Dress for Success Assists Hollywood Job Seekers

With high unemployment and the economy influx, the Dress for Success program is providing women with a dose of hope along with fashionable business attire.

The national program, known for helping women from lower-economic backgrounds, has recently seen changes in its regional office on Vine Street.

“Our biggest change really has been in the broad spectrum of clients we’re seeing,” said Tracey MacDonald, director of west coast operations for Dress for Success.  “We’re seeing all levels, entry-level to VP.”

The location suited its 1,000th client this year and typically averages up to 100 women a month, MacDonald said.

The program aims to provide women with the clothes they need to make a good impression and also with tools to give them a competitive edge in the workplace. A small computer lab serves as a place for women to search for jobs online.

“A lot of our women have had a lot of drama and trauma, so we wanted to provide a nice, quiet, safe place for them to be able to focus on their job search,” MacDonald said.

There are classes, including the Going Places Network, sponsored by Walmart, a 12-week course designed to help women set career goals, edit resumes, and participate in mock interviews.

Despite the economic outlook, women are encouraged to stay positive. Tangela Ridgeway, who just completed the course, said she has no plans to let any negative forecasts dash her American dream.

“There’s so much negative energy because of the economy,” Ridgeway said. “The only way you get out of it is to change your attitude. What the economy meant for our detriment happened to be for our betterment because it taught us how to partner, uplift, and celebrate one another.”

Ridgeway found her dream job this month working as an instructor at a beauty school.

Ellah Wallace hopes she will be as fortunate. A new suit she recently tried on for a job interview nearly brought her to tears.

“It’s making such a difference in my life, I could cry,” she said. “It’s a different kind of Ellah that’s going to walk in there this time.”

Wallace recently had to give up her apartment where she lived for 20 years and move in with her daughter. She blames the economy.

“A lot of things I used to be able to do, I can’t afford anymore,” Wallace said. “Now I’m struggling, trying to find my independence again.”

Susan Liebsohn has been volunteering at Dress for Success for nearly a year and said helping women like Wallace makes it all worthwhile.

“It gives me such an amazing sense of gratification, being in a position to be able to give back,” Liebsohn said. “They keep going forward even when the chips are down.”

The 200 volunteers and the more than 100 community agencies that refer clients make all the difference in the success of the program, MacDonald said.

“Women come in slumped over, but they leave standing straight and looking confident,” she said. “It’s a remarkable transformation.”

Dress for Success is at 1680 N. Vine Street, Suite 900, in Hollywood. To find out about donating or what you can do to help, visit their website for more information.