Wardrobe for Opportunity (WFO)

Hank Ramirez has served the working poor for his entire career. Eight years after Wardrobe for Opportunity opened its doors to low-income women in need of professional clothing for interviews, Hank joined the WFO team as a Program Specialist with one mission: to add a men's department and programs to the organization's array of services. He immediately got to work and established a partnership with Men's Warehouse, which has since donated men's suits to keep WFO's boutique st...ocked for nearly two decades. By building partnerships with retailers, community organizations, and individuals in Bay Area job development circles, Hank was a key proponent in bringing WFO's services to low-income men, a group that is often overlooked by social service programs. Now, 17 years after he first started at WFO, Hank continues to see the impact of his work in the community. "I had a man stop me and say, 'You work for WFO? Your services changed my life, I want to give you a big hug.' He received a new suit 10 years ago!" Hank says. "This is why we can't stop doing what we're doing to help people get ready for their next jobs." During shelter in place, Hank continues to coordinate with community organizations and career experts to deliver image and interview workshops remotely to WFO's clients who are looking for work. You can be like Hank and change the lives of low-income Bay Area residents. Donate today to ensure that your neighbors in need continue to receive the crucial services that will help them rise out of poverty. Your support will make a difference for years to come. bit.ly/WFOdonate

New year, new job? The beginning of the year is a great time to jumpstart your job search, and WFO's Navigate program can help! If you are unemployed and looking for work, looking to refresh your job search and interview skills, or have been out of the workforce for some time, this program is for you. Navigate is a 5-session workshop series that takes participants through skills identification, interview tips and preparation, professional presentation online and in the workpl...ace, networking tips and best practices, goal setting, and other vitally important aspects of getting started with a job. For the first time ever, WFO is offering Navigate as a week-long "boot camp" style program to help participants polish their skills quickly and give their careers a boost right away. If you're serious about finding a new and better job now, this is the Navigate cohort for you! Dates: Monday - Friday, February 1 - 5 Time: 9:30 - 11:30 AM Where: Zoom (link will be provided prior to first session) Please click the link below and fill out the form to apply. Space is limited, and applications will be processed on a first come, first served basis. http://bit.ly/navigateWFO

Wardrobe for Opportunity has had an unprecedented and challenging 25th anniversary year. As low-income Bay Area workers faced reduced hours, compulsory furloughs, and layoffs due to the pandemic, WFO served 330% more clients in its professional development workshops than anticipated in 2020. Despite unexpected changes and uncertainty, the WFO team rose to the occasion by moving programming online for the first time, remaining engaged with Bay Area employers, and staying ahead... of local employment trends to make sure WFO clients continued to receive the training and tools necessary to succeed in their careers. While we acknowledge these accomplishments, we know that now is not the time to rest. We have big plans for 2021 to ensure that WFO is here during the pivotal and hardest moments of our clients' careers. The changes we are making to increase our impact this year include: -Doubling the number of Catapult cohorts offered. -Preparing the WFO boutique and team in advance so we are ready to serve clients on the first day of reopening. -Offering our first "boot camp" style Navigate program to jumpstart jobseekers' careers in just one week. However, our work is never done alone. Thanks to thousands of supporters like you, WFO has remained at the forefront of professional development services for low-income workers over the past 25 years. With your help, we will continue to prepare our clients to succeed in today's job market as they work towards developing the skills needed to achieve economic self-sufficiency. Get involved - donate today. Be a leader in the Bay Area's economic recovery by partnering with WFO to ensure that everyone has access to dignified, fulfilling, and living-wage employment. Your continued support reminds us that there is strength in community. bit.ly/WFOdonate

Happy New Year to all of our community members! We are back in our home offices and ready for all that 2021 has to offer. Learn about our programs and more on our website - www.wardrobe.org

"Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough." -Og Mandino #MondayMotivation

Are you interested in starting your own business, but not sure if entrepreneurship is right for you? Do you want to learn about what it takes to become a successful entrepreneur? Are you ready to be your own boss, but not sure how to take the first step? Learn how to get started with entrepreneurship in this FREE workshop, presented by Wardrobe for Opportunity and facilitated by Cheril Fagan! Join us on Thursday, January 7th at 5:30 pm for a course you surely don't want to miss. Space is limited! Register: http://ow.ly/9OaQ50CzHhe