PONTIAC, Mich. (WXYZ) — For nearly 25 years, a Pontiac nonprofit has helped thousands of women take an important step toward employment by providing professional clothing, career support and a boost in confidence.
This year, they're looking to reach even more clients.
Watch Jolie's story in the video player below:
Career Dress, a nonprofit organization serving women across metro Detroit, has helped more than 5,000 women prepare for the workforce by outfitting them in professional attire. But the organization's leaders say its mission extends far beyond clothing.
"We're here to help women get started in their career," said Marilu Fitzgerald, co-director of Career Dress.
Fitzgerald and co-director Ticki Silver lead the organization together, helping women overcome barriers that may stand in the way of employment.
"They might be recovering from a domestic violence situation, a substance situation, they may be re-entering the workforce after incarceration, or perhaps they're seniors looking to get back into the workforce," Silver said.
One of Career Dress' newest clients is Marcel Smith, who recently started a new job. Smith said finding appropriate work clothes became difficult after undergoing surgery in 2023 and losing nearly 70 pounds.
"All my clothes just kind of fell off me, so I ended up giving a lot of stuff away," Smith said.
Smith learned about Career Dress through a friend, Krystal Phillips, a former client who benefited from the nonprofit's services in 2019.
"All the beautiful clothes they have, they would be proud to come into the store," Phillips said. "They would have a great experience like I did."
Career Dress offers clients a personalized shopping experience. In addition to business attire, women receive brand-new undergarments, shoes, purses and jewelry to help complete a professional wardrobe.
To qualify for the program, women must be actively seeking employment and enrolled in a job training program.
"We help about 25 clients a month," Fitzgerald said. "Last year, we helped about 250 ladies. We want to be constantly getting clients in here to help them."
The nonprofit also supports women entering a variety of industries, including retail, food service and health care. Clothing options also include medical scrubs and seasonal apparel.
For Smith, receiving her new wardrobe, including her first blazer, was an emotional experience.
"Happy," Smith said when asked what she was feeling. "Mainly because there's women here who are helping me look my very best. And I do look good, don't I?"
Silver said moments like that highlight the organization's impact.
"It's an amazing feeling knowing that something we do is helping someone else get their life on track, go forward and be independent," she said.
Career Dress accepts donations by appointment and is currently seeking additional purses, wallets and unused undergarments. You can email them at info@careerdress.org or call 248- 481- 8276.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
