Dress For Success (organization)

Dress for Success is a global nonprofit organization that provides professional attire for low-income women, to help support their job-search and interview process. The organization was founded in 1997[1] by Nancy Lublin, and has since spread from Harlem, New York City, to 79 cities in the United States and around the world in 2004,[2] reaching about 45,000 clients each year in 2006,[3] and now serves 850,000 women in 140 locations. The parent organization's current CEO is Joi Gordon.[4]

The organization's approach is based on social research suggesting that suitable attire is important to "impression formation", which in turn impacts job prospects.[5] However, its approach has also been criticized by researchers, who found that the "benevolence of affluent volunteers serves to reinforce class and race superiority while producing moments of genuine care and connection." [6]

Now a global organization, Dress for Success Worldwide supports its programs through a combination of grants, government funding, fundraising events and campaigns.[7] In 2013, the parent organization received over $17 million in funding, more than 99% of which came from direct contributions by individuals, corporations, and non-governmental organizations.[8] Dress for Success has received ongoing funding ($7 million USD) through a partnership with the Walmart Foundation, which funded a skills-development program (“Going Places Network by Walmart”).[9]

External links

References

  1. ↑ "Nancy Lublin, founder of Dress for Success". National Public Radio. October 21, 2010.
  2. ↑ Dees, Gregory; Battle Anderson, Beth; Wei-skillern, Jane (2004). "Stanford Social Innovation Review" (PDF) (Spring): 29.
  3. ↑ Groff, Seniye (2006). "Exploring the value and impact of diversity training for a female-oriented nonprofit". Performance Improvement 45 (7): 30–34. doi:10.1002/pfi.2006.4930450707.
  4. ↑ Bell, Linda. "FOX Front to Black: Joi Gordon, CEO of Dress for Success Worldwide". FOX Business. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  5. ↑ Turner-Bowker, Diane M. (2001). "How Can You Pull Yourself up by Your Bootstraps, if You Don’t Have Boots? Work-Appropriate Clothing for Poor Women". Journal of Social Issues 57 (2). Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  6. ↑ Cummins, Emily R.; Blum, Linda M. (October 2015). ""Suits To Self-Sufficiency" Dress for Success and Neoliberal Maternalism". Gender & Society 29 (5): 623–646. doi:10.1177/0891243215591949.
  7. ↑ "Dress for Success Worldwide". Charity Navigator. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  8. ↑ "2013 990 Document". Guidestar.org. Guidestar. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  9. ↑ "New $2.5 Million Grant from the Walmart Foundation Allows Dress for Success to Expand Career Development Services for Unemployed and Underemployed Women [Press Release]". Dress For Success. 2015. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
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