Dress for Success Charlotte

Professional Womens Group (PWG): A membership-based association that meets monthly to network, retain employment and advance careers, the PWG strives to teach members about workplace communication, corporate culture, financial literacy/wealth building, balancing family and work, and more. Membership grew by nearly 38% in 2024. Mental Health and Wellness programming continued to be offered in these meetings and to all members throughout the year. Going Places Network (GPN): A specially-designed program for chronically unemployed and underemployed, GPN provides a curriculum that blends a proven methodology to improve the career prospects of unemployed and underemployed women and helps these women gain professional skills, accelerate their job searches and build confidence through weekly training sessions, one-on-one career coaching and networking in a supportive environment. Virtual and in-person programming currently meets twice a week over a 4-week period. Once employment is secured, clients are invited to enroll in the Professional Womens Group program where clients report earning $20,000 -$50,000+ annually.Career Center: A fully equipped business office for clients to use on their own and/or to meet with HR and Recruiting professionals for job search support and instruction including: rsum and cover-letter writing; Internet, email, and social media as job search tools; job placement software; mock interviews; and professional workshops on a wide variety of leadership and development topics designed specifically for women entering the workforce and advancing their careers. 60 clients (unduplicated) utilized the Career Center in 2023. We continued our partnerships with Google and AARP to help clients increase their economic security by giving them the digital essentials they need to find and secure jobs, change careers, and explore entrepreneurship. 52 units of service were offered through these programs.Financial Education: A curriculum developed with banking partners across Charlotte, providing education on: Financial Wellness, Emotions and Spending, Basic banking and budgeting, Credit and Debt Management, Investments and Retirement Planning; Workplace Benefits; Taxes, among other topics, including managing during times of crisis. 93 units of service were provided to clients through this program in 2024.Entrepreneurship : In partnership with the National Association of Women Business Owners, Dress for Success Charlotte launched a 12-week, cohort-based entrepreneurship program in 2024. This program provided one-on-one mentorship from women business owners; curriculum on building business plans, marketing strategy, and financial investment; and resulted in $2000 of seed funding for one pitch competition winner. Community Outreach Events: Collaborating with other nonprofit organizations, Dress for Success Charlotte developed responsive programs and services to meet the needs of the community. These programs provided families, veterans and military spouses, high school students, and other clients access to services, resulting in 140 units of service.