Join the Movement: Dress for Success’s Mission to Empower Women

Written by Crystal Chang | January 17, 2025

Here at Savvy, all featured products are thoughtfully handpicked by our section editors. When you purchase something from our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. One last note — any items listed below are in-stock with accurate pricing as of time of publication.

Dress for Success is the leading global nonprofit employment resource for unemployed and underemployed women. Upon completion of their programs, many women leave to become avid leaders towards social equality within their communities.

Since its launch in 1997, the organization has assisted over 1.3 million women in 24 countries on their journey to economic independence. This is made possible by coaching women in pivotal areas in their employment journey.

If you want to join in on the cause, simply download our SavingsCARES browser extension. You’ll get the best deals on your next shopping trip and every download helps us raise donations at no extra cost to you.

Surpassing Milestones: The Impact of Dress for Success on Women’s Lives

The organization was founded by Nancy Lublin, a law student who suddenly received $5,000 after her great-grandfather passed. Instead of keeping the money for herself, Lublin wanted to pay it forward, as she saw the bigger picture of what that money could do for others less fortunate. Soon after, Dress for Success was born. It was founded to help women across the world achieve success in any capacity.

Austin Bartsch, the Director of Corporate Relations at Dress for Success, explains, “Through our no-fee career development, job skills preparedness, mentoring and coaching, financial education, and professional attire services, the women we serve receive the tools and skills to achieve economic self-independence."

Today, Dress for Success is volunteer-driven and collaborates with 141 affiliates in 24 countries, alongside over 5,000 partner organizations. However, the fight for women’s employment opportunities is far from over. According to the Statista Research Department, as of October 2024, around 3 million women in the U.S. were facing unemployment, meaning that making these resources plentiful is more important than ever.

Two professional women in an office

Creating Leaders: Dress for Success’s Commitment to Women’s Growth

In 2025, Dress for Success will host campaigns like “Women Who Inspire" in March, and the “Virtual Power Walk" in August. Its hope is for women around the world to make steps towards changing their future for the better through mentorship and community. Through the “Women Who Inspire" campaign, participants will be given a platform to share stories of hope and courage, while with the “Virtual Power Walk", women will participate virtually in a day of self-care with yoga, meditation, and stretching.

Many women have changed their lives for the better with these kinds of programs. A member shared: "Being a part of the Dress for Success online community has grown my professional network. I have met and interacted with other people who have supported my professional goals."

Programs like this span across the U.S. into cities like Charlotte, where 61% of unemployment claimants were women. In 2022 alone, 700 women received help from the charity. Dress for Success members received two interview outfits, including shoes and accessories. After they secured employment, they also got a complete set of five outfits. Members are also provided with a fully-furnished career center to take calls, conduct mock interviews, or for computer access.

Three women chatting in an office

How Local Dress for Success Branches Empower Their Communities

The fight for women’s economic empowerment starts within local communities. In Austin, a Career Support program provides one-on-one career consulting, while the Professional Women’s Group helps women keep their jobs and develop their professional skills with a pier group.

“We provide women with the services, tools, and professional attire to secure employment and advance their careers. Most importantly, our programs equip women with confidence and community that helps build self-defined success and both personal and professional renewal. Dress for Success programs are outcomes-driven, leveraging best practices and first-in-class partnerships to ensure that participation contributes to measurable milestones on a woman’s journey to financial independence — milestones like getting hired, getting promoted, getting a raise, or increasing financial knowledge," said Bartsch.

The help of local businesses plays a key role in the success of these programs. In Phoenix, the Workforce Initiative or Educate Her initiatives partnered up with Arizona State University and Maricopa Community Colleges so women can access certificates and degree programs to stand out in the workforce.

In San Antonio, local businesses like Brianna’s Boutique are partnering for a “Galentine’s Day" event, offering free food, drinks, and clothing. The Military Rise program helps veterans and women in the military secure jobs and smoothly re-enter the civilian workforce.

Beyond the practical resources provided by these programs, they inspire hope. Annmarie, a member of the San Antonio branch, shared, “Dress for Success impacted my life by hearing stories from other women about never giving up."

Black woman graduating from college

Make Your Shopping Count: Raise Free Donations for Dress for Success

At SavingsCARES, we know that big changes start with small steps. Together, these small steps can work towards making a huge leap for women’s empowerment. Here’s how you can get started. Get involved by donating gift cards, participating in donation drives, or volunteering at your local Dress for Success location. Follow your local affiliate's Instagram page to stay up-to-date with the latest donation drives and events near you.

Whether you’re doing some shopping for the new year or just looking to save on everyday items, you’ll get discounts on the products you want from over 2,000 major brands while making an active change towards a great cause. Get in on the action by downloading our SavingsCARES browser extension. Upon completion, we’ll contribute $5 to the Dress for Success organization at no extra cost to you. From there, we’ll also make further uncapped contributions on your behalf by donating a portion of the revenue from every SavingsCARES deal redeemed through the extension, fee-free. As if it was not enough, we also pledged to donate $5,000 from our quarterly revenue to Dress for Success!

If you support causes like this, make sure to keep your eyes peeled for upcoming SavingsCARES campaigns, where you can continue to pay it forward without any additional costs.

Sign up for daily deals.

Get personalized inspiration and exclusive deals from your favorite brands straight to your inbox.

We take your privacy seriously.
Read our Privacy Policy

Sign up for our newsletter