On December 18th, my group and I met outside of school and rode the subway to the Manhattan branch of dress for success on 31st street. When we entered we were greeted by Beverley Brown, the branch manager. Beverley briefly explained the mission of the organization and its history. Dress for Success is a nonprofit organization that’s mission is to provide work and interview appropriate clothing, shoes, accessories, and makeup for women who are underprivileged and entering the workforce, usually at their first job. After Beverly showed us around, she explained what we would be doing. First, we sorted pants and skirts by color and size, and hung them on the racks. Then, we sorted jackets and skirt suits and hung them by size and color. Finally, we went through bags of shoe donations and decided which were the highest quality, most appropriate for work and the season. Around us there were several fittings taking place, where the women were helped by several volunteers to put together an outfit that they felt comfortable and confident in. After they found the outfit, they would go to a different room where they discussed their career goals and resume, and did a mock interview with the help of volunteers. This organization was really interesting to me because they are helping women get their first jobs, who might not otherwise be able to. By getting women into jobs even at the lower levels, we are working towards an equal balance of men and women who are employed.
