Dress for Success Central Alberta has received a $30,000 grant from the Red Deer & District Community Foundation to fund a part-time fund development and operations co-ordinator.
With the help of this donation, Dress for Success Central Alberta will be better positioned to support the growing needs for their services. Clients referred to the charity are women in central Alberta who are looking to secure employment opportunities, but who might need support to access a professional wardrobe suitable for job interviews and their first week of employment.
“Everyone knows that even if you have the right skills, you’re less likely to ‘get the job’ if you’re not dressed appropriately for your interview. This can be a barrier and a financial burden that we remove for our clients,” said Dagmar Hargreaves, board chair for Dress for Success Central Alberta.
“With recent impacts to our economy, we’ve observed a significant growth in the need for our services and we’re very pleased to receive this support from the Community Foundation.”
Up until now, the charity has helped upwards of 200 clients per year, solely through volunteer efforts. The fund development and operations co-ordinator will be the organization’s first employee.
“The foundation chose to support Dress for Success because they are actively addressing financial barriers faced by women in central Alberta,” said Erin Peden, foundation executive director.
“Since COVID-19 began to spread in Canada, women accounted for almost two thirds of early job losses, despite the fact they only make up half of the work force. By building the professional capacity of this agency, Dress for Success can more effectively provide support to women as they re-enter the workforce.”