BILLINGS, Mont. – Dress for Success, a global nonprofit, held its annual “Sweet Success” fundraiser this weekend in Billings. The local chapter is marking 25 years of supporting women in the community.
Dress for Success is known for providing professional clothing to unemployed women, but they offer much more. The organization also provides resources to help women achieve economic independence.
Caitlin Morrison, a board member, shared her thoughts on the impact of their work. “That is the most magical feeling in the world to be able to support someone from their very basic start to…not even having any clothes to interview with to getting a job and supporting themselves — teaching them financial literacy — and helping them succeed as…we establish as normal citizenship for every human ya know — in the U.S. being able to help someone with that is an incredible process.”
The organization has made a significant difference in the lives of many women in the area. Christina Litherland, an employment placement specialist at Passages, emphasized the importance of the educational resources provided by Dress for Success. “We’ve definitely had a lot of residents who have benefited from the financial literacy courses that Dress for Success has done which is where they attend 4 classes in a couple of successful Saturdays…and if they’re able to match up to a $250 dollar balance in their own bank account which they have the rest cause we work with them money management and counting and budgeting…then they also get that match from Dress for Success and that goes a long way to helping support their other goals in the program — financial being able to support their themselves once they’re out of our facility.”
Additionally, the bi-annual inventory sale is scheduled for March 28 and 29.