Following is a guest post by Megan Goins, marketing and communications specialist for Dress for Success Cincinnati. Greater Harrison Chamber members are invited to share their expertise. Contact the Chamber to learn more.
Dress for Success Cincinnati has been the first step to a better life for thousands of local women since our founding in 1999. Dress for Success Cincinnati is focused specifically on the needs of unemployed and under-employed women and their families. Our successful programs empower women first to secure employment and ultimately to thrive in their careers, their lives and their communities.
Dress for Success Cincinnati became renowned for providing interview suits to women returning to or entering the workforce. Our mission has expanded to include a wide variety of workforce development programs, including StyleHER, HigherHER and EmpowerHER.
StyleHER: Solving the “Catch-22”
StyleHER: Dress for Success Cincinnati solves the “Catch-22” that confronts women trying to enter the workforce: without a job, how can you afford an interview outfit? But without the outfit, how do you make a great impression at that interview? We offer styling services for upcoming interviews as well as services when a woman secures employment. During a styling appointment for an upcoming interview, she will receive a fabulous outfit, complete with shoes, accessories and a handbag. Once she is offered the job, she can return and be styled with 10 new pieces to start her new career in! This service is provided at our office in Norwood, Oh and our satellite locations at The Care Center in Loveland, Oh and The Life Learning Center in Covington, Ky. If you or a woman you know is interested in our StyleHER program, please contact Styling Services Manager Kate Black at kblack@dfscincy.org.
HigherHER: Providing Professional Skills and More
HigherHER: Our HigherHER women’s career development program helps unemployed and under-employed women gain professional skills, accelerate their job search and build confidence through the HigherHER curriculum and our partnership with Cincinnati Works in our Career Center. HigherHER can vary in length depending on the needs of the class, but the program is typically four weeks long with three weeks of training and a fourth week of mock interviews with Cincinnati employers. The curriculum ranges from “Organizational Job Search Planning” to “Understanding Your Benefits” and includes much more in between! If you are interested in attending our HigherHER class, please reach out to Programs Director, Dr. Angela Rivers-Harper at ariversharper@dfscincy.org.
EmpowerHER: Helping Women Reach Economic Self-Sufficiency
EmpowerHER: Our EmpowerHER program offers ongoing support to help women reach economic self-sufficiency and the goal of being able to give back to the community. EmpowerHER provides educational opportunities and a network that helps women in the workplace continue to develop skills and advance in their careers. We offer meetings and events including expert speakers and networking with professionals from a variety of industries and with other women who have made similar transitions into the workforce. Topics are centered around financial wellness, corporate culture, work-life balance, health and wellness and leadership and civic responsibility. EmpowerHER members have lifelong access to resources that will help them further their personal and professional growth. If you or a woman you know is interested in attending or volunteering to speak at one of our EmpowerHER events, please contact Programs Director Dr. Angela Rivers-Harper at ariversharper@dfscincy.org.
How to Get Involved with Dress for Success Cincinnati
There are many ways to become partners in the Dress for Success Cincinnati mission to help local women achieve self-sufficiency and to care for themselves, their families and their communities.
- Volunteer: Volunteer support is essential to our ability to empower women. The success of the programs and services we provide is volunteer driven, and your time and talent supports our staff. Without volunteers, we simply would not be able to fulfill our mission. Volunteer opportunities include helping style clients, working special events, and more! Please reach out to Volunteer Manager, Courtney Shannon at cshannon@dfscincy.org.
- Donate Clothing: Your donations of women’s new or nearly new clothing, shoes and accessories keep us going! Interview and work appropriate items support our StyleHER program, helping women dress to get a job and be successful in the workplace. We accept donations Tuesday-Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Dress for Success Cincinnati Donation Center(4623 Wesley Avenue, Norwood OH 45212). If you have any questions about the donation process, please call us at 513- 651-3372.
- Donate Money: A financial contribution is a critical way to support Dress for Success Cincinnati, funding our effective programs and services, which allow us to respond to the changing needs of local women. You can send a check directly to our office at 4623 Wesley Avenue, Suite H, Cincinnati, OH 45212 or pay by credit card through any Donate button on our website. Please contact Development Director, Alex Morton-Green at alex@dfscincy.org with any questions.
- Shop at Portaluca: Portaluca is a vibrant boutique located in the heart of Norwood, Ohio at 4623 Wesley Avenue, Suite I. Portaluca exists to provide quality fashion at affordable prices, helping women to feel confident, optimistic, and beautiful. Open to everyone, we sell women’s new and new-ish clothing and accessories at great prices. Most importantly, all proceeds from Portaluca boutique benefit Dress for Success Cincinnati to help women achieve economic independence. You can learn more by visiting www.portaluca.org.
About Dress for Success Cincinnati
Post Author Megan Goins and the team at Dress for Success Cincinnati invite you to learn more by visiting their website, www.dfscincy.org