dressbarn aims to gather 60,000 clothing donations to assist women re-entering workforce

With thousands of women unable to secure employment because they lack the resources to take the initial, yet vital, step of looking presentable for a job interview, dressbarn is teaming up with the non-profit organization, Dress for Success, to gather more than 60,000 articles of clothing, as part of its S.O.S. - Send One Suit - Weekend donation drive, March 1-4.

This year's clothing drive marks the 10th consecutive year dressbarn and Dress for Success have partnered to help women in need receive professional business attire. All 825 dressbarn stores across the country, including dressbarn stores in the Western New York area, will serve as drop-off sites for new or gently used professional attire, including suits, dress shirts, blazers, pants, dresses and shoes that will be used to benefit women seeking to transition into the workforce.

"Since the inception of the 'Send One Suit' campaign 10 years ago, we have helped more than 125,000 women across the country gain a renewed sense of self, as well as economic-stability," stated Vivian Behrens, EVP and chief marketing officer at dressbarn. "Ask any of those women and I'm sure they'll say the donations they received were more than just gestures of good will, they were lifelines. It is our hope that now, more than ever, people will help us in our quest to turn second-hand suits into second chances."

More than 51,000 professional items of clothing were collected during last year's 'Send One Suit' donation drive. This year, dressbarn would like to collect more than 60,000 pieces of professional attire - a pace of 15,000 items each day.

All of the collected professional items will be given to the international non-profit organization, Dress for Success, which will then distribute the articles nationwide to women looking to gain a job or trying to re-enter the workforce.

"Our corporate fabric is tightly woven by our philanthropic efforts," continued Behrens, "and S.O.S. - Send One Suit - Weekend is an exemplary piece of that ensemble, brightening the lives of women everywhere."

All 825 dressbarn stores will offer donors an additional 15 percent total purchase savings in gratitude for their generosity. A complete list of stores can be found at www.dressbarn.com.