WOW May- Pausing to Find Purpose Through Passion

4800 Merle Hay Road,Des Moines IA 50309

16 May, 2023

Description

In the last few years, many of us have pressed pause or reassess our lives, work life, and maybe even some personal goals. I will talk about how pressing pause to become a stay-at-home mom after corporate life and a job I loved, but led me to finding a passion for helping women in our community. ***********WE WILL BE COLLECTING ANY GENTLY USED EARRINGS YOU NO LONGER NEED******** In 2010, eight ambitious women came together to launch a Dress for Success affiliate in Des Moines. The boutique doors opened in June 2011 and the first client suiting occurred on July 7, 2011. The professional clothing, employment retention programs and ongoing support that we provide our clients symbolize our faith in every woman’s ability to be self-sufficient and successful in her career. By providing women with interview and work attire, through mentoring, networking and support services we will offer, we aim to be a welcoming, accessible organization with a strong reputation for successfully assisting women with their transition to employment. We are supported by a strong volunteer base, an active community and many corporate partnerships. Since opening our doors in 2011, Dress for Success Des Moines has served over 3000 women who are supporting more than 6000 children in the Des Moines community. Mission The mission of Dress for Success is to empower women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire and development tools to help women thrive in work in life. Dress for Success Des Moines responds to the needs of our communities by providing programs that help women acquire jobs, retain their new positions and succeed in the mainstream workplace. What We Do Dress for Success Des Moines is a not-for-profit organization that offers services to help our clients enter the workforce and stay employed. Our clients come from diverse backgrounds, but have one thing in common: they are all seeking employment. Many come from low-income families and want to be independent from government assistance. Clients are referred to the program by local area organizations, called referral agencies. These organizations are job placement agencies, shelters and social assistance groups. We are currently partnered with more than 60 agencies in the Des Moines community. The target client base for Dress for Success Des Moines includes employment ready women who, for a variety of reasons, have been marginalized from the workforce. We are inclusive of not only the economically disadvantaged, but also newcomers to the United States, single mothers, and victims of violence. While these women may come from diverse backgrounds, they are bound by their commitment to improve their personal lot in life. *******7 Ways to Get Involved******* Getting involved is not only easy but also is an opportunity for you to make a lasting difference in the lives of women and in your community. Please join us as we support and encourage women who are developing their careers and striving to achieve economic independence, with the ultimate goal of ensuring that every woman who walks through our doors comes to thrive both in work and in life. Vision Dress for Success Des Moines envisions all women, regardless of social and economic background to be independent individuals and self-sufficient members of their respective communities as a result of having the opportunity to establish and advance in a career of their choice. Values Embrace, Empower, Employ Respect for our clients and fellow volunteers Excellence in everything we do, especially client service Compassion for each client and fellow volunteer – believe in what we do We make a point to pamper our clients while suiting them, and as a volunteer, you are an important part of this process, no matter where you choose to put your talents to work! Our Guiding Principles We provide services free of charge as a registered charity We accept clients by referral only according to clear criteria and procedure We assist women who are preparing for job interviews or employment https://desmoines.dressforsuccess.org/ Jody is a Des Moines native and graduated from East High School. She graduated from Simpson College with a BA in Management. She transitioned from her corporate job at Wells Fargo Investments in April 2009 to become a stay-at-home mom. She then was looking for a place to donate her suits. She is a Founder of Dress for Success Des Moines and with the help of seven other women, the Des Moines affiliate was launched in June 2011. Since opening its doors, Dress for Success Des Moines has helped over 3000 women who are supporting more than 6000 children in the Des Moines community who are returning to the workforce. Jody enjoys spending time with her husband and four children, golfing, traveling, going to MLB stadiums across the US, and attending Hawkeye football and basketball games. ******************THANK YOU TO OUR MARCH SPONSOR ANGELA VEATCH!*********************