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We are RINGING THE BELL!!!
Cynthia, Jackie, Kenethia, Victoria, Linda, Anna, Mona, Kourtney, Meena, Sunshurae and Tara!
Congratulations on your new positions! We invite you to continue your employment ascension with free membership in our employment retention program, the Professional Woman's Group.
Our September meeting is scheduled for September 12, 2015.
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WANT TO HELP? Thank you to all who donate in-kind goods and services to Dress for Success Charlotte. For each item or service we don't have to buy, we are able to put donated dollars to great use! This month we are seeking donations of the following items: WISH LIST: 8 foot Ladder Handyman/Handy woman Services for several small projects Gift Cards to Office Supply Stores and local grocery stores Paper Products including: paper towels and bathroom tissue White and Pastel Copy Paper 8 ½ x 11 Magnetic Name Tags or Name Tag holders Easel Pads ----------- Donate via JustGive.org 
Send a check to Dress for Success Charlotte, 500-A Clanton Road Charlotte NC 28217 To direct gifts of stock, please provide your broker with Merrill Edge DTC #5198. The account is Dress for Success Charlotte. Have questions or need more information? Call Kerry Barr O'Connor at 704-525-7706. Your donation is tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. 
For the seventh year in a row, Charity Navigator gives Dress for Success the 4-star charity rating
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Do you know what that seal is on our website?
Dress for Success Charlotte exceeds widely accepted non-profit business practices in all areas of operation, including:
- Governance
- Finances
- Fundraising
We are committed to you and to all we serve to operate with accountability and transparency.
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Board of Directors
Chair
Carolyn Clarke
Monaghan Group
Vice Chair
M. Ellen Holliday
Wells Fargo
Treasurer
Gilbert Galle
Retired Managing Partner Wedge Capital Management
Secretary
Edie Fletcher
Bank of America
Immediate Past Chair
Colletta Bryce
CertusBank
Meg Bennett Inglefield
Project Consultant
Jessica Graham
Belk, Inc.
Linda Kirby
Boingo Graphics
Mike Shaddix
Walmart
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Kerry Barr O'Connor
Executive Director
Sally Ganz
Development Manager
Commie Graham
Inventory Assistant
Pam James
Manager, Client Services
Gail Lane
Bookkeeper
Fontella McKyer
Manager, Programs & Services
Carolyn Pratt
Program Assistant
Maria Vargas
Boutique and Operations Maintenance Assistant
Have you checked out our website
dressforsuccess.org
lately?
We recently launched a new website design to make it easier to stay up-to-date on what's going on. Click through our new site and let us know what you think!
THANK YOU
to our exclusive dry cleaner. We love you Dandy Cleaners! Check them out at Dandy Dry Cleaners
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You're Invited
Join Talbots for a Celebrate Success Shopping Party! Talbots is thanking customers for their support of Dress for Success Thursday, September 3rd from 5 PM to 8 PM at your local Talbots store. Enjoy 25% off regular-priced purchase plus refreshments and a gift card drawing! Find a store near you at Talbots.com.
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Dress for Success Charlotte
15 Years Helping Women Secure Employment, Achieve Economic Independence and Strengthen Families
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Kerry Barr O'Connor
Social Media is inundated with thousands of pictures of children on the way to their first day of the new school year. For many parents behind the camera, this marks the time to launch or resume a job search suspended during the summer months due to the cost of childcare.
Unemployment is creeping back up in the Greater Charlotte area - 5.3% in June 2015 vs. 4.5% in April 2015. For those out of work and with limited experience, resources, and "soft skills", they are at a significant disadvantage. Many of us take "soft skills" for granted, but these skills are often listed alongside technical qualifications.
Soft skills are often categorized as: Communication skills, Problem Solving, Adaptability, Teamwork and Collaboration, Critical Observation, and Conflict Resolution. Employment experts agree that technical skills may land you an interview, but soft skills will help you secure and maintain employment.
Two of the programs offered at Dress for Success Charlotte focus on soft skills. The Going Places Network is a 10 week job acquisition program, and the Professional Women's Group is a job retention and career advancement program. The success realized by clients participating in these programs is evident in program outcome measures and a direct reflection of the importance of these skills.
The hard fact is you must have soft skills in today's job market and we are committed to weaving this training in all programming.
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It's Almost Time...
We have a fabulous program lined up for The Ultimate Power Lunch, our signature fundraising event, Thursday, September 24th at the Fillmore at the NC Music Factory. We will present the Paragdigm Award to philanthropist and civic leader Mary Lou Babb, hear a riveting talk by a Dress for Success client who broke the cycle of poverty in her family AND we'll have a style show with our clients wearing fashions styled by Belk and sharing their success stories. There are still limited opportunities for underwriting and sponsorships at the time of this writing. If interested email Kerry Barr O'Connor or call her at 704-525-7706.
We thank our generous event sponsors *
*as of 8/15
Presenting Sponsor
Entertainment/Fashion Sponsor
Host Sponsor
GOLD Sponsors
Debbie & Steele Alphin
Sara Belk Gambrell
SILVER Sponsors
Lauren & Mike Grace
Joan Zimmerman
BRONZE Sponsors
Mary Lou & Jim Babb
Ty & Pat Boyd
Barbara Laughlin
Peggy & Danny Morrison
Marcia Simon
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We Love Our Interns!
This summer we were fortunate to have 2 wonderful interns who came to us through the City of Charlotte Mayor's Youth Employment Program (MYEP). Kayla and Kellie sorted, suited and smiled while learning about the work world. We thank them for spending the summer with us.
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| | Summer Interns Kayla and Kellie |
We wish Kayla and Kellie the best of luck at they begin their college careers!
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"Swaggerer of the Month"
Meet Mr. September...
Kendall Alley
Wells Fargo
Special thanks to Boingo Graphics, LGA, and Jim Pierson for sponsoring the Swaggerer of the Month Calendar.
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If more people would give back this world would be a better place," says Gwen Welch, one of our volunteer style consultants. Being a Dress For Success volunteer allows Gwen to "give back" which is a priority for her.
Gwen works for Premier, Inc., a healthcare performance improvement alliance, but she also has a passion for fashion consulting. Her company encourages volunteerism so two years ago when Gwen was looking for a way to give back to women specifically, she found Dress For Success Charlotte. She says she sees the organization help women become more confident and self-assured, and point them in the direction of success. "It's a fantastic organization to work with", according to Gwen and she wishes more people would give back in this capacity.
One of her most memorable experiences as a style consultant was when a client came in after normal suiting hours because she had an interview the next day. Gwen helped the young woman get an outfit together and found out later that she got the job.
Gwen tells us, "You have no idea how your attitude or just a smile can impact one person's life forever". We could not agree more. DFS could not do all of its work without the help of our hundreds of volunteers! So we shine the volunteer spotlight on Gwen Welch and thank her for her dedication and commitment.
Finally look for the September issue of PRIDE magazine for an article on Premier, Inc., featuring Gwen!
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We would like to thank the following groups and organizations who helped us with the August Inventory Reduction Extravaganza!
Accenture
Ally
Bank of America
Charlotte LEAD
BASF
Duke Energy
LPL Financial
Starbucks
Time Warner Cable
UTC Aerospace
NC Department of Health & Human Services
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| | Time Warner Cable & UTC Aerospace Volunteers |
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| | Time Warner Cable Volunteers |
Thank You to the Following for Hosting
Apparel Drives and Holding Special Events
Belk Women's Leadership Network
Charlotte Women Attorneys
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority
TIAA-Cref
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Referral Agency Partners
Welcome to the following new Referral Agency Partners
Mecklenburg Re-entry Services - facilitates seamless transition of participants while promoting employment stability, service engagement and continuing education.
MYM Services - encourages, exemplifies, and equips young women to market their minds and not their bodies in this highly sexualized society.
Ultimate Medical Academy-an educational institution committed to equipping and empowering students to excel in healthcare careers.
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SAVE THE DATES!
FALL INVENTORY REDUCTION EXTRAVAGANZA
November 5-7, 2015
THE 3RD ANNUAL FOOTBALL FINALE
Thursday, February 11, 2016
The Charlotte City Club
For Sponsorship Information please call 704.525.7706
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