Gina Cieslewicz called up to her office from the street, saying she needed at least four people.

All six women working at Lydia's Place that day last week came down to help out. Each of them then returned with an armful of dresses of all kinds, from modern to vintage, wedding to formal, brand-new to well-worn.

Lydia's Place, a nonprofit agency Downtown that helps incarcerated women and their children rebuild their lives, is collecting for its bridal and formal dresses sale, a fundraiser that will take place at The Mall at Robinson from Friday through Sunday. The sale is aimed at brides and their families who are looking to reduce costs or who want an environmentally sensitive wedding.

"It's to make money. Every time payday comes around and we have to cut a check I worry. I lay awake night after night," said Vicki Sirockman, the executive director at Lydia's Place.

This year, her organization got $75,000 from the state and $45,000 from Allegheny County, which is about one-fourth of what it costs to run the nonprofit.

Ms. Sirockman got the idea of a gown sale from a similar sale run by Goodwill in Boston in March. In late June, Lydia's Place sent out news releases calling for local women to empty their closets.

"Normally it takes longer to do something like this, but we needed to make up for the budget shortfall and The Mall gave us [the space] this week," Ms. Sirockman said.

The two closets in the office of Jean Harvey, the case aide manager, now are packed with dresses; dresses are also piled up in Ms. Sirockman's office, and occupy the room where Ms. Cieslewicz, an AmeriCorps volunteer, usually sits. Ms. Sirockman estimated that she had about 150 more at her home. There are also accessories like shoes, hats, bags and gloves.

"People are very generous," said Ms. Sirockman. So far her organization has received about 800 items, including bridal gowns, flower girl dresses, mother-of-the-bride dresses, bridesmaid dresses and prom dresses.

More are still coming in.

Jonni Greco Brashear of West Mifflin donated three dresses, including ones that her daughters wore to the Cinderella Ball, the annual event honoring young Catholic women volunteers.

Ms. Brashear said there was not enough space in her house and her family wanted the dresses to benefit someone.

Some donors were divorced brides who wanted to get rid of the mementos of their marriages. Some bought their dresses but never wore them.

"One girl is going to get married on Sunday and will bring up her dress in on Monday. Isn't it amazing?" Ms. Sirockman said.

The oldest dress donated so far is from 1947.

Jennifer Kelly of Mt. Lebanon dropped off her wedding dress at Lydia's Place a month ago. "Most women have the dresses and they don't know what to do with them," she said. She paid $4,500 for the dress for her wedding in August 2005 and had wanted to donate it.

While Ms. Cieslewicz went around collecting more than 400 dresses, she heard stories about the gowns. Many of the donors had long marriages and gave their dresses in the hopes of sparking similar unions.

"They donated the dress with the hope that whatever it is it kept them together for 40 or 50 years had somehow attached to the dress and will pass to the person who buys it."

The women of Lydia's checked out the dresses as they sorted through them.

"Great! I like this," exclaimed Jamie Blair, an intern from Hampshire College in Massachusetts, while she was trying on a green cocktail dress from the pile that Ms. Cieslewicz had just brought back.

"It's adorable!" said Ms. Sirockman.

"Oh, it kills me! I hate it!" said Nadyne Smith, an intern from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Social Work, throwing a black prom dress back to the sofa.

"I'd say it was before the hippie [era]," Ms. Sirockman said, shaking out another dress. "I don't want to transport it back but no one is going to buy it"

"Hey, put it on the 'make me an offer.' Give me one dollar and take it!" Ms. Harvey suggested.

Lydia's Place plans to price dresses starting at $20; the brand-new wedding dresses may cost $300.

"We are willing to make a deal, we will allow people to bargain with us," said Ms. Sirockman.

Shema Krinsky, the marketing director of The Mall at Robinson, said she believed there would be an overwhelming response during the sale. Wedding dresses are expensive, often costing hundreds or thousands of dollars. With the economic downturn, people are looking for ways to save money, she said. "Brides and their families will come to find discounts."