Dress for Success Toronto's Polished 2015 Fundraiser Unites Women in Common Cause

Approximately 350 attendees come together to empower women across the GTA to access new career opportunities

TORONTO, Nov. 19, 2015 /CNW/ - Dress for Success Toronto, a charitable organization dedicated to promoting the economic independence of women across the GTA, held its annual fundraising event, Polished 2015, on November 3^rd.

With speeches, entertainment, a silent auction and book signing by Barb Stegemann, the exclusive event came to life within the walls of downtown Toronto's Copacabana restaurant, with almost 350 attendees coming together to raise more than $65,000 for the charity.

"Dress for Success Toronto believes everyone deserves a chance to succeed. We help by providing clients from low-income families with a complete wardrobe for interviews and employment, as well as with ongoing pre- and post-employment support. We empower women to enter the corporate world with confidence," says Debbie Lupton, Executive Director of Dress for Success Toronto. She added, "We want to thank all of our sponsors and everyone who donated generously, as the money raised will go towards supporting women in Toronto jumpstart their careers and access new opportunities." 

Dress for Success Toronto focuses on providing women with professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools they need to thrive in the workplace and in life. The annual fundraising event was hosted by one of its long-term supporters, notable fashion icon Jeanne Beker and by special guest Canadian entrepreneur Barb Stegemann, Founder and CEO of The 7 Virtues, both of whom provided inspirational anecdotal stories of their careers and individual connections to the Dress for Success program.

Dress for Success Toronto's Polished 2015 event would not have been such a great success without the generous support of the following sponsors: 

Courage Partners:	Bank of Montreal Capital Markets; Calvin Klein
Corporate Partners:	Meeting Encore; Scotiabank
Event Sponsors:	Ann Taylor; Crowe Soberman
Media and PR Sponsors:	High Road; Toronto Life
Alcohol Sponsors:	Henkell; Nederburg; Peroni; Stoli

About Dress for Success Toronto

Dress for Success Worldwide is an international not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of women located in more than 150 cities across 22 countries. The professional clothing, employment retention programs and ongoing support that Dress for Success provides their clients symbolizes faith in every woman's ability to be self-sufficient and successful in her career.

Dress for Success Toronto serves job-ready women by referral from a range of non-profit organizations. The programs offered help women transition towards self-sufficiency by addressing their social and economic needs in relation to work, home and community. Ultimately, each woman is a success story: She has gone from unemployment to economic independence.

For more information, please contact:
Debbie Lupton
Executive Director
Dress for Success Toronto
Tel. [phone] x 5022
[email protected]
[email protected]

https://toronto.dressforsuccess.org/

Charity Registration # 889786216RR0001

SOURCE Dress for Success

Image with caption: "From left - Geri Markvoort, Chair Board of Directors; Jeanne Beker; Barb Stegemann; Andrea Elliott, Board of Directors (CNW Group/Dress for Success)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20151118_C4586_PHOTO_EN_548798.jpg

Debbie Lupton, Executive Director, Dress for Success Toronto, Tel. [phone] x 5022, [email protected], [email protected]; https://toronto.dressforsuccess.org/, Charity Registration # 889786216RR0001