McCORDSVILLE — The town of McCordsville has partnered with an Indianapolis nonprofit to host a drive benefiting women in need of employment.
McCordsville Town Hall has agreed to serve as a donation site for women’s professional attire as well as monetary donations during this month’s Send One Suit drive; the effort supports Dress for Success Indianapolis, which helps disadvantaged women by providing them work-appropriate clothing and career development training.
New or gently used women’s professional attire (on hangers), including shirts, pants and blouses, may be brought to McCordsville Town Hall, 6280 W. County Road 800N, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. now until April 20, said town manager Tonya Galbraith. Town officials will deliver the donations to the organization’s Indianapolis location April 21, she said.
This is the eighth year the town has participated in the Send One Suit drive, Galbraith said. And every year, residents impress her with their generosity, she said.
Dress for Success Indianapolis is one of two Indiana locations, with the other site in Fort Wayne. The organization, which accepts clients by referral from other agencies, empowers women each step of the way toward financial independence — helping them look the part is just the first step, said administrative manager Kimberly Williams.
The organization aids women throughout their job search.
“Not only do we suit the women for the interview; we help with mock interviews, commonly asked questions and while they’re searching for a job,” she said. “They come in here with the expectation of getting a suit, but we give them more.”
Once clients are hired, they can come back for more clothing that’s appropriate for the job they’ve gotten, whether that’s business-casual clothes or steel-toed boots, Williams said.
Beth Ingle, chairwoman of the Women’s Resource Center in Greenfield, a clearinghouse for local women’s services, said Dress for Success Indianapolis provides a valuable service and is worthy of local residents’ donations.
“I think they are right on target with what they are trying to provide to women in our community and neighboring communities,” she said. “So many women may be changing jobs and not equipped to go out and buy a new suit.”
And Dress for Success Indianapolis works to link the women they’ve helped with programs that will help them maintain their professional skills, Williams said.
An affiliate program of Dress for Success Indianapolis, Next Steps, serves as a six-week professional women’s group. When women graduate from that course, they earn the opportunity to select clothing from Dress for Success three times a year, she said.
“We try to make sure they have everything they need — not just for that one time but for life,” Williams said.
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Send One Suit aims to put professional wear in the hands of at-risk women seeking employment. The town of McCordsville is currently serving as a drop-off point for the drive.
What:
When: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday until April 20
Where: McCordsville Town Hall,
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