2015 annual report

2015 ANNUAL REPORT
Women & Girls
in Crisis
Dear Friends,
The heart of Dignity U Wear’s mission is to change the lives of the neediest American
citizens who are working to help themselves. It is hard to imagine that a new shirt can
change a life, but we have found that when you change the way people look on the
outside, it changes how they feel on the inside. The gift of new clothing is a statement
that somebody cares. That gift helps to restore an individual’s hope.
Helping others can be a complicated process, so Dignity U Wear helps by building
relationships – one student, one individual, one partnership at a time. Over the course of
Dignity U Wear’s 15-year history, one million individuals have been served! Large numbers
are great, but it is hard to make them relevant on a human level. Drilling down, in 2015
alone, Dignity U Wear served 150,000 individuals. That means on each business day in
2015, Dignity U Wear served an average of 600 individuals.
The key to Dignity U Wear’s success is collaboration with its volunteers and partners.
Because of them working with our small 10-member staff, the clothing distribution center
is efficient. We are grateful that a significant part of the operating labor is done with
volunteer teams who visit the warehouse on a regular basis. Dignity U Wear also maintains
partnerships with new clothing manufacturers, agency non-profits and corporations like
AIG, CSX and Brooks Brothers. As a donor-funded organization, Dignity U Wear is
dependent on the good will of all partners big and small.
Thank you for helping Dignity U Wear restore hope and change lives for 15 years.
I hope you will all join me in serving the next million individuals.
Dignity U Wear can’t do it without you!
PROGRAMS
FROM THE
BOARD PRESIDENT
10%
Veterans
7%
School Children
33%
Poverty
45%
Health & Elderly
Services
5%
School Children – Dignity U Wear removes barriers to education by providing new
clothing to school children in need. In addition to many nonprofits, Dignity U Wear worked
with Baker County Public Schools, Duval County Public Schools, Putnam County Public
Schools and just this fall Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public Schools to establish clothing closets
that can be accessed by school social workers so students in need can get new clothing in
a quick and efficient manner. And due to the success of the Robert F. Kennedy Children’s
Action Corp “boutique” on their Lancaster campus, a second opens January 2016 in
Western Mass.
Veterans – Dignity U Wear offers three veteran clothing programs: Suits for Soldiers;
Heroes to Work and Helping Homeless Heroes in an effort to assist veterans no matter
where they are in transitioning from military service to civilian life. Sponsored by Brooks
Brothers, the Suits for Soldiers program has dressed over one thousand veterans in the last
three years with a suit, dress shirts, ties, socks, underwear, belt, and a gift card from
Rack Room shoes.
T. Parker McCrary
Board President
Parker McCrary addressing
gathering at Brooks Brothers
honoring veterans.
Women & Girls in Crisis – This growing area of focus helps women and girls who are
escaping domestic violence, emotional/sexual abuse or are at risk of dropping out of school.
Dignity U Wear provides clothing to shelters for emergency situations as well as career
appropriate attire for women seeking employment. Our program with AIG Global Women
in Technology mentors and dresses over fifty women per year as they prepare to reenter
the workforce.
VOLUNTEERS GIVE THE GIFT
OF TIME AND TALENT
ADT I Advent Software I Allstate Benefits I Ally Financial I Altria Group I AmeriCorps – National Health Corps I
Baptist Medical Center I Beaches Recovery Services I Christ Christian Academy I City Year I CSX Transportation I
Davidson College Alumni Group I Deutsche Bank I First Coast Service Options I Florida Blue I Florida State College at
Jacksonville I Gateway Community Services I Generation W I Hopewell Baptist Church I Humana Health I Jack and Jill
I Jacksonville Electric Authority I Junior League of Jacksonville I Main Metal Recycling I Mandarin Methodist Church I
Medtronic I Merck I Navy Federal Credit Union I Open Arms Christian Church I Optimal United Health I Our Lady Start
of the Sea Catholic Church I Presbyterian Social Ministries I Prisoners of Christ I Ready4Work I Rotary Youth Leadership
Awards I R.S.V.P. I St. Paul’s AME Church I Shiloh Baptist Church I Southpoint Civitan I Southside Woman’s Club I University
of North Florida I US Bank I U.S. Coast Guard I WellCare Health Plans I Wells Fargo I Women of Wisdom I Y.E.S. Club I
AGENCY PARTNERS
Dignity U Wear partnered with 170 social service agencies that focus on serving veterans in
transition, women & girls in crisis, families living in poverty, homelessness and health & elder care.
Over 400 deliveries of brand new clothing were made in 2015. All at no cost to the recipient.
New Clothes. New Life.
Administration for Children Services I Adoption Options I Alpha-Omega Miracle Home I Alpha Pregnancy Services
American Red Cross I Anchorage Children’s Home I Arbor Youth Services I Atlanta Hope Center I Avondale United
Methodist Church I Azalea Project I Baker County Sheriff ’s Office I Bakhita House I Berean Baptist Church I
Big Brothers/Big Sisters of NE FL I Birthright of Pottstown I Boys and Girls Club, Dorchester MA I Boys and Girls
Club of America I Caring Children Clothing Children I Catholic Charities I Catholic Social Services I Child Development Resources I Chapman Partnership I Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools I Child Guidance Center I Children’s
Home Society, Jacksonville I Children’s Home Society, Winter Park I Christ Miracle Center I Circle of Hope I City of
Jacksonville Veterans Services I City Rescue Mission Community Closet I Clara White Mission I Clark County
Youth Shelter I Clay County Public Schools I Communities in Schools, Bristol I Communities in Schools, Jacksonville
I Community Connections of Jacksonville I Community Rehabilitation Center I Community Service Council, Tulsa I
Community PedsCare I Compassion Coalition I Creative Community Services I Crisis Assistance Ministry I
Crittenton Services I CT Community for Addiction Recovery I Dade County Public School I Delores Barr Weaver
Policy Center I Department of Juvenile Justice I Downtown Ecumenical Service Council I Diageo I DOD Manor I
Duval County Public Schools I Early Learning Coalition, Duval County I Educate Tomorrow I Edward Waters College
Emergency Pregnancy Services I Ettie Lee Youth & Family Services I Evergreen Baptist Church I Experience Works I
Families in Transition I Family Promise of Metrowest I Family Promise of Berks County I Family Promise of Grand
Rapids I Family Promise of Hall County I Family Promise of Jacksonville I Family Promise of Lycoming County I
Family Promise of Sarasota I Family Promise of Union County I First Baptist Church of Oakland I First Coast
Women’s Services I Fish Inc. Dunellen Area I Five Star Veterans Center I Florida Dept. of Juvenile Justice I Florida
Community Prevention Center I Fresh Start Community Service I Fresno Rescue Mission I Gary Sinise Foundation I
GE Capital Veterans Network I Girls Educational Mentoring Services I Girls Inc., Jacksonville I Glass Slipper I Her Song
IHouse of Healing Hearts I Hubbard House I IHN of the Main Line I Impact Leadership Resources I Interfaith Hospitality
Network, Athens I Interfaith Hospitality Network, Savannah I Jacksonville ReEntry Center I Jacksonville
Urban League I Jewish Family & Community Services I Veterans Miracle Center I John Wister Elementary School I
Kalamazoo Deacon’s Conference I Kamileon’s Kloset I Keys To The Kingdom I Kids Helping Kids I Liberty House of
Albany I Macedonia Primitive Baptist Church I Magnolia Project I Main Place I Malivai Washington Youth Foundation
I Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation I Mental Health Resource Center I Mission House I Morning Glory Christian
Fellowship I Multitasking Hearts I New Horizon of SW FL I New Moms I North Texas Youth Connection I NYC
Dept. of Homeless Services I Operation New Hope I Operation New Uniform I Options For Women I PACE
Center for Girls, Jacksonville I Paxon Revival Center Church I Peace Presbyterian Church I Pinellas Opportunity Council I Place of Hope I Polaris Project I Potter’s House Christian Fellowship I Pregnancy Resource Center I
Presbyterian Social Ministries I Prisoners of Christ Ministry I Project Oz I PSI Health Care Services I Putnam
County Public Schools I Raintree Children & Family Services I Redwood Teen Challenge I ReThreaded I River
Region Human Services I Robert F. Kennedy Children’s Action Corps. I Ronald McDonald House I Safe Harbor
Children’s Center I Salvation Army, Jacksonville I Sanctuary on 8th Street I Santa Train, a project of CSX Transportation I
SC Youth Advocate Program I Sephardic Bikur Holim I Services for the Underserved I UF Health I Soles 4 Souls I
South Rehabilitation Center I Southside United Methodist Church I Spartanburg Technical College I St. Francis
House I St. John’s United Church of Christ I St. Joseph’s Home I Streetwise - Georgia I Suited for Success, Jacksonville
I Sulzbacher Center I Title 1 Homeless Project I TROSA I VA Eastern Kansas HCS I Veterans Care Charity I
Veterans Miracle Center I Walter Reed National Military Medical Center I Way Free Medical Clinic I With Friends
I Wolfson Children’s Hospital I Women’s Lunch Place I Women’s Resource Center of Tampa I
Global Women in Technology I Word of Faith I Wounded Warrior Project I York Street Project I Young Life,
Jacksonville I Youth Correctional Alternatives I Youth Crisis Center I
Over 200 apparel industry partners entrusted Dignity U Wear with the management
and distribution of $10.5 million dollars in donated new clothing. We are grateful for
their continued support.
APPAREL PARTNERS
In 2015, volunteers from corporations, colleges, volunteer organizations and churches donated
nearly 6,000 hours to Dignity U Wear. The 1,300 volunteers readied brand new clothing for
distribution at our warehouse in Jacksonville, Florida. Without volunteer support, Dignity U Wear
would not be able to distribute $1 million worth of clothing each month. We love our volunteers!
2DGIF I 88 International I A Bit of Honey I A&A Warehouse I Adnan Shamsi I Agnes Apparel I Alfred Dunner I Alight
I AmoenaI Axis I Babies R Us I Bloomers I Bluff Works I Bob Downey Golf Shop I Bollare I Brooks Brothers I Bubbles
I Buffalo International Inc. I Carter’s I Casual Male I Cato Corporation I Charles River I Children’s Apparel Network I
Clad In I Classy Bride I Cleavitz I Coldwater Creek I Coolibar Inc. I Cutie Pie Baby I Dear Scarlett I DonCaster I
Dorfman Pacific I Eagle’s Wings I Eberjey I EL Distributors I Elite Jeans/Today’s Apparel I Emporium Boutique I Essence
of Hope I ETC. Hosiery I Fabulous Furs I Fishman & Tobin I Foxers I Fruit of the Loom I G-III Apparel I Gabriel Brothers
I Garan/Garanimals I GoldenTouch I Handcraft Manufacturing I Hanes Brands I HannaAndersson I Haute Hips I Hobbie Horse I
Hypnotic Hats I I Apparel I Igigi I Indiana Knitwear I International Intimates I Island Woman Boutique I J. Jill I Janska I
Jaylyn Sales I JCS Apparel I Jefferies Socks I Jessica Simpson I Jockey I Jonano I Jonathan K I Jones NY Apparel Group
I JouJou I Judy’s Intimate Apparel I Kids Headquarters I Knicker Luxe I Krimson Klover I L.A.T. Sportswear I Lands’ End
Lemongrass I Lilla P. I Live Family. Live Happy. I Lolly Togs I Lona’s I MAG Brands I Manufacturing Exchange I
Marshwood Golf Course I Max Core I Merle Norman I Midway Industries I Minnesota Knitting Mills I Mooncakes I
Necessitees I Needham Lane I NEJ Inc. I New Vision Lingerie I NeWear Apparel I Nothing to Wear I NY&Co. I Onis
Design Group I Osh Kosh I Outer Stuff Ltd. I P. S. Brands I Pacific Knitting Mills I Panache I Party City I Patagonia I Peace of
Cloth I Perry Ellis International I Phillips-Van Heusen I Pico Mfg. I Planet Sox I Polo Ralph Lauren Footwear I Potpourri I
I RahmenI Randa I Renfro Corporation I Robinson Mfg. I Rousso Apparel I RWS Etc. I Rykosys I San Mar I Sante Fe
Sashay Around I Saxx Underwear Company I Shalom I Smart Apparel I Smarty Pants Kids Boutique I Smooth Industries
I Supreme International I TailorByrd I Textiss I The Whole Shebang I Thorlo I Three Cord I Tommy Hilfiger I Topline
Corporation I Total Stockroom I TURQ I Ultra Pink I VENUS I VF JeansWear I Wacoal America I Wood Underwear I
Woodland Trading I
Dignity U Wear celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2015 by continuing to do what we do
best: procuring and distributing brand new clothing to men, women and children in need.
While our work continues, we did take time to mark the anniversary with celebrations in
New York City and Jacksonville, Florida. The fourth annual event in New York highlighted the
work of Dignity U Wear through speeches from agency partners: Robert F. Kennedy Children’s
Action Corp,York Street Project, Gary Sinise Foundation and Putnam County Joint Veterans
Council. The testimonials were powerful; they proclaimed how lives are changed through a
holistic approach to people’s readjustment, which includes brand new clothes.
Representatives from two of our corporate sponsors, AIG and Brooks Brothers, also
participated in the program. They explained why they find the Dignity U Wear mission
so compelling. Helping people regain their self esteem as they re-enter the mainstream is
deeply satisfying for us and our valued corporate sponsors.
Jacksonville held “An Evening with Dignity,” which included presentation of the inaugural
Henri Landwirth Humanitarian Award to Dignity U Wear founder Henri Landwirth in
recognition of his philanthropic spirit. Going forward, the award will honor individuals
who make extraordinary contributions to the mission of Dignity U Wear. Several of our
corporate sponsors were also recognized. Venus Swimwear was named 2015 Apparel
Partner of the Year; CSX was honored as 2015 Corporate Partner of the Year; Florida Blue
was named the 2015 Volunteer of the Year; and Presbyterian Social Ministries was the
2015 Agency Partner of the Year.
As this 15th anniversary year comes to a close, we look back with satisfaction and forward
with even greater resolve. We believe in the quality of our work. We believe in the power
of our collaboration with volunteers and sponsors. We believe that every individual served
receives and deserves brand new clothes that fit. We call it “dignity.”
Barbara Truncellito
Executive Director
Barbara Truncellito and
Malcolm Robinson, chair of the
N.Y. Advisory Board, at fourth
annual N.Y. fundraiser.
CORPORATE DONORS
F RO M T H E
EXECUTIVE
DIRECTO R
Fanny Landwirth
FOUNDATION
ADT I Allstate I Ally Financial Inc. I Baptist Medical Center I Bluegrass Materials I Breckenridge Capital
Advisors I Carmax Foundation I Childers Roofing I Dex Imaging Inc. I Fischer Family Foundation I
Florida Blue I Garan I Main Metal Recycling I North Highland I Publix Super Markets Charities Inc. I
Vulcan Materials Company I Wholesale Grocers Inc. I MR Magazine/Business Journals Inc. I