.
God bless all of our Angel Babies who touched our hearts so deeply and left entirely too soon.
Our first donated Wedding Dress became Our first Angel Gown.
What We Do
Wedding Dress to Angel Gown
- Each dress is carefully and lovingly disassembled. Any beading, appliques, lace, buttons, etc. that can be used are removed and saved.
- The seamstress/cutter then begins to cut out pattern pieces. The gown sizes are micro preemie, small, medium, and large all with matching bonnets, and wraps with shrouds for the smallest Angels. For Angel Boy gowns a vest is attached.
- Once the gowns are finished they are collected and tagged for donation to local hospitals in the Houston area.
- We have also supplied gowns to several hospitals beyond the Houston area. (see “Who We Serve”)
- Gowns are also given to individual families and funeral homes upon request.
What We’ve Achieved
Since August of 2014 we have:
- Collected nearly 5,000 dresses from all over the United States and even a few from overseas.
- Have donated more than 11,000 gowns, wraps and bonnets to Houston and other area hospitals, NICUs, funeral homes and families.
- Maintain a stock of approximately 100 gowns ready for delivery in the event of a new need being identified.
- We are a volunteer force of more than 300 people working selflessly to help others.
In March of 2015:
- We have incorporated in Texas as a non-profit S-corporation as Angel Gowns Foundation.
- It’s official, Angel Gowns Foundation Inc. (aka Angel Gowns by Diane) is a public charity as categorized by the IRS. We were granted our full 501(c)(3) status effective March 16, 2015.
Who We Serve
THE ANGEL GOWN FOUNDATION HAS PROVIDED GOWNS TO THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. WE ALSO HAVE MADE INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS TO FAMILIES IN NEED.
IF YOU KNOW OF A ORGANIZATION IN NEED OF OUR SERVICES, PLEASE CONTACT US SO WE CAN REACH OUT TO THEM.
FUNERAL HOMES/CEMETERIES:
- Dignity Memorial Forest Park, Westheimer TX
- Katy Funeral Home, Katy, TX
- Forrest Park/The Woodlands Dignity Funeral Home, Conroe,TX
- Brookside Funeral Home-Cypress Creek Houston TX
- Cypress Fairbanks Funeral Home, Houston, TX
- Bradshaw-Carter Memorial & Funeral Services, Houston, TX
- Memorial Oaks Funeral Home, Houston, TX
- Knesek Brothers Funeral Homes various locations across Texas
- Our Lady of the Rosary Cemetery, Georgetown, TX
- The Gabriels Funeral Chapel and Crematory, Georgetown, TX
- Ramsey Funeral Home, Georgetown TX
- Sneed Funeral Home, Lampasas, Tx
- Schmidt’s Funeral Home, Bellville, TX
- Vincent’s Funeral Home, Kaplan, LA
- Matthew’s Funeral Home, Jennings LA
- Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep, Houston, TX Chapter
- Covenant Funeral Home, Fredericksburg, VA
- Oakhill Cemetery, Fredericksburg, VA
HOSPITALS:
- Ben Taub Hospital, Houston, TX
- DeTar North, Victoria, TX
- LB Johnson Hospital Houston, TX
- Metroplex Adventist Hospital, Killeen, TX
- Northwest Texas Hospital, Amarillo, TX
- Memorial Hermann Katy, TX
- Women’s Memorial Hermann, Memorial City, TX
- Memorial Hermann Northeast, Humble, TX
- Memorial Hermann, Sugarland, TX
- Women’s Memorial Hermann, The Woodlands, TX
- Memorial Hermann, Southeast, TX
- Memorial Hermann, Southwest, TX
- Memorial Hermann Texas Medical Center, Houston, TX
- Memorial Hermann Baptist Beaumont Hospital, Beaumont, TX
- Methodist West Hospital, Houston, TX
- Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX
- Methodist Willowbrook, Houston, TX
- St Luke’s Hospital, The Woodlands, TX
- Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX
- Women’s and Children’s Pavillion, The Woodlands, TX
- San Jacinta Methodist Hospital, Baytown, TX
- St. Elizabeth Hospital, Beaumont, TX
- Kingwood Hospital , 22999 US Hwy 59 N, Kingwood, TX
- Tomball Regional Hospital, Tomball, TX
- Clear Lake Regional Hospital, Webster, TX
- CHI St. Joseph Health Regional Hospital in Bryan, TX
- Baylor Scott & White hospital located in Marble Falls TX
- Oak Bend Medical Center located in Richmond,TX
- Memorial Hermann SL. located in Sugar Land, TX
- Houston Methodist SL. located in Sugar Land, TX
- CHI St. Luke’s SL located in Sugar Land, TX
- Baylor Scott and White Hospital located in Brenham, TX
- Methodist Hospital The Woodlands located in Houston, TX
- Wellington Medical Center located in Wellington Fl.
- Indian River Memorial Hospital, Vero Beach, FL
- Florida Hospital Tampa, Womens Health Pavillion, Tampa, FL
- Mercy Medical Center, DesMoines, IA
- West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital, Sulphur, LA
- Womens and Childrens Hospital, Lafayette, LA
- Lafayette General Hospital, Lafayette, LA
- Bayne Jones Army Community Hospital, Fort Polk, LA
- Ochsner Baptist Medical Center, Destrehan, LA
- Ashley Regional Medical Center, Vernal, UT
- Uintah Basin Medical Center, Roosevelt, UT
- Mary Washington Hospital, Fredericksburg, VA
- Stafford Memorial Hospital, Stafford, VA
- Portsmouth Naval Center, Portsmouth, VA
- Riverside Regional Medical Center, Newport News, VA
- USAF Hospital Langley, Langley AFB, VA
- North Shore Medical Center, Salem, MA
- Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, Pittsburgh, PA
- New Beginnings Birthing Center, Lincolnton, NC
- The Children’s Hospital, Oklahoma City, OK
By donating my dress to Angel Gowns by Diane, I am giving ownership of my dress to the nonprofit and it becomes their property once I sign the donation form.
Because Angel Gowns by Diane is solely a volunteer based group, there is not a time limit placed on how long it will take for any dress to be converted into Angel Gowns. Donated gowns are often worked on by more than one volunteer and for this reason we are unable to post before and after pictures of your gown. When possible, we post pictures of completed Angel Gowns on our Facebook page.
We are unable to return a gown to you made from your gown i.e. doll dress, christening gown etc. However, you are welcome to retain any portion of your gown you would like to keep before donating. Unless the form is attached to the donation, neither a volunteer or drop off location will accept the donation.
Testimonials:
From recipients of Angel Gowns:
“September 28, 2014 my husband and I welcomed our baby girl into this world. Although she was only on this Earth for a short time, she was very loved by so many. Our baby girl, Jaicee Marie weighed in at only under a pound so there were no proper clothes to fit her tiny body. When we left the hospital and prepared for the funeral we were only going to dress her in a small handmade diaper and handmade hat. The day before the funeral I received a message about Angel Gowns by Dianne. After looking at her page and the great things she has done for many families in our similar situation, I thought about how beautiful our daughter would look in one on a very sad day. Since it was the day before her funeral service I did not think getting one would be at all possible. Through a very special family friend, emails and phone calls I received a large bag of gowns flown in to me that night! One was for my daughter and the rest were donated to Women’s and Children NICU in Lafayette Louisiana. Thanks to Dianne and her team my daughter was laid to rest in a beautiful gown that fit her very tiny body. Words cannot explain how grateful my husband and I are for this wonderful gift given to us. We are forever grateful for all who were involved in helping my husband, myself and our angel.”
From Cindy M.
“Diane I just wanted to thank you for what your doing, my daughter just lost baby Asha a month ago at Children’s Hospital in OKC. we were blessed to get one of your gowns for our angel. I can’t begin to tell you how much I appreciate what your doing, my heart is just broken for my daughter sometimes I wonder if the pain will ever go away!! I would like to help out in anyway I can, I also got a wedding dress from my niece I would like to donate, just let me know what I need to do!! God Bless You! Thanks From the bottom of my heart!”
From a donor to Angel Gowns:
April R.
“Approximately 24 years ago, I “Said Yes to The Dress”. It was beautiful and everything I had ever dreamed of. At a price tag of $800 and part time wages of $3.50 an hour it took a lot of dreaming and sacrifice to make it happen. Thanks to Juli S, I didn’t have to purchase a senior prom gown, she graciously let me borrow hers. So I felt like a princess on my wedding day, and Scott A .lovingly preserved the memories and the dress for me. My marriage ended, but I brought with me memories, knowledge and two beautiful healthy boys, and still this dress. I have finally found something worthwhile to donate this too. I am strong, but I pray I never know the strength it takes to bury a child. Thank you for taking something that was so precious, yet forgotten to me and making it beautiful again.”
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