AROUND THE INDUSTRY
ABC Teams Up to Launch EmpowerWear Partnership Joint venture with Dress for Success Pittsburgh to help women in need
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ITTSBURGH — America’s Best Cleaners (ABC), a national certification agency and consulting firm for the drycleaning and textile care industry, recently partnered with Dress for Success Pittsburgh for the launch of EmpowerWear, a collaboration aimed at empowering women, supporting local communities, and promoting environmental sustainability. In this venture, ABC assisted in the collection of gently used women’s professional and casual attire via a pilot program with its local Affiliate, Owl Cleaners. Through biannual collection campaigns and social media engagement, the partnership seeks to provide professional and casual attire to women in need, helping them achieve economic independence and access employment opportunities. The pilot program with Owl Cleaners kicked off Aug. 15 and ran through Sept.15, 2023. “Dress for Success Pittsburgh was the right partnership opportunity for ABC, our local Affiliate Owl Cleaners, and partners Little Moon Marketing and Cleaners Supply,” says Chris White, ABC executive director. “With so many women and single mothers being set back economically after the pandemic, our goal is that this pilot program will help build confidence, esteem, and success. We hope this program can be deployed to all of our Affiliate cities very soon.” “Appropriate clothing is the basic foundation every woman needs to look and feel confident as she showcases her skills and abilities in an interview or new job,” says Dress for Success Pittsburgh CEO Tanya Vokes. “By donating items they no longer need, EmpowerWear donors are empowering local women and promoting environmental sustainability, making a real impact across the region.” Dress for Success Pittsburgh is a nonprofit serving Allegheny, Butler, Fayette, Greene, and Washington counties in Pennsylvania. Its mission is to empower women who are entering and returning to the workforce by collecting new and gently worn women’s work-appropriate clothing, shoes, accessories, makeup and personal care items. In addition to collecting donations, the organization also operates the MGC Networking Group through
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American Drycleaner, September 2023
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which members make financial donations in support of its mission. “Women visit Dress for Success Pittsburgh for job search, interview, employment, job training, rebuild (major life change) or court appearance attire, along with professional development resources like resume support,” says Calynn Abdullah-Donbrock, director of communications & development at Dress for Success Pittsburgh. “Our primary way of reaching women is through our mobile services events, meeting women right where they are with one of our three mobile boutiques. Mobile services events provide a solution to a common barrier faced by many women across our region: lack of access to adequate transportation. We go to community centers, faithbased institutions, trade schools, and universities with a high population of first-generation students.” The partnership with Dress for Success Pittsburgh will allow dry cleaning customers to easily donate clothing via their regular scheduled delivery with ABC’s local affiliate, Owl Cleaners “We’re truly pleased at Owl Cleaners to be partnering with Dress For Success Pittsburgh,” says Owl Cleaners Owner Joe Ziccarelli. “This collaboration feels deeply meaningful to us. We believe it will significantly enhance the visibility of Dress for Success Pittsburgh’s crucial services while also helping to maintain their inventory of needed items. We’re eager to see the positive impacts of this collaboration unfold in our community.”
Study: US Consumer Confidence, Expectations Improved in July
Conference Board indexes rise to their highest levels since 2021 NEW YORK — The Conference Board — a global, nonprofit think tank and business membership organization — recently released its monthly economic indexes, and its findings paint a more positive outlook for the coming months. • The Board’s Consumer Confidence Index rose again in July to 117.0 (1985=100), up from 110.1 in June. • The Present Situation Index — based on consumers’ assessment of current business and labor market www.americandrycleaner.com
8/16/23 9:40 AM