Dress for Success River Cities

Our mission 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.

We work with women with all sorts of different needs and backgrounds. What’s important is where they’re going, not where they’ve come from; whether they are training for a new career, looking for work, returning to the workforce or entering it for the first time, they have taken steps to change their lives for the better, and they are on their way.

And yet barriers persist: How do you do your best at a job interview if you don’t look the part? How do you look the part if you’re unemployed and can’t afford a new suit? When you start a new job, are you ready for the networking, the gossip and the office politics, the challenge of balancing home and work – all the issues that aren’t taught officially in school courses but are so crucial to succeeding on the job and moving ahead in the long-term?

At Dress for Success River Cities, the suits we provide symbolize our belief in every woman’s ability to succeed. We aim to address the barriers, one by one, until they are overcome.

Women come to us, by referral only, when they have a job interview or new job lined up or while in a training/education program. We help to equip them physically and mentally for this new phase in their lives – first with a head-to-toe transformation (a complete interview outfit and/or a week’s worth of work clothing), then with advice and support (career counseling, job search assistance, preparation for the new job).

Founded in 2006, we began serving women in June 2007. In 2008 we served 41 women; in 2009 we served 154. Based in Huntington, WV, we serve the Tri-State WV/KY/OH area and surrounding counties.

Volunteerism is one of the pillars of the work that Dress for Success River Cities does, and our volunteer team is an essential part of our ability to continue expanding our programs and services. We also pride ourselves on making sure our volunteers have a blast!