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