I became involved with Dress for Success through my company. Our women's affiliate group was looking for an organization we could work with, and we were immediately hooked - women helping wome get back to work. We started a small volunteer team, and engaged with Dress for Success to find ways we could help. We've run clothing and accessory drives annually, support the job acquisition training program by teaching a course on networking and providing 1x1 practice interviews, and celebrate program graduation 3x a year. I was so touched by my experiences in working with each woman, that I wanted to be even more involved, and became a member of the board in 2013.
I believe the Dress for Success team is very strong. The non profit is fiscally responsible, where the vast majority of funds go to programs that directly support the women they serve. In addition, the real strength they have is in making the 1x1 connection with each woman - assessing her needs and then enabling her to seek and then secure a meaningful job. From career coaching, to interview suiting, to job acquisition skills - Dress for Success provides much needed support to enable a woman to lift herself out of poverty.
The need in our area is much larger than I expected - with a significant number of women, mostly single mothers, being out of work and living in poverty. The work this non profit does is relevant, much needed, and so critical to the success of our community.
I met Dress for Success when I did a suit drive for a company I was working with. I was moved by a poster that showed a women in a business suit jacket that said....."to many women this is a life jacket." That memory stayed with me and when I retired, I committed myself to bringing these services to women in my home state. Every day I am rewarded when I see the changes wrought in a woman when she has her first business card, a tight resume, a great suit and a firm and confident hand shake. Dress for Success is the most rewarding volunteer work I have ever done in my life. Try it - you too will become a champion.