SERINO TEAMS UP WITH DRESS FOR SUCCESS TO EMPOWER LOCAL WOMEN

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY— Senator Sue Serino (R, C, I—Hyde Park) announced today that she has teamed up with Dress for Success Dutchess County to help support and empower local women to meet their professional goals. From April 21^st through May 26^th, Senator Serino’s Hyde Park District Office will host a clothing drive to benefit the local non-profit organization and will be collecting new or gently used women’s professional attire, shoes, handbags, and accessories to help local women ‘dress for success.’

“I know what it’s like to be a single mom, living pay check to pay check, and I know that sinking feeling when you realize you’re about to enter the professional world, and you have no idea how you’re going to afford the attire that it requires. It can be a real barrier to workforce entry for countless women,” said Senator Serino. “Dress for Success provides a unique solution, and I am proud to partner with an organization that has helped local women obtain economic independence. With spring cleaning season in full swing, the initiative presents a unique opportunity to give back and support countless women throughout our area.”

A sponsored program of the Community Action Partnership of Dutchess County, Dress for Success Dutchess County is a local non-profit organization whose goal is to empower women throughout the community to obtain economic independence by providing professional attire, skill development and networking opportunities. Their programs and services are provided to women in the area at no cost.

Community members can drop off their donations at Senator Serino’s Hyde Park Office (4254 Albany Post Road) on Thursdays and Fridays between 9:00am and 5:00pm until May 26, 2017.

To help kick off the initiative, Senator Serino recently held a roundtable event at the Dress for Success Career Center and Boutique in the City of Poughkeepsie, bringing a diverse group of local businesswomen together to introduce them to Dress for Success and to discuss ways in which we can better engage women in the local business community.

"Dress for Success is about empowering local women to achieve economic independence by providing professional attire, networking opportunities, and skill-building," said Robin Blue-Brown, Program Director of Dress for Success Dutchess County. "We are thrilled to have community partners like Senator Sue Serino committed to helping us fulfill our mission, and we were honored to share in hosting a roundtable event that brought female leaders from across the community together to take on the unique challenges we face as women in business. Real change happens when women come together to support and empower one another, and it is always great to see that principle in action."

The roundtable event brought a group of dynamic, local women together to talk about the unique challenges women in business face. Participants utilized their various personal experiences to inform a discussion of various ways to empower women to attain their professional goals.

Participants included small business owners, corporate businesswomen, directors of local non-profit organizations and representatives from local business organizations.

Keryl Pesce, Happiness Expert, Entrepreneur and Radio Show Host, who was in attendance said, “Care and support of others is an expression of strength and confidence. These women, Senator Sue Serino, those who work and volunteer for Dress For Success and those who participated today understand true power is not about power over others, but in support of others.” 

Molly Ahearn, Chair of the Women’s Leadership Alliance, who was also in attendance said, “Dress for Success is an invaluable local resource for women entering the workforce—you can’t get the job if you don’t dress the part. I look forward to working with the women from this morning’s roundtable to help them further their mission.

For more information about the organization, visit their website at www.dutchesscounty.dressforsuccess.org. For questions concerning the clothing drive, please call Senator Serino’s district office at 845-229-0106.

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