Young Professionals host clothing drive to benefit Mercer County residents

Two local organizations that promote workforce development will be the recipients of business clothing donations collected by Princeton Leeep, the young professionals program of the Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce.

This is the second year for the collection, and last year the group collected 165 items totaling close to $5,000 in donations, which was donated to Dress for Success and UIH Family Partners, organizations that promote economic independence in Mercer County women and men.

“Closet Clean Out got started last year as a Princeton Leeep project that could get the whole chamber involved. It was so successful we decided to make it an annual event,” said Lauren Medici, Springpoint Senior Living Foundation, a member of the Princeton Leeep steering committee. “We wanted to work with local organizations, and we wanted to focus on organizations that help get prepare disadvantaged people for the workforce and professional world. Both Dress For Success and UIH have workforce development programs that help men and women get on the path to a career. While the clothing may seem like a small thing, having those professional clothes can make all the difference.”

New clothes do help boost confidence and encourage people, especially those looking for work, according to the recipient organization.

“Our career services support women in the community who are desperately searching for employment,” said Lorrie Klaric, executive director of Dress for Success Mercer County. “Our clients are provided with professional business attire for their interviews and they receive a dose of confidence throughout the process. We hope that by going through our career development process they become empowered to obtain employment and thrive in their careers.”

Last year the five-year-old organization served 388 women in the greater Mercer County area through their image enhancement suiting program in addition to their new career center. The Career Center, which launched in September 2011, is quickly become a cornerstone of the organization.

Clothing donations will be accepted at the following Chamber events:

October 4^th –Monthly Membership Luncheon

Princeton Marriott Hotel & Conference Center
October 11^th ­–Women’s Leadership Conference

Princeton Marriott Hotel & Conference Center

October 25^th–Business After Business Reception

University Medical Center of Plainsboro at Princeton

November 4^th– Leeep Young Professionals Conference

National Conference Center, East Windsor

Classic or in current style (3-5 years old) attire including: business suits,  business jackets and blazers, business slacks, business skirts & dresses, business shirts,  business blouses, sweater suits, shoes and accessories, will be accepted. Clothing can be gently used, but must be in clean condition. Please bring donations on hangers.

The mission of Dress for Success is to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life.  Dress for Success Mercer County provides work-appropriate attire to the women of Mercer, Middlesex and Monmouth County who are seeking employment, and who are unable to afford this essential apparel to make a positive first impression.

Nationally, Dress for Success has suited more than 650,000 women since our inception in 1997; In 2011 alone Dress for Success served over 55,000 women.

The mission of UIH Family Partners is to build effective families through innovative programs for parents and children. While UIH Family Partners serves men from all walks of life, many face systemic barriers to finding and retaining employment that pays a living wage.  Thier services empower and equip men to play a more active and positive in the lives of their children and families, emotionally as well as financially. 

The Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce is a membership organization committed to promoting business growth within the Princeton Region and surrounding areas. With more than 1,700 individual contacts and more than 880 Member companies, the Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce membership is primarily focused in five central New Jersey counties and stretches as far as New York, Philadelphia and Canada.

For more information contact Vikki Hurley-Schubert at (609) 924-1776, ext. 100, Vikki@princetonchamber.org or visit www.princetonchamber.org.