In the coming months, teens across Metro Vancouver will celebrate their high school graduation -- but not all students can afford to take part in the festivities.

That's where the Vancouver-based Cinderella Project comes in. The charity gives a select group of guys and girls the chance to make their grad dreams come true by providing suits, dresses, shoes, accessories, and hair and makeup services for their big night, all free of charge.

And there's plenty to choose from; outfits of all sizes, shapes and colours are available, donated by individuals and businesses.

The group has assisted about 1800 students since it's inception in 1999, and organizers say their efforts have inspired similar projects across Canada.

"It means a lot to me," participant Alisha Hall said. "I don't know if I'd be able to have as magical a night, or even to be able to have a night without this."

Hall, a Grade 12 student from Burnaby, is familiar with the process, having spent the last four years volunteering with the project.

"It was so much fun, seeing all the dresses and thinking that I was helping someone have the best day of their life," she said.

Participants, dubbed Cinderellas or Cinderfellas, are also paired up with a volunteer "godmother" or "godfather" to help them through the process. Hall's godmother turned out to be her former elementary school principal, Judy Morrison.

"That's wonderful, for me to see these kids when they were little and then to get to see them be a success," Morrison said.

Hall's proud mom Sandy Barrass came along as well, and had to hold back tears watching her little girl get ready to graduate high school.

"I was told I'm not allowed to cry," she said.

Barrass said her daughter enjoys giving back to others, volunteering at Covenant House and springing into action after the Haiti earthquake.

"She got a group of kids and they did a fundraiser and they raised almost $14,000 in two days,"

The project also gives godmothers and godfathers a chance to talk to participants about their post-secondary plans -– though Hall already has that part figured out.

"I got accepted to SFU for political science," she said.

With a report from CTV British Columbia's Maria Weisgarber