Dress for Success SW Florida Announces Guest Speakers for Red Carpet Fundraising Gala

March 16, 2012 - PRLog -- Barbara Dell, Executive Director of Dress for Success SW Florida, is pleased to announce that Donna Noce-Colaco, President of White House | Black Market and Joi Gordon, Chief Executive Officer of Dress for Success Worldwide will be the guest speakers for “A Hollywood Night in Black and White.”

“Having Joi and Donna as our special guests at ‘A Hollywood Night in Black & White’ is a true honor,” said Barbara Dell, Executive Director of Dress for Success SW Florida. “Even before we opened our doors in 2010, Joi and Donna were the two women most responsible for making the dream of Dress for Success SW Florida become a reality.”
Since joining Dress for Success in 1999 and taking the helm in 2002, Gordon has been devoted to establishing Dress for Success as a recognized leader in the economic and social development of disadvantaged women.  She has global responsibility for 118 affiliates in 14 countries.

In recent years, several prominent institutions have recognized Gordon for her achievements.  In 2011, she was profiled in Crain’s New York Business, the Financial Times, and Black Enterprise magazine. She was also named among Working Mother magazine’s “Most Powerful Moms in Non-Profit.”  Under her leadership, Dress for Success now serves more than 50,000 women globally each year and has touched the lives of more than 600,000 women around the world.

“Joi motivates, she encourages and she is contagious,” Dell said. “And she is always a phone call away for the 118 affiliates throughout the world.”

Donna and her team at White House | Black Market responded immediately after Dell reached out to them about starting a Dress for Success chapter to benefit Southwest Florida women.

“When I met Donna, I asked her to do us the honor of being our Board President,” said Dell. “In her charismatic manner, she accepted without hesitation, and within weeks we received a $10,000 check. That generosity allowed us to open our doors. Since then, White House | Black Market has donated numerous items of clothing to our boutique, and Donna’s commitment has allowed this community to serve and empower hundreds of women.”

“A Hollywood Night in Black and White” will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. March 28th at Clive  Daniel Home in Naples. Guests will be treated to fashion, photos, hors d’oeuvres and cocktails, entertainment and client testimonials. Tickets are $60 each or $100 for VIP passes, and can be purchased online at http://www.dressforsuccess.org/swflorida or call 239-689-4992.

About Dress for Success: The mission of Dress For Success is to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. The vision for the Southwest Florida affiliate is to provide an opportunity for socially and economically disadvantaged women in Lee and Collier counties to improve themselves, receive support in career development and feel more confident and empowered. There are 118 Dress For Success locations in seven countries focused on providing career wardrobes and employment counseling to disadvantaged women. Since starting operations in 1997, Dress for Success has helped more than 800,000 women work toward self-sufficiency. For information, email swflorida@dressforsuccess.org, call 239-689-4992 or visit http://www.DressForSuccess.org/swflorida.