When difficulty comes your way, who do you turn to?

When Anita* first walked through the doors at Dress for Success, she had lost her confidence. She had been out of work for 13 years, had gone through a relationship breakdown, and was struggling to find her feet in a job market which had changed dramatically in her absence.

Dress for Success was the main connection for Anita as she sought support to rebuild her life.

Reaching financial security was proving difficult for Anita.  She had once been a strong, independent woman, working in an admin role for a large company. However, when on maternity leave she was made redundant, and so it was decided that Anita would focus on raising a family and keeping a home.

Thirteen years later, Anita had lost hope. Over the course of her marriage she had found herself increasingly shut out of decisions about the family’s finances. Since her husband’s income was all the family earnt, her bank accounts dried up and were slowly closed. She was given smaller and smaller “allowances” to pay for all the family’s expenses, while her husband was vague about where the rest of their money was spent.

Anita could see that her family’s finances had changed for the worse, but her husband denied it. Anita and her husband began fighting about money. It was when he threatened Anita and their daughter that she knew she had to leave. Anita left with her daughter, and soon discovered that there was no money for them to live on. They were drowning in debt, and the few things they owned would not cover their commitments.

Anita needed to find a job to support her new life as a single parent, however she had been out of the job market for so long she didn’t know how to start. She was positive that, with a bit of support, she could turn her situation around. Her drive to show her daughter a better life was fierce. She simply needed a community like Dress for Success to support and guide her.

Thanks to our compassionate supporters, Anita and her daughter are no longer struggling.

Anita was referred to our Styling Service, where our volunteer stylist gave her the confidence to see herself as she is – a woman willing to move the world to keep her daughter safe and housed.

Anita then learned about our Career Support Program, and took advantage of as many workshops as she could. Job hunting had changed so much while she had been a full-time carer, so workshops around core job hunting skills (like LinkedIn and resume writing skills) changed the way she approached her job search.

After taking advantage of Dress for Success’ resume review and interview one-on-ones, Anita was able to secure a new job - that she loves - that supports her and her daughter in their new home.
 
“I am so grateful to everyone at Dress for Success. Your service moved me to tears. I hadn’t counted myself as worthy of support. My experience with Dress for Success has been life-changing.”

To help more women like Anita to get a job that can provide a safe, secure future for their family, we need your support. Without donations from people like you, Anita would not have had Dress for Success to turn to. It is through donations from our generous supporters that we are able to provide women with career coaching, resume support, interview preparations, digital career support workshops, and professional clothes for interviews and their new roles.

Your gift today is vital in empowering women into employment, connecting them to practical support when it’s needed most. Your donation is more than just a gift — it’s an investment in the future. When women work, families thrive, communities prosper, and the economy grows. 

Thank you for being part of the journey with us.

* Names and images have been changed to protect the identities of the women we support