[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 26 (Thursday, March 12, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E361]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                        MAKING A REAL DIFFERENCE

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                           HON. NEWT GINGRICH

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 12, 1998

  Mr. GINGRICH. Mr. Speaker, I want to encourage my colleagues to read 
the following article about a woman in my district who is making a real 
difference in our community. Deborah Wolf, an attorney and the 
president of a personnel placement firm, founded a non-profit 
organization called ``Working Wardrobe.'' Working Wardrobe provides 
professional apparel for women facing domestic violence or victims of 
other economic hardships, thus enabling these women to feel confidant 
and look their best for interviews which hopefully lead to fulfilling 
career opportunities. As we look for ways to shrink the size and scope 
of government, Working Wardrobe is a shining example of how individuals 
and community can effectively and more efficiently help those in need. 
By emphasizing work, personal responsibility and a helping hand, 
welfare caseloads will continue to plummet, thus strengthening families 
and children and enabling even the neediest to participate in the 
American dream.

               Helping Needy Women Dress for Work Success

                        (By Ernest Holsendolph)

       Dressing for success is no frivolous matter in the business 
     world, and it remains a critical factor for many job 
     applicants. It can be the difference between getting a job or 
     not. Just ask Deborah L. Wolf.
       Wolf, a lawyer turned medical personnel placement 
     specialist, said that more frequently than she cares to 
     recall, many qualified, typically female, job seekers fail to 
     get a job simply because they do not have appropriate 
     clothing to wear.
       ``It is absolutely heartbreaking to see that happen,'' she 
     said.
       An article in Good Housekeeping magazine recently told 
     about organizations around the country that gather clothing 
     for people who want to work but can't afford the proper 
     attire. Wolf, a person of action, has launched Working 
     Wardrobe Inc. in the greater Atlanta area, just in time to 
     help state agencies and others seal the final preparation for 
     female newcomers to the work force.
       What Wolf is doing, with the assistance of a growing number 
     of volunteers, is an encouraging sign that private efforts 
     will certainly buttress other work to help people by the 
     thousands move from welfare and other forms of dependency to 
     the workplace.
       Working Wardrobe formally will open its doors during the 
     last week of this month, and here is what it will do:
       Receive and sort donated clothing from various sources 
     that range from individual donors such as local television 
     personalities and others, to donors like Macy's department 
     store.
       Interview and consult with women as they are referred by 
     the state Department of Family and Children's Services or the 
     Labor Department, having been trained and cleared for work.
       Get them attired for their initial job interviews and for 
     the first weeks of the job.
       Wolf, who has operated her own business, All Medical 
     Personnel, for six years, said she believes this kind of 
     assistance will boost the confidence level of the 
     inexperienced job seekers.
       The idea has gotten quick positive response from people who 
     can help. Noteworthy is the offer of 2,500 square feet of 
     space by the Apparel Mart in downtown Atlanta where Wolf and 
     her helpers can launch May 27 or thereabouts.
       ``This has been a marvelous donation, and just what we 
     needed,'' Wolf said. The offices will be right there within 
     eyesight of many top apparel markers and distributors. And 
     the downtown location will be reachable by a maximum number 
     of people who need the service because of the proximity to 
     bus lines and the MARTA rail system.
       ``We want shelters and other organizations whose clients 
     may need this service to be aware of us,'' Wolf said.
       As the volunteer effort grows, Working Wardrobe will need 
     ever larger sources of garments and other apparel, as well as 
     volunteers to process clothing. The items they seek include 
     skirt and pants suits; skirts, blouses, jackets and dresses; 
     as well as overcoats, shoes, pocketbooks, scarfs, belts, 
     jewelry and new pantyhose and cosmetics. No used 
     undergarments, cosmetics or pantyhose will be accepted, nor 
     will men's clothing be accepted.
       Wolf said she will also need more volunteers to step 
     forward as consultants to work with the women.
       The effort will also need some expertise, including 
     speakers and fund-raisers, as well as people with sewing and 
     tailoring skills to make some items for size 16 and larger, 
     and also mend items needing small repairs.
       Wolf, a trained commercial real estate attorney, who found 
     herself beached during a business downtown in the late 1980s, 
     turned entrepreneur in 1991 by launching her medical 
     placement service.
       She admits she knows nothing special about business attire, 
     but then she knew nothing about medical careers until she 
     launched her business and learned by doing.
       ``I'm must grateful for my own opportunity to succeed,'' 
     Wolf said. ``And my effort here to start Working Wardrobe is 
     something I hope can partially pay back our community for the 
     good fortune I have had.''
       Anyone who can help Working Wardrobe should call 404-320-
     9125, which currently is located in the offices of All 
     Medical Personnel at 1961 North Druid Hills Rd. Suite 201-A.

     

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