Dress for Success Quad Cities Helps Put More Local Women to Work with Implementation of Successful

Job Preparation Program

The Going Places Network by Walmart was created in response to the demands of today's challenging economic climate and serves as a safety net for local women who have been unable to acquire a job. The program launched in 60 affiliates across the U.S. in 2011 and enjoyed great success during its first year. Highlights include :

  • Nearly 3,000 women participated in the Going Places Network by Walmart in 2011.
  • At least 41% of women who completed the program secured employment by the conclusion of their cohort.
  • All of the women who participated in the program gained valuable skills, knowledge and experiences to assist them with searching for employment, attaining their individualized personal and professional goals, and ultimately achieving self-sufficiency.

Walmart donated $2 million to help Dress for Success Worldwide support The Going Places Network and its 60 participating affiliate locations across the U.S. This program gives disadvantaged women across the country the added confidence they need to better compete in this challenging job market by providing women with very specific tools and resources that they need to successfully land a job.

Dress for Success Quad Cities is one of three new affiliates that is considered a "top performing" affiliate and was invited to join in the second year of the national program. Dress for Success Quad Cities is currently reaching out to recruit local unemployed women to join the first cohort group. The Going Places Network by Walmart will meet twice a week for six weeks starting in September 2012 and two cohort groups are planned.

The program is not available to the general public. Women must either be one of their previously "suited" clients who remains unemployed or be referred by one of Dress for Success QC's approved Referral Partnering agencies. Referral Partners are nonprofit organizations or institutions that are helping low-income or displaced women with training, rehabilitation, transitional housing, or could be a local workforce development program such as Promise Jobs or Iow@ Work.

Dress for Success has more than 120 affiliates globally and served an estimated 65,000 women last year through its nationwide efforts. The Going Places Network by Walmart helps disadvantaged women gain professional skills, accelerate their job search and build confidence.

Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are committed to funding opportunities that provide workforce training and development. Read more about the Walmart Foundation's efforts to help people get back to work.

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About Dress for Success Quad Cities

 

Dress for Success Quad Cities initiative was started in July 2010 by Regina Haddock of Davenport, Iowa. Regina has an M.S. Ed degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and has worked in student support and career services, as well as program development and management. She was working part time as an advisor for the lia sophia jewelry company, a major corporate sponsor of Dress for Success, and was inspired to start an affiliate in the Quad Cities!

On November 1, 2011, doors opened to low resource women who were entering or re-entering the workforce. Referrals from agencies started to trickle in. We received a $2,500 equipment grant from the Community Foundation of the Great River Bend and were later awarded a $30,000 grant from the Scott County Regional Authority for supplies and equipment. In December 2011, our founder was awarded Royal Neighbors of America's Nation of Neighbors award for $7,500, to allow her to continue to develop this new affiliate.

Community support continues to grow! Early grants were followed in 2012 by a generous $30,000 match grant from the Hubbell-Waterman Foundation of Davenport, Iowa, and smaller grants by the following: Alcoa Community Chest, Modern Woodmen of America, Moline Foundation, King's Daughters Jane Addams Circle, and others.

 

Volunteers are always welcome and new board member positions are available. Visit our website for more information: www.dressforsuccess.org/quadcities

 

 

About Philanthropy at Walmart

Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are proud to support initiatives that are helping people live better around the globe. In May 2010, Walmart and its Foundation made a historic pledge of $2 billion through 2015 to fight hunger in the U.S. The Walmart Foundation also supports education, workforce development, environmental sustainability, and health and wellness initiatives. To learn more, visit www.walmartfoundation.org.

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