Article by: Marie Plourde…Staff Writer

When you hear “Dress for Success,” you probably think about a worldwide non-profit organization that provides business suits for women in need. While that is true, it is not the whole story.
Over the last two years, Dress for Success Western Mass has adapted and expanded due to the changing nature of the pandemic world. Their goals for the women who walk into the boutique remain the same; “to achieve economic independence, acquire a network of support, professional attire, and the tools to thrive in life.” said Diane Jacobs, their Volunteer Engagement Manager, but these goals are even more achievable now.

Going beyond clothes, Dress for Success Western Mass has a job readiness program, “A Foot in the Door”, which is designed for women who are underemployed, unemployed, or just getting back into the workforce. There is a monthly dinner, a daycare, and a keynote speaker to “center and keep the women motivated.” Throughout the program, you will go through mock interviews, ending with a real interview from outside organizations that hire them 99% of the time.
There are also several 1 on 1 mentorship programs such as “The Lynx”, “Margret Fitzgerald”, and a Digital Literacy program that was created because of the pandemic. “The Lynx” is an organization for Black women by Black women who are college professors seeking to help women in need. The “Margret Fitzgerald” program is a 1-year mentorship with an incredible amount of funds and recourses. But nothing is quite like their Digital Literacy program where at the end of the 1 on 1 coaching, the woman will be given a laptop so that they can implement their new skills.
You may have seen Dress for Success hold a tag sale at Enfield Mall to help fund their organization, their last one having over 70 women volunteers, individuals from the Hampden County Jail Community Service pig ram, and 2 Miss Massachusetts contestants. They use the extra clothes they receive, as the number of women coming in for a fitting has declined in recent years due to the pandemic, having suited around 450 women in 2019 compared to only around 85 women in 2020. So far, they have suited about 100 women this year, but what many women do not realize is that Dress for Success offers a variety of clothing for every area of the workforce, including; business casual, company dinners, and scrubs, as well as larger shoe sizes for women who have gone through transition.

However, things are not all perfect for Dress for Success. The Boston location has been closed for donations for over a year. Due to the closure, Western Mass has been receiving clothes from as far as Boston to Ludlow, but the board is finding that the load is too much for the non-profit organization. Dress for Success Western Mass is in dire need of more volunteers to help organize and stock clothes for the boutique so that they can better help women in our area. To find out more on you can help contact westernmass@dressforsuccess.org