How We Began
Angel Gowns of South Bay was founded in February 2018 by San Pedro artist and resident, Gayle Fleury, to help ease the suffering of parents who have lost their children before, during, or shortly after birth in a small but meaningful way.
A Wedding Dress’s Journey
- People from all over Southern California have donated their old wedding gowns to be re-made into burial gowns or wraps for these small souls and their families. Many of the donated gowns come with stories: of family, friends, loss, laughter… Virtually all of the donations come with a wish to give new meaning to a gown that has outlived its original purpose.
(Click here to learn how to donate your gown)
- A group of dedicated volunteers meet monthly at Waterfront Studios to deconstruct gowns. They are then cut, sewn and lovingly finished and packaged. Each gown has a set of angel wings added to it, to help them on their journey.
- Completed gowns are distributed to local hospitals and care centers, where chaplains or charge nurses donate to families who need a kind gesture from the community to help ease their grief.
Some of the local recipients include: Providence Little Company of Mary Hospitals in San Pedro and Torrance, Kaiser South Bay, Harbor General, and Torrance Memorial
Bridal Loan Program
Maria’s Closet of San Pedro, CA received a donation of a dozen never-worn wedding gowns, which they then re-donated to Angel Gowns. Before these beautiful dresses make their journey as angel gowns, they are being loaned out to local brides who either cannot afford an expensive gown or would be unable to keep it afterward. After they have finished bringing joy to a bride, the dresses will be used to make angel gowns to bring comfort to parents suffering from loss.
(Click here to learn more about the Bridal Loan Program)
(Click here to see our first bride’s story!)
Angel Gowns Hospice Project
In celebration of its one-year anniversary,Angel Gowns of South Bay has started a new initiative. We are working on the creation of patient gowns for Providence Trinitycare Hospice in Torrance, CA. They will be specially designed for children in hospice care who would like some fun, comfort and dignity in their gowns, with ease of medical access for their caregivers.
(Click here to follow the story on the development of Angel Hospice Gowns)