When Santa Minaya of Bayonne moved back to New Jersey after living for many years in Florida, she didn’t have a job, and she eventually found herself on welfare.
After job-hunting for a while without any luck, her local social services office sent her to Dress for Success.
“I just wanted a job so I could be a better person,” Minaya said.
Through perseverance, Minaya eventually landed a full-time job with the organization, working in its post-Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program.
Founded in New York City in 1996, Dress for Success attempts to fill a void for low-income job seekers. A typical suit can run $100 or more in a department store, money that a low-income applicant may not have.
Dress for Success, now located at 187 Brunswick St. in Jersey City, takes in donations of professional attire, then gives them to low-income women when they have a job interview. Since the national Dress for Success first opened its doors 16 years ago, the organization has helped 350,000 low-income women prepare for job interviews, including about 38,000 in Hudson and Essex counties. The organization’s Hudson County chapter launched in 1999. A recently-created program for men, Career Gear, has helped 7,500 men prepare for the workforce.
There are now more than 50 Dress for Success locations in three countries.
Send One Suit Weekend, usually held in early March, is the organization’s main annual clothing drive.
“We really prefer new suits, although we accept gently used, gently worn clothing,” said Lillian Hernandez, executive director of Dress for Success of Hudson County.
Although the organization has a preference for business suits, they will also accept skirts, dresses, slacks, blouses, and other separates, as long as they are appropriate for the office.
“The rule of thumb is, if you wouldn’t wear it to a job interview, then you shouldn’t donate it,” she said. “We ask that people only donate those items that they themselves would wear to an interview.”
Dress for Success also will accept accessories – such as belts and shoes – that are needed to complete a professional look.
Hernandez also added that the organization is in need of clothing larger sizes.
“Many of the women we serve are a size 16, 18, or larger,” Hernandez said.
Since Dress for Success first opened its doors the organization has helped 350,000 low-income women prepare for job interviews.
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Dress Barn is a longtime partner
Dress Barn, which has stores in 80 locations across the country, has had a longstanding relationship with Dress for Success.
“We’ve been involved with Dress for Success for seven years. The mission of Dress for Success really fits into who and what we are as a company,” said Donna Baccollo, Dress Barn’s marketing manager in New York. “I’m extremely passionate about Dress for Success. We’ve all been at a place where we could have used a little help. And helping women take that first step is also synergistic with our company’s mantra of helping women feel good about themselves.”
In addition to being a drop-off site for clothing donations for Send One Suit Weekend, Dress Barn has also donated more than 20,000 brand new suits to the organization.
Dress Barn is among several national companies that have given various types of in-kind support, Hernandez said. For instance, several Verizon employees will be helping Hernandez and her staff sort through the donations that come in from the Send One Suit drive.
“We accept a lot of help from the business community. There are many opportunities for companies to assist our efforts here,” Hernandez said. “And we appreciate all the help we get.”
And so do the women who benefit from Dress for Success’ work.
“They really helped give me the confidence I needed to believe that I could do something and make something out of myself and do something with my life,” said Minaya. “If it weren’t for them, I don’t know if I’d be where I am today or not.”
For more information on Dress for Success of Hudson County, call (201) 395-0202 or see http://dfshudsoncounty.org. The Dress Barn store in Kearny can be reached at (201) 991-6885. There are also several locations in Manhattan.
To comment on this story, e-mail awright@hudsonreporter.com.