No. 16 Vol. 6
www.mypaperonline.com
June 2018
Iozzi Directs Dress For Success With More Partnerships And Fundraisers
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By Cheryl Conway ith more partnerships and fundraisers, the new director of Dress For Success Northern N.J. hopes to grow the non-profit to support a greater number of women seeking jobs and confidence to succeed in the workforce. Kimberly Iozzi, 45, of Budd Lake began on April 30 in her new role as executive director of Dress For Success Northern N.J. covering 10 counties throughout the state. As the former executive director of the Newton Housing Authority for 15 years, Iozzi brings years of experience in government and nonprofit management, dedicating her entire career to empowering low and moderate-income families achieve economic self-sufficiency, personal development and growth. When she saw the position open for Dress For Success advertised through the Center For Nonprofits, Iozzi says she jumped at the opportunity. “I was looking for a change,” she says, as she describes her passion for helping women succeed in the workforce. Dress for Success Northern NJ- 10 Counties, serves Morris, Sussex, Warren, Hunterdon, Bergen, Essex, Middlesex, Somerset, Union and Passaic counties. While it is an affiliate of the Dress for Success Worldwide organization, it is an independent 501©3, responsible for its own fundraising and operations. It relies solely on corporate, foundation and individual contributions to serve its clients at no cost to them. The mission of the organization is to empower women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire and development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. “The goal is to provide all developmental tools, get the interview and do well and to build their confidence,” says Iozzi.
All of the programs are offered at no cost to participants. The organization served more than 1,500 women last year, ages 18 to 64, and is well on its way to double that amount this year. “I really want to do more locally to generate support for the mission through both educational events, fundraising, and more,” she says. As the new executive director, Iozzi oversees the day-to-day operations of the organization. “We run nine programs,” she says, and have 600 volunteers with three paid staff members that manage the programs. One of the programs is a Career Center in which women get assistance with their resumes, interview and online job searches. Another program, Steps For Success offers a 10-week job ready boot camp for unemployed women to break down barriers and provide an extra push to assist a woman in getting a job. “The women come from all different backgrounds,” says Iozzi, not just those who are disadvantaged. Some are stayat-home moms trying to get back into the workforce, others are first time clients trying to enter the workforce. Other programs include mentoring, technology skills, time management and budgeting and Foundation For Success in which women are provided tips on how to keep their employment. A Professional Women’s Group is also offered to provide monthly networking meetings featuring speakers to discuss professional issues, personal growth, budgeting and balancing. The Mobile is another program in which a van visits agencies by appointment and operates as a boutique with volunteer stylists on board to play dress up with suits and help women build confidence. “Its largest suiting was for 70 people,”
notes Iozzi. Women are given a referral sheet, are sized and pick their outfits from colors of suits and shoe styles from heels to flats, and also receive a one hour training session. “It’s amazing to see the transformation that happens,” says Iozzi. The Mobile “brings suits to them, does training,” covering interview tips, how to engage, how to shake hands, what questions to ask. With the main boutique at the Madison Community House in Madison, Iozzi hopes to expand to include satellite offices in each of the 10 counties “so people can donate, get clothing and training,” closer to where they live. Bridge to Success is another program in which clients can engage in a bimonthly job search after they go through steps of training, explains Iozzi. “This bridge helps them with their one on one to give them the tools,” she says, to succeed. Since women are served for free, Iozzi stresses it is “so important to have grants and donations.” continued on page 6