Local Women in Need Who Want to 'Dress for Success' Get a Helping Hand

It's hard enough to get a job. For women who lack the right clothes to get the edge at a job interview, it makes securing employment an almost Herculean effort.

That's why Dressbarn is again teaming up with the non-profit Dress for Success to 'Send One Suit' - or S.O.S. - to female job seekers who need a hand in the wardrobe department.

The 'Send One Suit' mission is to collect more than 60,000 articles of clothing for women who need professional business attire. 

The weekend donation drive for S.O.S. will take place from Thursday, March 1 to Sunday, March 4. It marks the 10th consecutive year Dressbarn and Dress for Success have worked together to help women in need. All 825 Dressbarn stores across the country, including local stores in Edison and Linden, will serve as drop-off sites for new or gently used professional attire. This includes suits, dress shirts, blazers, pants, dresses, and shoes which will be used to benefit women seeking to move into the workforce.

Since the inception of the S.O.S. campaign, Dressbarn and Dress for Success have helped more than 125,000 women to "gain a renewed sense of self, as well as economic stability,” according to Vivian Behrens of Dressbarn. 

“Ask any of those women and I’m sure they’ll say the donations they received were more than just gestures of good will, they were lifelines. It is our hope that now, more than ever, people will help us in our quest to turn second-hand suits into second chances," Behrens said in a statement.

Last year, more than 51,000 professional items of clothing were collected during the drive. This year, Dressbarn is seeking to expand the donations to 60,000 garments. 

Donors will be rewarded with more than just the sense of having helped other women achieve the chance to be properly attired for a job interview. Anyone who drops off a garment at a Dressbarn will receive an additional 15% off their total purchase for anything they buy.

For more information on Dress for Success, call 212-532-1922 or visit their website. To donate clothing, visit your local Dressbarn (click here for information on the store closest to you.)