The Service Committee is putting together an opportunity to donate career clothing for women in need. There is an organization called Dress for Success, with an office located in Springfield, Mass. This organization provides “interview suits, confidence boosts and career development to more than 45,000 women in over 73 cities each year.” It is a “not-for-profit organization that helps low-income women make tailored transitions into the workforce. Each Dress for Success client receives one suit when she has a job interview and a second suit when she gets the job. The Dress for Success Professional Women’s Group program then provides ongoing support to help the client build a successful career.”
“Women are referred to Dress for Success by a continually expanding array of not-for-profit and government agencies including homeless shelters, domestic violence shelters, immigration services and job training programs.”
This organization is currently accepting gently used or new fall and winter clothing in all sizes and any off-season clothing in sizes 14 and up. All clothing should be clean and on hangers. They also will accept accessories, and new, unopened packages of pantyhose. They will only accept unworn or completely unblemished shoes.
While this organization has parameters on what they will accept, we are willing to take any gently used clothing and distribute to
local Goodwill Centers.
If anyone has extra wire hangers they would like to donate, that would be helpful for those who wish to donate clothes but use wooden or plastic hangers.
If anyone is interested in participating in this project, please bring clothing to the spring LLNE meeting on Friday, April 1, 2005 at Harvard. Barbara West and Pat Newcombe will accept the clothing at this meeting and distribute to the organizations.
Thanks for your help.
Barbara West
Pat Newcombe
Co-chairs, LLNE Service Committee